Masdar has sued the Spanish government. The multi-pronged company funded in part by the government of Abu Dhabi helped build the world’s first 24/7 solar power plant in Spain, a feat made possible in part with subsidies. But Spain has now cut incentives for renewable energy, which eats into Masdar’s investment.
The Egyptian government announced earlier this week that a plan to bridge the distance between Egypt and Saudi Arabia across the Gulf of Aqaba is going to become reality in the very near future. A longstanding proposal previously rejected by former President Hosni Mubarak, a bridge linking the Sinai Peninsula and Saudi Arabia is expected […]
I considered myself an entrepreneur at the age of 15, when I set up shop on the cobblestone streets across my dad’s apartment on the island of Lefkada, Greece, to sell stones I collected from local beaches and then decorated. Although it was a great idea, and surprisingly lucrative, it probably wasn’t groundbreaking enough to […]
During a recent trip to Iran, EuroNews correspondent Ali Sheikholeslami found that many Iranians are becoming unwitting vegetarians as they can no longer afford to buy meat. Following international sanctions against the country’s nuclear ambitions, inflation has soared, the Rial has crashed to about half its former value against western currencies, and locals are feeling the pinch. […]
Better Place is not doing as well as everyone expected, with financial losses running in the millions. The idea seemed flawless: battery-powered cars that could run on 100% electricity and could be recharged almost instantly by swapping batteries at special charging stations. But despite all the optimistic predictions, Better Place, the Israeli company that has […]
For those times when you can’t use electronic delivery methods and just need those paper products, eco-friendly suppliers like Flyerzone come in handy. As much as we may try to avoid the need for paper products (or find creative ways to reuse paper), sometimes you just need to get something printed on good old-fashioned paper. […]
Cyprus may have a long way to go in terms of being eco-friendly, but GreenGraffiti has brought it a little closer. Graffiti may conjure up images and smells of atmospherically harmful spray paints and underground punk rock enthusiasts, but it doesn’t have to. Well, the punk rockers can stay, but graffiti can be green without […]
The Dead Sea Works would have the public believe that it is saving – not destroying – the Dead Sea. Greenwashing campaigns have become abundant in recent years as the green trend has been growing in popularity. With greater environmental awareness among the public over the past decade or so, businesses attempt to attract positive […]
From climate events to marine conservation projects, it seems that green organisations in the Middle East are happy to take money from not-so-green corporations It goes something like this. A green organisation is set up with the good intentions of sorting out some environmental injustice be it pollution or marine destruction. That green and very […]
The Elah Valley, which IEI hopes to use as testing grounds for oil shale extraction. The annual Israeli “Green Globe” award ceremony, hosted by the environmental umbrella organization Life and Environment, took place last Thursday where recipients included Minister of the Environment Gilad Arden. That award ceremony is not all pats-on-the-back and positive recognition, however. […]
Reuse conference brings designers and entrepreneurs together, showing that reusing is eco-friendly, fun, and profitable too. The concept of reuse is not new to Israel. Over the past few years it has seen “Reuse” exhibitions in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as well as the emergence of several upcycling, sustainable designers who have brought fun and […]
Despite the UAE’s bad “eco-rap,” Summertown Interiors is helping to boost the region’s environmental ethos The UAE has been getting some rather bad press recently about their lack of environmental awareness. First, it emerged that only 1 in 25 Emiratis walked anywhere on a weekly basis and then that they throw away around 500 tonnes […]
Galil Software brings high-tech opportunities to Arab engineers in Israel’s geographic peripheries Earlier we reported that Israel needs to pick up its cleantech pace. And sustainability is business means creating employment options for everybody, not just an elite few. Perhaps an infusion of Israeli-Arab engineering talent will help? This Israeli high-tech firm – unlike the […]
Entity Green brings greener development, recycling, and eco-friendly lifestyles to Amman, Jordan. Above, an EG team constructing a new building. After learning about the farmer’s market, Souq al Balad, that Entity Green helped organized in Amman a few months ago, we decided we wanted to know what else this organization was up to. And so we […]
Professor Daniel Esty lectured United Arab Emirates officials (and others) about environmental sustainability at Yale University last week. Members attending Professor Daniel Esty’s lecture: “Green to Gold: Environmental Sustainability in a Changing World” at Yale University last week included a who’s who of United Arab Emirates officials. The event was attended by H.H. General Sheikh […]
Help Sustainability Advisory Group hear the real deal about corporate responsibility and sustainability in the Middle East. [image via: Ben] Environmental organizations are, of course, very important. But often big change comes from the big companies who have big power. Which is why it’s important not only to support green non-profits, but companies that are […]
Cairo is a city with 18 million people. Most do not have a way to remove their trash. Garbage Dreams, a new film (see above), explores Zabbaleen and how they recycle garbage in Cairo. A buy-out of two waste-management firms could make the waste management business run more effectively, but impact the trade done on […]
Will The World be saved? UAE attempts to rescue collapsed real estate market in Dubai. The massive world-shaped islands off the coast of Dubai have been an environmentalist’s nightmare. With little regard to marine ecosystems, and the future impact of these buildings, Dubai ‘s building of The World has been brought to a halt due […]
A couple of years after former Sierra Club President Adam Werbach founded ActNow, a sustainable business consultancy, he signed up Walmart as a client. This brought Werbach considerable notoriety in eco-activist circles. Walmart’s record of environmental responsibility had previously been spotty, to put it mildly. Werbach retorted to his critics that Walmart, with almost two […]
Water is fast becoming the new oil. Without it, nations starve and conflicts ensue, like the piracy off the Somali coast we’ve written about. Predictions become direr as we factor in global warming. And new conflicts in the Middle East could erupt at any time over that most innocuous and life-sustaining element. With limited resources […]
Last week we had news that Gaza and Israel are smoking a peace pipe for water. Now this is more news that should bring a smile to the face of every leader in the Middle East: A true regional partnership, brokered by three peace foundations – that is about to reduce biomass pollution for Israelis, […]
A recent article in Israel’s Globes financial newspaper, explores how Israel’s valuable exports of Dead Sea mined potash to India will be reduced this year due to the weakest monsoon season in India in five years. The article Weak Monsoon Dries up Israel Chemicals Ltd (ICL) Potash Exports may result in a reduction of Israeli potash exports […]
Giftec, an industry show featuring various types of gifts and housewares that achieved great success in Tel Aviv this past February, is having another show starting today (August 10) and running through Wednesday (August 12). The items in the show will include textiles, dishes, kitchenware, art, souveneirs, Judaica, and more. This time, however, Giftec will […]
The Elders, a group of independent and eminent global leaders originally brought together by Nelson Mandela, have announced their plans to visit Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza at the end of August. The delegation will be led by former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, and will include Ela Bhatt (India), Gro Brundtland (Norway), Jimmy […]
After watching the Al Gore movie on global warming, Israeli-American business coach and transformational thinker Tal Ronen was motivated to “reboot” his career, and at the same time, to “reboot” the planet, starting with America. “We are embezzling the planet,” Ronen says. “Based on what I’ve studied, we’ll need about 15 to 30 planet earths […]