Concerted cleaning efforts averted major disaster in Eilat, but more serious oil spills are only “a matter of time” say Israeli officials. Two separate oil spills contaminated the waters off Eilat in Israel over the weekend. The Jerusalem Post reports that the initial oil spill on Friday morning came from an unknown source, although officials […]
Greenpeace activists take on bottom trawlers. But in Oman, they no longer have to. Bottom trawlers were forced to set sail after Oman effected its ban on this destructive “fishing” practice. A small Gulf country that borders the United Arab Emirates, Oman is renowned for its incredible coral reefs and marine diversity. But 16 large […]
These sick baby turtles covered in barnacles are two of many turtles received for treatment in Dubai. Scientists are puzzled over the record number of mostly endangered Hawksbill turtles being admitted to the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project. The 210 turtles that have been brought in for treatment significantly exceeds the numbers received in previous years. […]
Young Swahili “beach boys” ride in a traditional dhow in Lamu, which is threatened by a multi-billion dollar port project. Lamu’s enclave of UNESCO-protected Swahili culture – an enduring tradition born from a fusion of coastal Bantu and Arab traders that settled here centuries ago – is threatened by a multi-billion dollar port project. For […]
Does new crackdown demonstrate a gradual shift in Egyptian environmental policy? The Red Sea Governorate is cracking down on illegal, unsustainable development in Hurghada, Egypt, where 200,000 citizens are custodians of one of the earth’s most unique marine ecosystems. Though challenges to its coral reef system and overall health are numerous – including tourism and […]
It’s like finding an oasis in the middle of the desert: Haifa University explorers discover coral reefs 700m beneath the Mediterranean Sea’s surface; will they be able to protect the reef from oil and gas exploration? The scene of bickering between Israel and Lebanon over gas fields, and potentially harboring a giant garbage patch, the […]
Is this a mirage, or does Chilean Fernando Fischmann really intend to build the world’s largest artificial lagoon on the already ecologically-sensitive Red Sea? In Egypt there will be more artificial fun for rich men and women while the poor can’t even trust that their tap water is safe, that their waste will be disposed […]
Noise pollution threatens Great Barrier Reef Fish. Are Red Sea fish in danger too? Several human interferences impact the Red Sea: poaching by Yemenese fishermen, frequent oil spills, and even sunscreen is harmful to corals. These examples barely bob on the surface of the greater problem though. Worldwide, phytoplankton is diminishing, a sign of serious […]
Normal coral (left) exposed to ultraviolet filters found in sunscreen “bleaches” white (right) when the algae living inside it die. Go to the beach. Swim. Kill some ecosystems and go home. All in a full day trip to any of the world’s sandy getaways. Until recently, this was a trip to get away from the […]
The Red Sea oil spill off Hurghada Coast is said to be contained, but it’s still leaking off the coast of Egypt, environmental activists say. Tourists are cancelling Red Sea holidays. With all the attention focused on the still spewing oil platform leak in the Gulf of Mexico, who would be paying attention to another oil […]
A death trap for corals: Is Abu Dhabi’s Bu Tinah island atoll next in line for dumping? We have heard this issue before: corals are being killed from human caused environmental damage. We’ve heard this in a lot of places, especially in the areas like the Persian Gulf; where large scale construction projects in Dubai, […]
How Many Discs Will Save Abu Dhabi’s Coral Reefs? We have a long history of worrying about the Middle East’s coral reefs. These “rainforests of the sea” – so named because of their extraordinary biodiversity – are at risk of melting if CO2 levels continue to rise. They also face relentless jeopardy from development projects […]
Scientists seek to solve the mystery of disappearing coral in Abu Dhabi. Bring in Inspector Clouseau! It doesn’t take a whole lot of common sense to figure this one out: you build monolithic structures and artificial islands on a fragile seashore along the Persian Gulf, have oil tankers pulling petrochemicals from the land which leaks […]
e-GEO satellite monitoring of Dubai’s Palm Island. Can technology protect the endangered Persian Gulf? Saudi Arabia’s fragile desert and coastal environments will now get “help from above,” thanks to an initiative by a group of Saudi Arabian and European partners (GAF AG and e-GEOS) who have completed a project to implement and provide satellite-based environmental information […]
Getting close to his subject: marine biologist Prof. Zvy Dubinsky hopes to understand the changes global warming will cause to the world’s delicate coral reefs. A new EU grant will give the corals a chance. Israeli marine biologist Zvy Dubinksy is worried. Coral reefs all over the world – from the Great Barrier Reef in […]