‘Z’ is an anonymous cartoonist whose pink flamingo trademark came about due to his efforts to stop development projects which would destroy the bird’s natural habitat

By day an architect and by night a bitingly critical cartoonist, ‘Z’ is a force to be reckoned with. His criticism of the previous Tunisian dictator Ben Ali meant he preferred to remain anonymous. And his continued criticism of the Tunisian government means that he will be ‘keeping his mask on’ for now. However, what appears to have inspired this architect-turned-cartoonist is the destructive force of development in the country which threatened the habitat of pink flamingoes. Z gave a rare interview to Samar Media about his work, the Arab Spring and why the pink flamingo became his mascot.

“My very first cartoons always featured pink flamingos. It has been my blog’s mascot until now,” says Z to Samar Media, which has produced a series on revolutionary cartoonist from the Arab world.

“Why pink flamingos? Because when I started drawing in 2008, there were projects in Tunisia that were supposed to be funded by Emiratis. Billions and billion of (touristic) projects were going to concrete the whole lake of Tunis… and I tried to raise awareness among the people about the environmental hazards of such a project, and the fact that there had been no consultation with the local residents.”

Sadly, this is a familiar story that appears to be affecting the entire Arab region. However, it is great to see a cartoonist taking an active interest in the environmentally harmful aspects of the boom-development projects. These projects so often end up being championed as job creating opportunities with very little attention paid to the long-term and environmental harmful aspects of the projects.

Z goes on to explain that what drew him to the story was that the age-old ecosystem which was under serious threat was to be taken by Ben Ali and his relatives. As such the situation had a particularly political slant and was a way for him to protest against the Tunisian regime and the extraordinary powers it held.

“You see here a protest of pink flamingos – they represent the oppressed citizens,” he explains to Samar Media. “The drawing was a trick to raise awareness among people about the dangers of the project and to talk about politics without directly mentioning the regime.”

:Hat tip to @arablit/ Arab Literature (in English)

:: All images via DebaTunisie.

For more on Tunisia and destructive development see:

Catch Up With Green Prophet in Tunisia

Saudi’s Mecca Becoming a Holy Sprawl

World’s Largest Artificial Lagoon Nears Completion In Egypt

Sinai’s Ecological Future Hangs in the Balance

The post Z: The Anonymous Tunisian Cartoonist Championing Nature appeared first on Green Prophet.

The Iraqi Marshlands, which were pushed to the brink of extinction under the Saddam era, are slowly being restored to their former glory

For over 7,000 years the Iraqi Marshland- also known as the Mesopotamian Marshlands- played an important role in global ecosystems by supporting rare wildlife and rich biodiversity. Located in south Iraq, the marshlands stretched to over 6,000 square miles and are believed by many to be the location of the Garden of Eden. In the 1980’s, however, Saddam drained the marshland to punish the Marsh Arabs who rebelled against him and turned their green lush wetlands into dusty deserts.

Following the 2003 war in Iraq which had its own destructive impact on the environment, a unique opportunity emerged to restore the marshlands in what has since been dubbed as ‘the largest habitat restoration project in the world’.

At its peak the Iraqi Marshlands were considered to be the largest wetland ecosystem in the Middle East but after the devastating draining projects under Saddam, the Marshland shrunk to just 10 percent of its original size. The Marsh Arab population dropped from around quarter of a million to just a few thousand.

One Iraqi who had fled the country under Saddam returned to find that the wetlands he knew as a child had been destroyed beyond recognition. Azzam Alwash, decided to change this and set up Nature Iraq to help re-flood and so restore the marshlands.

Water which was diverted away from the Iraqi Marshlands under Saddam were re-routed to the marshlands which has seen the return of reeds on the embankments, bird-life and fishes. Birds such as the pied Kingfisher, the great white Pelican, the Basra Reed Warbler and the Greater Flamingo can now been seen flying across the marshlands.

The restoration has also encouraged the return of Marsh Arabs to the wetlands who are now able to eke out a living from the Marshlands through fishing and making baskets out of reeds to sell in the markets.

This is not to say that the project hasn’t faced any problems. Much of the restoration has been patchy and issues such as falling levels of water and the deteriorating quality of water have hindered a complete restoration. It also means that many Marsh Arabs are still struggling to get back to the living they had before the marshes were drained during the Saddam era.

Those involved in the restoration admit that there is still a long way to go but also point to the current progress as a sign that the Iraqi Marshlands could one day be fully restored to its former glory.

: Image via Nature Iraq

:: BBC Programme- Natural World: The Miracle in the Marshes of Iraq

For more on Iraq and its environmental concerns see:

A Profile of Iraq’s Environmental Woes

Iraqi Sheikh Threatens to Demonstrate If Kurds Don’t Share Water

US Leaves Iraq with a Legacy of Waste

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The lowest in the world and Israel’s only freshwater lake, the Sea of Galilee is fed by the Jordan River and supplies much of the region’s water. Famously the site for many of Jesus’ sermons, it also has a long fishing history. In the first century, the historian Flavius Josephus wrote that 230 fishing boats thrived on the lake. Twenty centuries later, the lake is at risk of being emptied of all its fish. This news just in from the Jerusalem Post.The Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry has issued temporary fishing licenses to fishermen in order to buy time. In between now and February 28, 2011, when the licenses will expire, the Knesset economic committee must decide what to do about the unprecedented low fish stock levels.

In just one decade, fish stocks dropped by almost 2,000 tonnes from 2,144 in 1999 to just 156.8 in 2009.

Apart from impacting on the livelihood of local fishermen, which is serious enough, what are the ecological effects of an over-fished lake?

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, at least two:

• Excessive fishing can reduce spawning biomass of a fishery below desired levels such as maximum sustainable or economic yields.

• Continued overfishing can cause changes in species composition and biodiversity can occur with progressive reduction of large, long-lived, and high value predator species and the increase in small, short-lived, and lower value pelagic and demersal prey species, a process described as ‘fishing down the food chain’ (This is especially relevant for ocean species).

Last year a fishing ban was put in place in order to increase fish stock. It remains to be seen whether similar action will be taken this year.

Compounding the lake’s ecological health are low water levels, presently at their lowest since the 1920s. Although last year between March and June the lake levels were above the “red line” – below which levels are thought to be particularly bad – lack of rain has kept levels devastatingly low. This despite efforts to cut back on the amount of water pumped out of the lake.

Last year, Lake Kinneret only received, on average, 60% of its annual rainful.

:: Jerusalem Post

More on the Sea of Galilee:

Israel Bars Fishing In The Sea Of Galilee

Fashion Contest Inspired By The Sea Of Galilee

Israel Becomes A Nation Of Cycling Freaks

image via the holy land

The post Gone Fishing, But Not In The Sea Of Galilee appeared first on Green Prophet.

Occasionally, readers accuse Green Prophet writers of being killjoys. Israel finds the Leviathan gas field and throws the party of the century, but we hang our heads, certain of the environmental and social destruction that will follow. And when Zaha Hadid is commissioned to do another project, I look for my Prozac.

Each of the Iraqi architect’s buildings revolutionize the field, of that there is no question. But they are expensive, resource intensive, and therefore completely irresponsible. In a country where tens of millions of people live below the poverty line, the almost complete Guangzhou Opera House rises like a robber.

Like anyone, I love a good show, and realize that culture is an essential component of any healthy society. But gone are the days when culture was a part of daily life, when whole villages gathered to elevate their collective consciousness.

Now in order to experience traditional dance or progressive theatrics, we have to make (at least) a US$15 million dollar investment. At least that’s what modern society would have you think.

Zaha’s 70,000 square meter Grand Theatre, commissioned by the Guanzhoung Municipality, will hold 1800 cultural enthusiasts.

I’d be willing to wager that the city’s poor will never cross the threshold. Modern culture, then, is reserved for the rich, while the shining Zaha takes another step up the twin ladder of ambition and environmental destruction.

This particular project pretends to align with nature, designed as it is to look like pebbles overlooking the Pearl River, visible from the inside through transparent glass walls. But the concrete and steel used in construction instead in a malefic effect.

Give me a small theater with simple acoustics and folksy, down-to-earth performances. Give me Vertigo.

And then, for architecture that makes a difference, give me Studied Impact, whose buildings create harmony with nature.

Zaha’s Lamborghini buildings are too rich for my blood.

More on Zaha Hadid:

Zaha Hadid: One of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People

Top Five Sustainable Designers?

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