Little publicity appears to have been made in Israel regarding a proposed joint project between Jordan and Syria to construct a dam across the Yarmouk River. The dam, known as the Wihdeh Dam, will be built on that part of the Yarmouk that is shared by the two countries before it reaches an area now […]
(Countries along the Mediterranean Sea basin) Water policy people will like to know about this initiative: Most countries in what is known as the Mediterranean Sea basin have agreed to form a combined group to deal with issues dealing with water reserves for the region. Based on the Mediterranean Water Charter, adopted in Rome in […]
Jordan’s Environment Minister Khalid Irani, RSCN Director General Yehya Khaled, Amman City Manager Ammar Gharaibeh and Wild Jordan Director Chris Johnson hold candles during an event marking Earth Hour on Saturday night (Photo via RSCN) Regional Earth Hour celebrations mixed: On Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. when many people in both Jordan and Israel were […]
Clean water, and water resources dominate the news over here in the Middle East. Recently Green Prophet reported on Israel’s “water” compensation to Jordan, and the Jordan crisis dealing with radioactive water. This video segment from Al-Arabiya offers a Jordanian view on the water story, or “war” as they report, between Jordan and Israel.
(A Christian woman about to be baptised in Israel’s Jordan River.) Sunday was World Water Day, and lately with all the adverse publicity regarding the cleanliness of Israel’s streams and rivers, I’ve often wondered if there are any that might be considered as safe to drink out of, even if one were in dire straits […]
Israel’s Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). As compensation for polluting the Yarmouk River, Israel will pump freshwater from the lake into Jordan As if the regional water scarcity wasn’t bad enough already, Israel will soon begin compensating Jordan with freshwater after oil waste and sewage contaminated the shared Yarmouk River water supply. After detecting pollution […]
An aquaduct in Petra – A Jordanian water conveyance system that is much less controversial! A major study published last week found levels of radioactive isotopes in Jordan’s Disi aquifer that far exceed international drinking water standards. The study, which was conducted by a team of Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian scientists and led by Duke […]
Imagine being able to place an entire farm, complete with crops and livestock, in the same space as is required for one of today’s modern urban skyscrapers. A Columbia University professor, Dickson Despommier, has been involved in such a project that could turn a 30 story glass faced building into a vertical agricultural enterprise capable […]
The Middle East is pretty thirsty right now. Headlines from all over the region chronicle the increasingly serious drought conditions affecting agriculture, industry, and health. Unfortunately, new research from the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science & Technology adds reason for even more concern. In their study, “High Naturally Occurring Radioactivity in Fossil Groundwater from the Middle […]
“Water, water everywhere/Nor any drop to drink…” Those immortal words in the poem “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” by 18th century English romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge only help the emphasize the reality of the water crises that countries in the Middle East and other arid regions are now facing. As annual rainfall amounts become […]
What’s left of Iraq’s “Garden of Eden” Marshes The Middle Eastern winter has never been more pleasant, bringing us day after day of perfect blue skies, comfortable temperatures, light winds and crisp, clear views. “What more could you ask for?” must think the residents of Western Europe and North America, who are being pounded by […]
Green Prophet had the opportunity to interview Gitanjali Bakshi, Research Analyst at the Strategic Foresight Group. The group has produced a report on the environmental impact of conflicts in the Middle East, which was presented at the Palais de Nations in Geneva this week. Tell us a little bit about who you are and what […]
Jordan’s Millenium Energy Industries (MEI) has announced a project to provide 1.3 million liters a day of hot water for a new development in the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi’s Modern Residential City is to house 25,000 people in 48 buildings, all of which will receive their hot water from the planned project. The project […]
Fresh on the heels of Israel, Egypt, and the UAE, who have all recently made commitments for a renewable energy future, Jordan recently launched EDAMA, an initiative to help Jordan reduce energy demand, water usage, and protect the environment. EDAMA Chairperson Karim Kawar indicates that Jordan is using its energy and water resources in an […]