Qatar’s climate hypocrisy rides the London Underground
Qatar remains a master of doublethink—burning gas by the megaton while selling “sustainability” to a world desperate for clean air. Wake up from your slumber people.
Qatar
Images of Assomption Island development show extensive beach development
Researchers who have studied the island for decades describe it as a key ecological buffer for Aldabra, helping to protect the atoll from pollution, invasive species, and light disturbance. If Assomption’s natural systems collapse, they warn, Aldabra could be next.
Seychelles activists sue government for Qatari development on turtle nesting sites
The luxury resort now under legal challenge on Assomption Island is being developed by Assets Group, a Qatar-based real estate company that advertises the project on its own website as a collection of high-end villas and spa facilities in the Seychelles. According to multiple reports, including Mongabay and The Seychelles Nation, the developer is tied to Qatari investors and has relied on the London-based PC Agency to promote the project internationally. Environmental groups allege that Assets Group’s expansion near the UNESCO-protected Aldabra Atoll risks introducing invasive species and undermining decades of conservation work.
They Call Her Madam Torti. She Might Be the Only One Who Can Save Seychelles Turtles
Sea turtle expert Dr. Jeanne Mortimer warns that unchecked development on Assomption Island threatens Seychelles' most critical nesting beach. With over four decades of research, Mortimer advocates for science-based, turtle-friendly development to protect endangered species. Her quiet, persistent work underscores the urgent need for conservation-led planning in fragile island ecosystems.
Q&A: Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah on Assomption Island, Qatar, and the State of Conservation in the Seychelles
As controversy brews over a Qatari-backed development on Seychelles’ remote Assomption Island, questions are being raised about environmental transparency, geopolitical influence, and the future of conservation. I reached out to Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah, CEO of Nature Seychelles, for his unfiltered perspective.
Seychelles’ Assomption Island Sold to Qatar: An Alleged $50M Deal Sparks Uproar Over Heroin, Corruption, and a Vanishing Paradise
A remote coral island in the Indian Ocean is quietly being transformed into a luxury resort and international airstrip for Qatari royalty—allegedly sold off in a secretive $50 million deal to Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan, without public consent or environmental oversight.
Seychelles and the battle with royalty, rats, and the last truly wild places left on Earth
Off the powder-soft sands and turquoise waters of the Seychelles, a quiet storm is brewing—one that involves royalty, rats, and the last truly wild places left on Earth.
Seychelles’ UNESCO island under threat from luxury development and Qatari-linked terror funds
The fate of Assomption Island may determine not just the survival of its biodiversity, but the integrity of Seychelles’ commitment to sustainable development in the face of land grabs and neo-colonialism by powerful foreign interests.
What is climateflation and how it impacts Middle East nations
Climateflation presents a complex and multifaceted challenge for Middle Eastern economies, requiring concerted efforts from governments, businesses, and civil society to address effectively.
Arab Energy Fund commits $1 billion to energy transition and decarbonization
The Arab Energy Fund, previously known as the Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP), has announced a significant commitment of $1 billion to drive energy transition and decarbonization efforts.
Qatari Daybreak Unveils An Otherwordly Sky
Have you ever seen a sunrise like this? A self-identified astrophotographer captured images of an annular eclipse on the morning of December 26, 2019. The dramatic picture have since gone viral, earning a nod from NASA as the Astronomy Image of The Day. Athens-based photographer Elias Chasiotis was visiting Al Wakrah, Qatar last month to record […]
What Israel, the UAE and Qatar have in common
WASHINGTON — Israel is the best-prepared country in the Middle East for climate change, followed closely by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey, according to data released Nov. 5 by the University of Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index (ND-GAIN). Publication of the 2014 index was followed only a week later by the signing of […]
Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE among world’s top 10 wasters
Bahrain, in the Middle East is one of the most wasteful nations on earth, according to the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) 2014 Living Planet Report (download the PDF here), published recently. Bahrain as the ninth worst offender in terms of the environmental impact it has on the planet, per head of population. But Bahrain is not lonely among […]
Qatari students take on robots!
Elementary and middle school students from schools across Qatar recently tested their robotics know-how.
Qatar Must Stop Shoreline Development to Save Mangrove Forests
The Arabian Gulf has waters that are some of the world’s most saline; and where water temperatures often reach as high as 35 degrees Celsius during the hot summer months. Despite these harsh realities, the waters of the Gulf contain a variety of aquatic plants and animals.