On August 5th, 2025, environmental experts from Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories descended upon the University of Leeds for a three-day event centered around the Dead Sea and its irreversible decline. The gathering highlighted the urgency and attention that the region directs towards the Dead Sea.

Once spanning over 400 square miles, the Dead Sea now covers approximately 230 square miles. Currently, the Dead Sea’s water is dropping 3.3 feet per year due to the diversion of the Jordan River and the overextraction of the sea’s minerals. 

See Related Article: Environmentalist: “Explore Alternatives to Red-Dead Canal Project”

The area surrounding the sea has changed drastically in the past half-century. Landscapes are riddled with sinkholes, human activity, and leftover mineral deposits. 

The Dead Sea’s rapid decline is not only an aesthetic decline but also one that affects various aspects of the world. First, it affects ecosystems and biodiversity. All parts of the natural world are connected, and something as prominent as the Dead Sea being destroyed will affect life around it. Also, local communities and infrastructure must be altered and changed due to the new sea levels and sinkholes caused by the decline. The region surrounding the sea is also a tourism hotspot, and if the Dead Sea becomes an undesirable location, the people will stop coming. Finally, the Dead Sea and its resources are not only Israel’s. Jordan and the Palestinian territories also utilize the Dead Sea. A destroyed Dead Sea would increase political tensions due to each country being negatively impacted. 

See Related Article: How EcoPeace Uses Environmental Education to Bridge Borders in the Jordan Valley

The summit, held at Leeds, brings together various actors. Israelis, Jordanians, and Palestinians represent the regional interest, and participants from the UK and other Western countries participated to assist. The talks that they had were aimed at discussing improving and creating coordinated and interconnected action. 

There have been efforts to save the Dead Sea. The Jordan River is the sea’s water source. However, now only 10% of the original water flow reaches the basin. A key effort in reviving the Dead Sea is to stop the diversion of the river’s water and allow it to flow to the Dead Sea. Additionally, there are regulations on mineral extraction and building. At the Leeds conference, many new ideas were created and shared. Water sharing frameworks, combined with river restoration efforts, re-zoning, desalination brine water, and international funding, provide help. These efforts and efforts of the future also provide an avenue for increased regional stability. Israel and Jordan both use the sea for its resources and the tourism aspect. However, there is minimal cooperation between the countries, leading to an increased decline of the sea. If the countries strengthen, add new efforts, and rely on each other more than it would cause there to be more needed cooperation. 

The Dead Sea’s rapid collapse is a tragedy not only for Israel but for the region as a whole. It also tests whether environmental necessity can lead to regional stability. The Leed summit is one of the many conversations currently being had to try to save the sea. Conversations are one thing; action is another, and action is needed to save the Dead Sea. 

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It’s just one of several new initiatives to reinvigorate Jordan’s flagging travel industry. The kingdom’s 15 dinar ($21) departure tax will also be waived for all flights from Aqaba and Amman, on condition that visitors buy a ticket to touristic site and spend a minimum of three consecutive nights in Jordan. (Details about how this exemption works are unclear – this tax is now factored into overall airplane ticket fees). The Jordan Tourism Board expects these changes to be in place by September.

Royal Jordanian, the national airline carrier, has announced discounts for flights bought as part of a package, and hotels in Amman, Aqaba, and along the Dead Sea are offering promotional room rates to attract guests.

The decision will benefit people travelling via tour operators who spend a minimum of two consecutive nights in country. Travelers must still get an airport entry visa, but it will be free. The deal for independent travelers is not yet clear, but they must prove a longer stay in country (three consecutive nights) and show receipts for a “unified tourist site ticket”.

Jordan’s tourism industry has been pummeled by world perception of terrorism and war. Security concerns arising from conflict in neighboring Syria, Iraq, Israel and Gaza spill across the Levant, painting the entire region with the same jittery brush. The murder of the Jordanian pilot Muath Al-Kassasbeh by ISIS jihadists – while not on Jordanian soil – also did little to assuage travel fears. Both the US State Department and British Foreign Office appraise Jordan as safe for tourism, advising only against travel to the Syrian border. Common sense advice like “don’t play with fire”.

Educated consumers could engage in basic due diligence and verify that Aqaba isn’t Aleppo and Gadara (modern Um Qays) isn’t Gaza.  But given limited time and money for holiday-making, many are apparently opting to spend their vacation in places devoid of hyped safety threats – think Cyprus or Lanzarote – deferring visits to Jordan’s holy sites, nature reserves and eco-adventures until its neighbors settle down.

The Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reported that the numbers of foreign overnight and same-day visitors to Jordan dropped from 8.2 million in 2010 (before the Arab Spring) to 5.3 million last year.  Visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Petra have halved since 2010. The impact is felt across the kingdom’s economy.

Nayef Al-Fayez, Jordan’s minister of tourism and antiquities, said that the measures aimed to “encourage travelers to add Jordan to their next itinerary” and would help to promote the country as an accessible, safe, and inviting destination.”

Will this pull more visitors into the kingdom?  Those that do come are mostly motivated by the natural and cultural beauty. Many more travel here for the same reasons that keep recreational tourists away (aid agencies, NGO workers, media, diplomatic corps).  There is also a rigorous influx of medical tourists, and of course refugees.

I’m starting my fifth year in Jordan.  It’s beautiful.  It’s safe.  Come visit.

Images of Dead Sea, Jerash, Wadi Rum, Petra, and Aqaba’s Red Sea coral from Shutterstock.

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Sharm el-Sheikh already relies on solar power for 70 percent of its lighting, but the Egyptian government wants to improve this figure even more.

The Governor of South Sinai, Khaled Fouda, has indicated that Sharm el-Sheikh hopes to be fully powered by solar energy within the next three months.

Last week Egypt launched a new power plant generated by solar energy in Siwa in the  west of the country.

The move towards alternative energy sources has been a growing trend by the Egyptian government due to an energy shortfall within the country.

Egypt has been facing an energy crisis for years. It aims to build solar power plants and wind energy facilities within the next three years, with a capacity of generating 4,300 megawatts.

Egypt has also signed an agreement with Russia that will assist in the building of a nuclear power plant.

Sharm el-Sheikh will host a major investment summit from 13th-15th March with hopes that there will be investments to help Egypt’s economy.

The government recently said that it expects to start signing deals for solar PV projects at the conference.

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Three lamp-shaped towers make up the new Aladdin City that is being constructed in Dubai as part of an effort to boost the city’s profile ahead of the 2020 World Expo. I wonder what the genie thinks?

Dubai is becoming something of a legend itself with indoor skiing, the world’s largest tower, and a suite of artificial islands. But a new development project seeks to pay allegiance to an ancient folk story that is well-known around the globe – Aladdin from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights.

Instead of one lamp, however, the new complex will boast three: office space, parking buildings and luxury hotels will be incorporated into the three interconnected towers located within the commercial vessels port in the old area of Dubai – in Al Rigga, Dubai Creek.

“The symbolic content of the architectural form of the project buildings was inspired by the ancient legends from the 11th century, where vessels were sailed from Dubai Creek to the coast of East Africa, India and China,”  Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality told Gulf News.

“It may have been here where the tales of Sindbad and Aladdin came from.”

Related: Luxury underwater Disqus Hotel close to anchoring in the Gulf

A completion date has yet to be announced, but the Dubai municipality is expecting to draw more tourism to Dubai and stimulate the emirate’s economy either in time for or ahead of the 2020 World Expo.

The municipality also said that they are trying to improve their land use in Dubai, though this project does pose several challenges given the location in which it is being built.

Lootah told the paper that authorities want visitors to the region to still have access to the wooden abra boats that travel across Dubai Creek, as well as the harbor, without causing disruptions at the project site. Plus, visitor safety near a construction zone should be of concern.

Nothing has been said about the project’s environmental impact, but we don’t have high hopes.

For starters, the complex will have a footprint of nearly 361,000 square feet in an already crowded part of the Dubai, and its visual profile is nothing short of kitschy. At least the towers won’t be too tall however. The tallest will have 34 floors, while the other two will have 26 and 25.

Also, rather than creating a pedestrian-friendly environment, the project will provide 900 parking spots – further entrenching the car’s role in the city.

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With outstanding infrastructural improvement due in large part to projects launched by the cutting-edge real estate development company, Empire World, Erbil in Iraq is making a name for itself. Now is a chance to meet this ancient/new city, thought to be one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.

Hundreds of villas and dozens of business and residential towers, replete with modern amenities, have sprouted up between new green spaces and roads.

The following video advertises Empire World’s influence in Erbil for the new year:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYcaSbrlf-4[/youtube]

Erbil’s rich history

Despite the planning and building for the future, Erbil has not forgotten its rich history. It is regarded as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, even believed by some to be the oldest.

Nestled on top of a hill, the Citadel is a vision in ochre. Unlike the citadels of nearby major cities like Cairo, Egypt, or Aleppo and Damascus, Syria and Amman in Jordan, this citadel is not merely a military structure from the past.

Renovations to the Erbil Citadel which started in 2007 have restored hundreds of buildings inside into extravagant homes, hotels, museums, shops, and archaeological research centers. Among the primary tourist attractions inside the citadel is the Kurdish Textile Museum.

Nawzad Hadi, the governor of Erbil, has expressed his view that Erbil is soon to be the “new Dubai.”

City-wide renovations continue, and new complexes and skyscrapers are cropping up as a result of bringing new, futuristic investors on board.

As increasing numbers of tourists roll into the Erbil International Airport, these major developments will be invigorated. But will they be sustainable?

Photo of Erbil Citadel from My Erbil Facebook page

The post Time to tour … Erbil? Hey, it’s the Arab Tourism Capital of 2014 appeared first on Green Prophet.

Marrakech is about to get a brand new building adjacent to the 12th century Menara Gardens on the city’s western edge.

Designed to attract the nine million or so international visitors who flock to Morocco for its vibrant street culture, storied deserts, and growing art and design scene, the The Marrakech Museum for Photography and Visual Arts will also become a local hub for education.

“Our goal is to take students from Morocco and the region, whose interests are in curatorial studies, connoisseurship, museum operations, development etc. and teach them both within the confines of the museum, interaction within their local communities and by sending them abroad to work at some of the worlds great institutions and universities the hands-on practice of museum science,” David Chipperfield Architects wrote in a design brief submitted to Dezeen.

A 6,000 square meter facility that strongly resembles vernacular Moroccan architecture, with ventilated ceiling panels and thick, well-insulated walls that block out the fierce desert sun, the museum will feature galleries, a theater, a cafe, bookshop, public and educational spaces.

Like a lot of Islamic architecture, the building will be organized around a central atrium, in which a rectangular pool of water brings tranquility to the ambitious space, and should cool it down as the prevailing breeze brushes past the water.

An assortment of hardy desert plants will surround the pool, fully integrating the art work displayed inside with Morocco’s unique context.

Not only restricted to photography, the museum will also curate works related to architecture and design, as well as fashion and culture.

“Through tightly disciplined acquisitions MMP+ will build a collection that will allow diverse use both in its exhibition program and education,” writes the design team. “We will also retain the flexibly to exhibit a broad range of works of art across all media.”

In so doing, the museum hopes to “broaden the artistic experience across cultural boundaries to form greater understanding and tolerance.”

Although Morocco still clings to its old world charm, deliberately – through government initiatives and organically, it has become a sought after destination among art and design enthusiasts.

Check out our past coverage of the Marrakech Biennale, which attracts a throng of creative work from across the globe – including many “green” projects that recognize the crucial link between art, humanity and nature.

While it is unclear when the new building will be completed, its museum is currently being hosted temporarily at El Badi Palace.

The post The Marrakech Museum for Photography and Visual Arts to be World’s Largest appeared first on Green Prophet.

The National Bank of Egypt has announced that it will give low interest loans to hotels throughout southern Sinai and Red Sea provinces that are commited to switching to renewable energy, according to local press. The move comes in advance of crippling energy shortages during the hottest time of the year. 

When temperatures rise from May to October, so too does energy consumption as Egyptian residents fire up their air conditioners.

But Egypt is already running at a chronic energy deficit and consumption spikes cause widespread cuts – at great cost to the local economy.

Particularly hard hit is the tourism industry, which is so crucial to the country’s bottom line.

In order to secure tourism against energy shortages, the bank has entered into an agreement with the Solar Energy Development Association (SEDA) to empower hotels to switch to renewable energy.

“Increased electricity use during the summer, combined with diesel shortages has led to a spate of increasingly frequent blackouts nationwide as the government struggles to provide fuel to keep up with the mounting consumption,” Ahram Online reported.

The protocol is reserved mostly for high end hotels that can afford to make the investment in alternative forms of energy, but smaller businesses will still suffer.

Cairo residents and businesses will lose power for a few hours at a time during peak hours, but other parts of the country are hit harder.

In April, the former Petroleum Minister Osama Kamal told local press that the ministry would import fuel worth $500 to $600 million in order to bridge the gap between supply and demand.

:: Ventures Africa

Image of Red Sea hotel, Shutterstock

The post Desperate for Energy, Egypt to Reward Hotels that Go Green appeared first on Green Prophet.

In addition to being a tragedy for the visitors who were killed and for their family, it’s hard not to think this will further slacken the country’s flailing tourism industry, causing even more economic and social problems for the beleaguered North African country.

A leak in the pipe linking the hot air balloon’s gas canisters and burners caught fire and the balloon exploded before plunging to the ground on the west bank of the Nile River, according to witnesses.

“It was a huge bang. It was a frightening bang, even though it was several kilometers away from the hotel,” Konny Matthews, assistant manager of Luxor’s Al Moudira hotel told Reuters.

“Some of my employees said that their homes were shaking.”

Hospital officials who treated the wounded said that the passengers from Britain, China, Egypt, France, Japan and Hungary died either from the burns or from the fall.

One British national survived the crash and remains in stable condition. The pilot also survived by jumping out of the balloon’s basket after it caught fire.

Tourism used to be one of the main drivers of Egypt’s economy but the ensuing instability and ceaseless reports of harassment and violence in mainstream news have deterred many foreign visitors and small businesses that rely on them have been struggling.

But Wael Ibrahim, head of the tour guides’ syndicate in Luxor, told the paper that he doesn’t expect this accident, which he said could have happened anywhere in the world, will make a significant difference.

Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Wael el-Maadawi said that all hot air balloons in the Luxor area will be grounded until his ministry concludes their investigation.

:: Reuters

Stock image of Luxor hot air balloons, Shutterstock

The post Hot Air Balloon Explosion in Egypt Claims 19 Lives appeared first on Green Prophet.

This news comes despite the work of Egyptian activists who have been trying to convince the government that the $3 billion bridge slated to cross Ras Mohamed National Park, which currently protects coral reefs, dive sites and a slew of endangered species, would cause irreparable environmental damage.

”If they build this bridge, coral reefs, endangered species and at least 22 dive sites will all be gone,” Ibrahim Mohamed, an activist with the anti-bridge group IBRedSea told Green Prophet in an earlier interview.

Once built, the 50km land-sea bridge named after King Abdulla will allow travelers to get from Egypt to Saudi Arabia in just 20 minutes.

But critics warn that the western-styled tourism that has for so long propped up the Sinai peninsula will be forever lost if Saudis are given such easy access to the area.

Already there is indication that Qatar’s link to the Muslim Brotherhood is causing divisions on the Arabian peninsula. This move is seen as yet another step towards the radical Islamification of Egypt.

IBRedSea activist Ahmed Abdel Rasoul said that no environmental impact assessments have been carried out to ensure that Egypt’s natural resources will be protected as the progress continues.

One less-discussed side effect of the bridge will be development. While some of the peninsula resorts cater to an upscale clientele, most of the ramshackle beach huts lining the coast will be inadequate for Saudi visitors, which means that grand hotel development plans and other infrastructure will swallow up a great deal of what nature remains.

:: Egypt Independent

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Boasting one of the world’s oldest continuing civilizations and a trove of architectural, cultural, historical and natural treasures, not to mention some of the most colorful and warm people, what used to be Persia is among the least explored and most diverse tourism destinations in the Middle East region. And now there is an opportunity to experience it yourself.

The outdoor tourism company Rahhalah offers an eight day tour of Iran that is packed with coastal, desert, and even urban adventure.

Traversing territory as diverse as the Al Borz Mountains overlooking Tehran and the Caspian Sea, Kelardhasht and Valasht Lake, visitors will be introduced to a rich, sophisticated civilization that dates back to 4000 BC along with one of the highest collections of UNESCO world heritage sites on earth.

Hiking, horseback riding, bazaar scouting and general exploration are on the menu of activities which are led by some of the Arab world’s most experienced and professional adventurers, including Zed Alrefai – the first Arab to reach the top of Mt. Everest.

Named after the intrepid explorers of old who wandered what we now think of the wastelands of Arabia, Rahhalah is comprised of an excellent team of eager to unveil a side of Iran that is so poorly understood by the outside world.

Founded by Suzanne Al Houby, who was the first Arab woman to summit Mt. Everest, Rahhalah is committed to authentic and sustainable travel that benefits both the visitor and the visited.

Traveling through Iran won’t be uneventful, like most parts of the Middle East, but we can almost guarantee that the experience will leave you more enriched than you thought you could be.

For more detailed information, contact the team at Rahhalah travel.

Image of a restaurant in Esfahan, sunset at the Caspian Sea and mud buildings in Yadz from Shutterstock

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