How governments respond to water woes will determine the future stability of the Middle East. It’s impossible to point to any one issue and claim it as the final explanation for the protests unnerving leaders in the Middle East. Weeks ago one Tunisian man set himself on fire when he was told he couldn’t sell […]
Palestinian youth learn about water issues at Al-Auja Eco-Centre Green Prophet has featured news about the Friends of the Earth Middle East (FOEME) Eco-Centre at Al-Auja, a Palestinian village in the Jordan Valley, on a number of occasions. Green Prophet writer Rachel Bergstein has reported on the challenges the inhabitants of Al-Auja face because the […]
With input from over 100 Middle Eastern leaders, the Swiss government has produced a positive tool that could transform regional water policies. There are no foregone conclusions. How the next few decades proceed depends on us, on actions that we take today. We know that the Jordan River barely exists six months every year, such […]
Abu Dhabi leads the Gulf Region in environmental innovation. This time, a desert forest irrigated with treated wastewater. Last year we were somewhat alarmed that the UAE had ambitions to plant one million trees. Even though the carbon sponging benefits are potentially enormous, the water required to keep said trees alive might have overwhelmed the […]
How green is your fodder? Turns out, in the UAE, not so green. A new program aims to change that. In order to combat the dual challenge of desertification and regional water shortages, the United Arab Emirates are experimenting with myriad innovations. The latest encourages local farmers to switch to a different variety of fodder. […]
Can countries with unrest commit to eco-tourism aspirations? With countries across the Middle East – North Africa (MENA) region facing often fatal unrest like the food riots in Tunisia, it seems rather frivolous to be thinking about the travel industry. But with tourism a major earner for many Middle East & North African countries, the […]
New technology breaks down minerals in urine to keep urinals dry and clean. Eliminating the use of clean water for flushing toilets is important everywhere, but especially in the water-parched Middle East. Ever wonder why urine needs so much water to flush it down? It’s liquid, after all. But ammonia and residue is smelly and […]
Abu Dhabi is to green up desert oil fields using composting of waste products, including those from the oil industry itself. The French start-up company Microhumus Analysis & Engineering made the announcement that this year it will begin field trials in Abu Dhabi of a novel technology to compost oil-contaminated desert land, at this week’s […]
With an extra 15% added to electricity and water bills, Dubai’s residents are bound to cut back their consumption. And that is a good thing! Unlike many other Gulf countries, Dubai is not blessed (or cursed, according to some) with fountains of fossil fuels. As such, the Emirate must import the power that provides customers […]
This nifty device made in Sweden allows avid farmers to create their own fertilizer! Urine has been getting a lot of attention recently. Though most city dwellers are opposed to a quick public wee, urine is so powerful it can be used to energize fuel cells and as fertilizer. Small scale farmers or gardeners who […]
Enoc collects fuel vapors and incorporates other green elements into Dubai residential filling station. Last September, Dubai ran short on gas, while other Gulf countries re-evaluated their long term energy plan as a result of looming peak oil. Now The National reports that Dubai has installed a “green” petrol station that not only captures and […]
As the environmental movement in the Middle East blossoms, women are being encouraged to take a more active role in environmental protection We have already profiled the lovely ladies at Naqa’a, an environmental group based in Saudi as well as the Eco-Chicks of Abu Dhabi who are making strides in introducing the climate agenda […]
Water theme parks, like this one in the UAE, won’t reduce high water tariffs from desalination Saudi Arabia’s plans to increase water tariffs for non-residents, due to the high cost of producing desalinated fresh water, has an all too familiar ring in today’s increasing reliance on desalination in water scarce regions like the Middle East. […]
GE has just announced a partnership agreement with Kinrot Ventures, the internationally recognized Israeli trailblazer in VC funding for advanced water technologies. Hot on the heels of reaching out to international innovators with the Eco Imagination Challenge, GE is now making a strategic move into the water innovation business, as countries around the world begin […]
New 2011 calendar proves that water conservation can be hunky. One young Swede who recently immigrated to Israel, and was perhaps unaccustomed to the beautiful Mediterranean beaches, decided that the breathtaking body of water deserves all the conservation efforts it can get. And so she recently embarked on a project to raise money for two […]