Muslim nations may face a lot of diverse problem but one concern they share is water scarcity. At the latest conference of Islamic environment ministers, water shortage was highlighted as one of the most pressing environmental issue facing the region and Muslim leaders stated it finding a solution was one of the ‘most important duties […]
Lacking sufficient water to grow enough wheat for its burgeoning population, Egypt (above pic of Suez Canal farm) looks to other Nile Basin countries for land and water. During the heat of this year’s scorching summer, Russia’s wheat supply took a serious hit and the country scaled back its exports. One of their main wheat […]
Israeli fashion show attempts to go “au naturale” with a natural-landmark-themed garment contest. Fashion and the natural world don’t always go hand in hand (unless you’re lucky enough to come across some whimsical banana-shaped pumps by designers such as Kobi Levi). Usually haute couture is the anti-natural, with silhouettes that combat the shapes that we […]
Traveling sandstorms force Middle Eastern countries to cooperate, despite former water disagreements. Approximately two thirds of the Middle East is comprised of desert, including as it does the largest continuous expanse of sand (in Saudi Arabia) known as Rub’ Al Khali or the empty quarter. With so little moisture there are no hovering clouds, and […]
Energy-intensive water park in the desert, offers a “home” to displaced penguins. Every now and then, the Middle East comes up with a scheme that is so ridiculously un-eco that we can’t believe someone thought it was good for the planet. See us on Al Jazeera TV talking about hypocritical ideas in the UAE. Some […]
How green is your local beach? Soon you’ll be able to check its ranking. Israel’s Mediterranean beaches are an attraction for tourists and locals alike. The sand is soft, the water is usually pretty clear, the weather is great… but some beaches can be cleaner (and greener) than others. And the Environmental Protection Ministry plans […]
This dry lake bed in southern Cyprus used to be one of the island’s main reservoirs Cyprus, an island politically divided into a Turkish northern region and Greek southern region now has an even greater problem other than the reality of the two sections not communicating with each other. Completely surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, […]
Will the sea outside Israel be calm again? Hopes and dreams of a gas bonanza in Israel came to a sudden halt as shares came tumbling down after the Israeli Ministry of National Infrastructure under Minster Uzi Landau decided to cancel any further sale of oil and gas exploration rights, the Israeli business daily Globes […]
Lebanon faces a number of environmental threats, including air and water pollution, risks associated with climate change, and the impact of the 2006 war with Israel. IRIN, the United Nations environment news source, takes a look at the top five.
In a historic measure that demonstrates Jordan’s new environmental commitment, the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature has agreed to establish nine more protected areas With the help of certain enlightened individuals, such as the activists who pranced through Amman wearing lettuce to encourage vegetarianism, and Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME), who […]
Get naked at the Dead Sea – for the environment! Spencer Tunick, famous for his mass nude photographs of people set against unique backgrounds and landscapes, has chosen the Dead Sea to shoot his eco-sexy art. That means hundreds to thousands of Israelis will need to volunteer to strip to their birthday suits, all for […]
As peace talks resume, can environmental issues create bridges and links between opposing sides? JERUSALEM – Every few years, the idea of establishing one state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea rises and falls like a phoenix; a dream of a state where both Palestinians and Israelis live in peace with no borders, […]
Littering and lack of moderation violates important Islamic tenants, according to prominent scholars With businesses in the UAE slowly beginning to take the environment message seriously, it seems that scholars and imams are now doing the same. During a Ramadan seminar titled ‘Islam and Environment’ organised by the Emirates Environmental Group, the renowned Islamic scholar […]
A weekly Green Prophet series that looks at the Arabic “green” blogosphere and online communities After looking at “The Forum of the Ornithological Society of Kuwait, the Saudi Green Blog, The Oman Eco Group Blogs, and the UAE Environment & Life Blog, we are continuing our journey through the Gulf countries, arriving now at the […]
Yemen’s capital city is expected to be the world’s first waterless one by 2017. A skyrocketing population, lack of government planning, and the bad-habit of gat, are to blame. Despite record rainfall in the Yemeni capital Sanaa and other areas this summer, very little is being done to harvest this water to mitigate water shortages, […]