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Environment and development AL-BIA WAL-TANMIA Leading Arabic Environment Magazine

314 - May 2024
Editorial
Forum
Tom Pickerell
UN Ocean Conference Ends with Momentum — and Missed Chances
Tom Pickerell
There's real momentum coming out of Nice — but also a lot of unfinished business
more...

Najib Saab
Trump's Lost War on Humanity and the Environment
Najib Saab
The hostile economic war, launched by US President Donald Trump against the entire world under the slogan "America First"
more...
 
 
 
Meet the
 Editor-in-Chief Najib Saab 		 
 
Selected articles News
Transforming waste into a public asset: Michigan State University leads next-generation anaerobic digestion innovation 10/6/2025
MSU is spearheading next-generation anaerobic digestion technologies that convert agricultural and food waste into renewable energy, recover nutrients and water, and support environmental sustainability across Michigan and the Great Lakes region. ...more
 
Massive Growth Ahead: Low Carbon Building Market Eyes $1.3 Trillion by 2033 14/5/2025
According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, the low carbon building market size was valued at $0.6 trillion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $1.3 trillion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 9.1% from 2024 to 2033. ...more
 
A Step Toward Harnessing Clean Energy From Falling Rainwater 23/4/2025
When two materials come into contact, charged entities on their surfaces get a little nudge. This is how rubbing a balloon on the skin creates static electricity. Likewise, water flowing over some surfaces can gain or lose charge. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have harnessed the phenomenon to generate electricity from rain-like droplets moving through a tube. They demonstrate a new kind of flow that makes enough power to light 12 LEDs ...more
 
Difficult and costly energy transition unless the EU invests in biomass 22/4/2025
Biomass is currently the EU’s largest renewable energy source, but climate strategies often focus on other energy sources. A comprehensive analysis, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, now shows that biomass is crucial for Europe's ability to reach its climate targets, as it can be used to produce fossil-free fuels and chemicals and also enables carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. If biomass were excluded from the European energy system, it would cost an extra 169 billion Euros per year – about the same as the cost of excluding wind power. ...more
 
Renting clothes for sustainable fashion – niche markets work best 27/3/2025
Renting clothes can reduce the fashion industry's enormous environmental impact, but so far, the business models have not worked very well. The best chance of success is for a rental company to provide clothing within a niche market, such as specific sportswear, and to work closely with the suppliers and clothing manufacturers. This is shown by a study led by researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, which highlights the measures that can make clothing rental a success. ...more
 
Ice stupas of the Ladakh desert: an ingenious solution to water scarcity – a picture essay 28/1/2025
Farmers in the northern Indian region used to rely on snow and glacier meltwater, but the climate crisis is disrupting the water cycle – which means new ways of storing water are needed ...more
 
Toxic waste from world's deadliest gas leak fuels protests in India 23/1/2025
Vegetable vendor Shivnarayan Dasana had never seen so many policemen descend on his village in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. ...more
 
Natural disasters in the past 12 months have been the most costly and impactful stretch of extreme weather in America in 90 years 18/1/2025
Experts at AccuWeather say extreme weather events and disasters in the past 12 months have had the costliest and most widespread impacts that Americans have faced in nearly a century.    ...more
 
Arab-Israeli Environmental Cooperation: A Controversial Path to Peace Amid Ecocide 28/11/2024
On August 30, 2024, amid the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced that Lebanon joined the Saudi-led Middle East Green Initiative (MGI), describing the step as crucial, especially for southern border towns and villages that are suffering significant environmental and agricultural damage. ...more
 
CO2 & Waste-Derived Bioplastics: Pioneering Sustainable Manufacturing 22/11/2024
As the world grapples with the environmental impact of traditional plastics, bioplastics derived from carbon dioxide (CO2) and waste materials present a promising solution. This emerging sustainable market seeks to address two critical global challenges: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and managing waste. By converting CO2 and waste into useful bioplastics, scientists and companies are pioneering technologies that could revolutionize the way we produce and consume plastics. ...more
 
The blue-green sustainable proteins of seaweed may soon be on your plate 15/11/2024
The protein in sea lettuce, a type of seaweed, is a promising complement to both meat and other current alternative protein sources. Seaweed also contains many other important nutrients, and is grown without needing to be watered, fertilised or sprayed with insecticides. However, the proteins are often tightly bound, and their full potential has not yet been realised on our plates.  But now researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden, have found a new way to extract these proteins three times more efficiently than before – and this progress paves the way for seaweed burgers and protein smoothies from the sea. ...more
 
Industry royally champions sustainable floriculture project led by Coventry University 9/10/2024
Coventry University is leading a project to reduce plastic, packaging and waste in the British cut-flower industry. ...more
 
Major boost in carbon capture and storage essential to reach 2°C climate target 27/9/2024
Large expansion of carbon capture and storage is necessary to fulfill the Paris Climate Agreement. Yet a new study led by Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden and University of Bergen, in Norway, shows that without major efforts, the technology will not expand fast enough to meet the 2°C target and even with major efforts it is unlikely to expand fast enough for the 1.5°C target. ...more
 
Europe’s deadly floods are glimpse of future climate 25/9/2024
Central Europe's devastating floods were made much worse by climate change and offer a stark glimpse of the future for the world's fastest-warming continent, scientists say. ...more
 
Which Countries Should Pay for International Climate Finance? 18/9/2024
The world needs trillions of dollars annually to combat climate change, but questions remain as to where that funding will come from. Most at stake are poorer countries that are the least protected — and hardest hit — from the increasing ravages of heat waves, storm surges and other extreme weather events exacerbated each year by climate change. Many of these countries lack the resources to undertake a rapid and just transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy without external help. ...more
 
UN ocean summit in Nice closes with key commitments 14/6/2025
The Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) ended in Nice, France, after five days of high-level discussions and negotiations. The conference united heads of state, ministers, scientists, Indigenous leaders, youth and civil society to accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goal 14 — Life Below Water. ...more
 
EU countries consider softening methane emissions law on gas imports 13/6/2025
European Union countries may demand that Brussels simplify the EU's methane emissions law, which has stoked concerns from companies that it could hamper imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas, according to a document seen by Reuters. ...more
 
Trump administration moves to repeal Biden power plant pollution rules 13/6/2025
President Donald Trump's administration has proposed repealing rules passed under former President Joe Biden to curb emissions of carbon dioxide, mercury and other air pollutants from power plants, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin said on Wednesday. ...more
 
Portugal leads marine protection with new designated area 13/6/2025
Portugal said on Wednesday it was creating a new protected marine area around the Gorringe Ridge in the Atlantic Ocean that includes Western Europe's tallest seamount, positioning itself as a leader on the way to international conservation goals. ...more
 
EU to subsidise high volume of greener aviation fuel to boost airline demand 13/6/2025
The European Union has offered to subsidise airline purchases of more than 200 million litres of sustainable aviation fuels to encourage carriers to swap kerosene for cleaner alternatives, Reuters calculations show. ...more
 
Climate change could cost Italy over 5% of GDP in 2050, budget watchdog says 13/6/2025
Extreme weather due to climate change may cost Italy more than 5% of GDP in 2050, the country's budget watchdog said on Wednesday, adding that global action to reduce carbon emissions could significantly reduce the impact. ...more
 
May was world's second-hottest on record, EU scientists say 12/6/2025
The world experienced its second-warmest May since records began this year, a month in which climate change fuelled a record-breaking heatwave in Greenland, scientists said on Wednesday. ...more
 
Vietnam launches first phase of emissions trading scheme 12/6/2025
Vietnam has formally launched the pilot phase of an emissions trading scheme aimed at encouraging three major industrial sectors to cut the amount of carbon dioxide they produce, the government said on Tuesday. ...more
 
‘Win-win’: new maps reveal best opportunities for global reforestation 12/6/2025
New study shows regions with best potential to regrow trees and suck climate-heating CO2 from the air. ...more
 
Some microplastics pollute water more than others 12/6/2025
Microplastics are one of the biggest threats to global water health, with research piling up to show they are everywhere, from oceans and rivers to the air we breathe. The biggest culprits are synthetic textiles and car tyres. ...more
 
Emperor penguins show dramatic decline in one region of Antarctica, satellite photos show 12/6/2025
The estimated population of 16 penguin colonies declined 22% mainly because of climate change that’s shrinking the amount of available sea ice. ...more
 
Bonn Climate Talks: Goals and Challenges 11/6/2025
Bonn climate talks begin on June 16 and serve as the basis for potentially significant outcomes at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, later this year. Although technical in nature, the negotiations have significant implications for global climate ambition. ...more
 
Abu Dhabi tops sustainable fishing index with 97.4% score 11/6/2025
The Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi (EAD) has achieved a remarkable milestone by recording a significant increase in the Sustainable Fishing Index for the sixth consecutive year — rising from 8.9% in 2018 to 97.4% by the end of 2024. This accomplishment reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a regional leader in sustainable fisheries management, marking a particularly meaningful achievement in alignment with World Oceans Day. ...more
 
Oceans protection treaty could take effect from January, Macron says 11/6/2025
The international treaty on the high seas, which focuses on conservation and sustainable use of maritime areas beyond national jurisdictions, has received sufficient support to take effect early in 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday. ...more
 
Scientists warn against attempts to change definition of ‘forever chemicals’ 11/6/2025
A group of 20 internationally renowned scientists have issued a strong warning against attempts to narrow the definition of “forever chemicals” in what they describe as a politically or economically motivated effort to weaken regulation of the potentially harmful chemicals. ...more
 
A drop in the ocean: does experimental technology hold the key to saving the world’s seas? 11/6/2025
Investment is pouring into companies promising to geoengineer a rapid change in the pH of our waters – but critics are concerned at the speed at which unproven methods are being adopted. ...more
 
UN urges ratification of treaty to protect the planet's fragile oceans 10/6/2025
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged world leaders to ratify a treaty that would allow nations to establish protected marine areas in international waters, warning that human activity was destroying ocean ecosystems. ...more
 
Development banks to invest 3 billion euros in ocean plastics fight 10/6/2025
A group of development banks plans to invest at least 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) by the end of the decade in tackling plastic pollution in the sea, expanding the scope and financial firepower of what remains the world's biggest effort to fix the growing problem. ...more
 
‘Ticking timebomb’: sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems – study 10/6/2025
Ocean acidification has already crossed a crucial threshold for planetary health, scientists say in unexpected finding. ...more
 
US solar energy growth to slow as Washington priorities shift 10/6/2025
New U.S. solar energy installations are expected to fall over the next five years as the industry grapples with a shift in federal policy that favors fossil fuels, tariffs and other challenges, according to a report published on Monday by a top solar trade group. ...more
 
UK seeks to extend ban on bottom trawling fishing in English seas 10/6/2025
The British government said on Monday it planned to extend a ban on bottom trawling to protect marine life amid calls from acclaimed naturalist David Attenborough and Prince William for urgent measures to protect the world's oceans. ...more
 
Tech giants' indirect emissions rose 150% in three years as AI expands, UN agency says 9/6/2025
Indirect carbon emissions from the operations of four of the leading AI-focused tech companies rose on average by 150% from 2020-2023, due to the demands of power-hungry data centres, a United Nations report said on Thursday. ...more
 
Cities around the world are sinking at ‘worrying speed’ 9/6/2025
Twenty-two years ago, when Erna stood outside her house, “the windows were as high as my chest”. Now they’re knee-height. ...more
 
How a thirsty atmosphere is making global droughts much worse 9/6/2025
Drought is closely tied to how warm air interacts with moisture. Warmer air can pull more water from surfaces, which is why your hair dries faster in dry air than in a steamy bathroom. It’s also why the tropics experience heavy rain while deserts rapidly lose water from their soils. ...more
 
Latam-Caribbean development bank doubles oceans funding to $2.5 billion 9/6/2025
The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) will double to $2.5 billion its investments in protecting the oceans and supporting sustainable marine economic activities, it said on Saturday. ...more
 
New GEF financing propels progress to 2030 goals 9/6/2025
The Global Environment Facility’s governing body has agreed to provide $261 million across its family of funds for efforts to propel international environmental goals, including projects targeting mercury and hydrofluorocarbons, building more resilient and healthier seascapes and landscapes, and expanding biodiversity conservation efforts in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and local communities. ...more
 
 
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Arab Environment 9: Sustainable Development in a Changing Arab Climate
‎مجلة البيئة والتنمية Environment & Development‎
ان جميع مقالات ونصوص "البيئة والتنمية" تخضع لرخصة الحقوق الفكرية الخاصة بـ "المنشورات التقنية". يتوجب نسب المقال الى "البيئة والتنمية" . يحظر استخدام النصوص لأية غايات تجارية . يُحظر القيام بأي تعديل أو تحوير أو تغيير في النص الأصلي. لمزيد من المعلومات عن حقوق النشر يرجى الاتصال بادارة المجلة
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