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

314 - May 2024
Editorial
Forum
Najib Saab
Fraud Threatens EU’s Green Ambitions
Najib Saab
The embezzlement of hundreds of millions of European agricultural funds in Greece is not an isolated incident
more...

Nate Blum
Sorghum and the Carbon Economy: Unlocking Nature-Based Solutions for a Warming Planet
Nate Blum
As the planet faces increasing climate-related challenges, there’s growing recognition that some of the most powerful solutions may come from the natu
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Antonio Guterres
A RESCUE PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Antonio Guterres
This month, leaders will gather in Sevilla, Spain, on a rescue mission: to help fix how the world invests in sustainable development
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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...
 
 
 
Meet the
 Editor-in-Chief Najib Saab 		 
 
Selected articles News
Climate Action Has a Messaging Problem 14/9/2025
In the summer of 2024, Dutch citizens ranked climate change as the most serious problem facing the world. Just a few months later, they elected a national government that ran on a platform of pulling back its climate policies. ...more
 
Europe’s Soaring Heat and the Great Air Conditioning Dilemma 21/8/2025
Much of Europe sweltered in August 2025 as a heat dome spread across the continent, pushing peak afternoon temperatures to over 40 degrees C (104 degrees F) in France and Spain. Meanwhile, parts of Greece, Turkey and Albania battled historic and devastating wildfires as high temperatures scorch the land. ...more
 
Planned hydrogen refuelling stations may lead to millions of euros in yearly losses 10/7/2025
As hydrogen infrastructure is rolled out in the EU, refuelling stations must be distributed according to the same principle in all countries. But now a study from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, points to shortcomings in EU regulations. Using an advanced model, the researchers show that the distribution of refuelling stations may both be incorrectly dimensioned and lead to losses of tens of millions of euros a year in some countries. ...more
 
Ships trigger high and unexpected emissions of the greenhouse gas methane 3/7/2025
Ship traffic in shallow areas, such as ports, can trigger large methane emissions by just moving through the water. The researchers in a study, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, observed twenty times higher methane emissions in the shipping lane compared to nearby undisturbed areas. Despite the fact that methane is a greenhouse gas that is 27 times as powerful as carbon dioxide, these emissions are often overlooked with today's measurement methods. ...more
 
Agricultural waste can become the clothes of the future 17/6/2025
Cellulose-based textile materials can make the clothing sector more sustainable. Currently, cellulose-based textiles are mainly made from wood, but a study headed by researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden points to the possibility of using agricultural waste from wheat and oat. The method is easier and requires fewer chemicals than manufacturing forest-based cellulose, and can enhance the value of waste products from agriculture. ...more
 
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
 
UAE launches system to track pollution and greenhouse gas emissions 16/10/2025
Beyond emissions tracking, the system streamlines reporting and data collection, cutting the time to prepare national emissions inventories from 15 months to just three. ...more
 
Abu Dhabi launches landmark biodiversity policy to safeguard ecosystems 16/10/2025
From coral reefs to mangroves, new policy aims to preserve the emirate’s unique ecosystems. ...more
 
World Breaks Renewable Records but Must Move Faster to Hit 2030 Tripling Goal 16/10/2025
New global progress report flags bottlenecks in investment, grids and supply chains, urging governments for bolder renewable targets before COP30 ...more
 
UK must prepare buildings for 2C rise in global temperature, government told 16/10/2025
Climate advisers warn that current plans to protect against extreme weather are inadequate ...more
 
Swiss voters likely to reject proposed tax of 50% on super rich - poll 16/10/2025
A Swiss referendum on a proposal to impose a 50% tax on inherited fortunes of 50 million Swiss francs ($62.53 million) is likely to be rejected by voters, a poll showed on Wednesday. ...more
 
EU leaders to demand more industry support to meet new climate goal, draft shows 15/10/2025
European Union leaders plan to agree for the bloc to set a new climate change target for 2040, but demand the EU does more to support industries like steel and carmaking to meet it, draft conclusions for an EU summit next week showed. ...more
 
World falling far behind deforestation goals with farms and fires driving loss, report says 15/10/2025
The world is falling far behind a global goal to reverse deforestation by 2030, with losses being largely driven by agricultural expansion and forest fires, according to the 2025 Forest Declaration Assessment. ...more
 
How air pollution is stealing India's sunshine 15/10/2025
A new study by six Indian scientists finds that over the past three decades, sunshine hours - the time direct sunlight reaches the Earth's surface - have steadily declined across most of India, driven by clouds, aerosols and local weather. ...more
 
Towns may have to be abandoned due to floods with millions more homes in Great Britain at risk 15/10/2025
Every constituency projected to be at greater risk, with many areas likely to be uninsurable, Guardian investigation finds. ...more
 
Pentagon retreats from climate fight even as heat and storms slam US troops 15/10/2025
For decades, the military treated climate crisis as a threat. Now it’s backing away from plans to protect people and bases from extreme weather. ...more
 
UAE issues $10 million in funding for natural disaster defences in Asia and the Pacific 14/10/2025
Programme are to be launched in the Philippines, Indonesia, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. ...more
 
Climate tipping points are being crossed, scientists warn ahead of COP30 14/10/2025
Global warming is crossing dangerous thresholds sooner than expected with the world’s coral reefs now in an almost irreversible die-off, marking what scientists on Monday described as the first “tipping point” in climate-driven ecosystem collapse. ...more
 
Climate crisis threatens nearly half of natural World Heritage sites, report finds 14/10/2025
Nearly half of the planet's natural World Heritage sites, such as the Great Barrier Reef, are now under severe threat from climate change, according to a major new assessment. ...more
 
The plastic inside us: how microplastics may be reshaping our bodies and minds 14/10/2025
Microplastics have been found almost everywhere: in blood, placentas, lungs – even the human brain. One study estimated our cerebral organs alone may contain 5g of the stuff, or roughly a teaspoon. If true, plastic isn’t just wrapped around our food or woven into our clothes: it is lodged deep inside us. ...more
 
Why Pakistan is planting 10 billion trees to combat climate change and economic challenges 14/10/2025
Pakistan’s large-scale tree planting project has become a central part of its climate adaptation strategy, conservation experts have said at a conference in Abu Dhabi. ...more
 
US threatens visa restrictions, sanctions against UN members that back IMO emissions plan 13/10/2025
The United States on Friday threatened to use visa restrictions and sanctions to retaliate against nations that vote in favor of a plan put forward by a United Nations agency to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from ocean shipping. ...more
 
Coral reef discovered off Naples, in rare find for Mediterranean 13/10/2025
A large white coral reef containing important species and fossil traces has been discovered at a depth of more than 500 metres in the Gulf of Naples, in a rare discovery for the Mediterranean, the Italian Research Council (CNR) said on Friday. ...more
 
More than half of world’s bird species in decline, as leaders meet on extinction crisis 13/10/2025
More than half of all bird species are in decline, according to a new global assessment, with deforestation driving sharp falls in populations across the planet. ...more
 
Green turtle bounces back from brink in conservation 'win' 13/10/2025
The green turtle has been rescued from the brink of extinction in what scientists are calling a major conservation victory. ...more
 
Number of wild bee species at risk of extinction in Europe doubles in 10 years 13/10/2025
Number of endangered butterfly species also surging amid habitat destruction and global heating, finds study. ...more
 
EU Parliament plans to cut back sustainability law further 10/10/2025
Lawmaker groups holding a majority in the European Parliament agreed a deal late on Wednesday to make deeper cuts to the EU's corporate sustainability law, lawmakers and officials told Reuters. ...more
 
EU auto group pushes hybrids, e-fuels in CO2 emission goal review 10/10/2025
The European Union should ease its CO2 reduction targets for cars, vans and trucks, with longer compliance periods and a greater role for hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels, the bloc's auto association said on Wednesday. ...more
 
The hidden cost of ultra-processed foods on the environment: ‘The whole industry should pay’ 10/10/2025
Industrially made foods involve several ingredients and processes to put together, making it difficult to examine their true cost. ...more
 
Nestle quits global alliance on reducing dairy methane emissions 10/10/2025
Food group Nestle (NESN.S) said on Wednesday it had withdrawn from a global alliance for cutting methane emissions that aims to reduce the impact of dairy farming on global warming. ...more
 
TotalEnergies, Siemens urge EU to abolish climate law, letter shows 10/10/2025
TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) and Siemens (SIEGn.DE)have called on European governments to abolish one of the EU's flagship corporate sustainability laws in order to boost the continent's competitiveness, a letter seen by Reuters shows. ...more
 
 
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