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

314 - May 2024
Editorial
Forum
Najib Saab
Coalition of 'climate willing' partners needed
Najib Saab
Climate action is facing unprecedented challenges, due to the rise of populist movements led by the United States administration
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
 
‘A wave of truth’: COP30 targets disinformation threat to climate action 14/11/2025
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva set the tone at the opening session, declaring that the battle for truth has become just as critical as the fight to cut emissions. COP30 must mark “a new defeat for climate denialists,” he said.  ...more
 
EU lawmakers back further weakening of sustainability law 14/11/2025
European Union lawmakers backed further cuts to the bloc's corporate sustainability law on Thursday, following months of pressure from companies and some governments demanding the EU weakens its rules. ...more
 
World still on track for catastrophic 2.6C temperature rise, report finds 14/11/2025
The world is still on track for a catastrophic 2.6C increase in temperature as countries have not made sufficiently strong climate pledges, while emissions from fossil fuels have hit a record high, two major reports have found. ...more
 
Fossil fuel emissions rise again - but renewables boom offers hope for climate 14/11/2025
The world's burning of fossil fuels is set to release more planet-warming carbon dioxide than ever before this year, new figures show. ...more
 
Cop climate summit websites ‘produce more carbon than average sites’ 14/11/2025
Between 1995 and 2024 when the last Cop conference was held, average emissions from the websites had risen by more than 13,000%, according to data. ...more
 
EU countries seek another year-long deforestation law delay 13/11/2025
European Union member states are seeking to postpone the implementation of the bloc's anti-deforestation law by another year, an EU negotiating draft dated November 10 shows. ...more
 
Fossil fuel projects around the world threaten the health of 2bn people – report 13/11/2025
A quarter of the world’s population lives within three miles (5km) of operational fossil fuel projects, potentially threatening the health of more than 2 billion people as well as critical ecosystems, according to first-of-its-kind research. ...more
 
Supply boom in cheaper renewables will seal end of fossil fuel era, says IEA 13/11/2025
Watchdog’s flagship report says rise in low-carbon electricity will make transition ‘inevitable’, despite Trump’s calls to carry on drilling. ...more
 
China planning renewable energy expansion beyond power sector 13/11/2025
China's energy administration said on Wednesday that it will push renewable energy use beyond the power sector over the next five years, aiming to better absorb the country's booming wind and solar output. ...more
 
A Growing Number of ‘Repair Cafes’ Are Popping Up Around the World to Curb Consumer Waste 13/11/2025
Local communities are hosting events where people can bring in their broken goods for repairs—free of charge. ...more
 
COP30 highlights growing need of countries for resilience to storms, flood and fires 12/11/2025
With typhoons tearing across Southeast Asia this week while areas of Jamaica and Brazil are still clearing debris from damaging storms, delegates at Brazil's COP30 summit began grappling with how best to help the vulnerable withstand worsening weather and other climate extremes. ...more
 
Latest U.N. analysis shows climate pledges cutting emissions by 12% 12/11/2025
The yearly amount of planet-warming gases added to the atmosphere will decrease 12% by 2035 from 2019 levels, according to a new analysis published Monday by the U.N. climate change secretariat (UNFCCC). ...more
 
EU agrees to relax green rules in farming subsidy reform 12/11/2025
EU member states and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on an overhaul of the EU's huge farming subsidies, weakening environmental standards as part of plans to cut back regulations and paperwork for farmers. ...more
 
India could miss 2030 green hydrogen production goals, top official says 12/11/2025
Some export-focused green hydrogen projects in India are likely to start later than originally planned due to global policy uncertainties, potentially delaying the country's clean fuel ambitions, a senior government official said on Tuesday. ...more
 
China's CO2 emissions haven't risen for 18 months, analysis finds 12/11/2025
China's carbon dioxide emissions were flat year-on-year in the third quarter, extending a now 18-month streak of flat or falling emissions, an analysis for climate publication Carbon Brief found. ...more
 
Climate talks start with call for faster action and more togetherness, but without the US 11/11/2025
U.N. climate negotiations were expected to begin Monday at a meeting on the edge of the Brazilian Amazon, with leaders pushing for urgency, cooperation and acceleration after more than 30 years fighting to curb global warming by drastically reducing the carbon pollution that causes it. ...more
 
UN warns of millions displaced by climate change as COP30 opens in Brazil 11/11/2025
Weather-related disasters have forced a quarter of a billion people to flee in the last decade, says UNHCR. ...more
 
Safeguarding clean water access as climate threats rise 11/11/2025
As health emergencies multiply linked to the climate crisis, governments are joining forces with the UN to protect access to clean water, while data indicates that 118 million people in Europe alone live near healthcare facilities lacking basic sanitation.   ...more
 
Commission unveils nearly €3bn to scale up green fuels for aviation and maritime transport 11/11/2025
The plan to step up financing for sustainable fuels in shipping and aviation by 2027 comes as the bloc is falling short of decarbonising heavy transport by 2050. ...more
 
Growth in global demand for ‘green’ office buildings slows amid Trump policies 11/11/2025
Fall reported by Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors as UN calls for accelerated action in buildings sector to meet global climate goals. ...more
 
Najib Saab honored at AUB 10/11/2025
“Green Passion from AUB to the world” was the title of a lecture delivered by AFED secretary general Najib Saab at the American University of Beirut (AUB), as part of the Keepers of the Land lecture series, at the invitation of the Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU). He ended addressing the students: “It is Your Turn, Keep Your Passion Alive.” ...more
 
Piles of garbage and seeping sewage pollute devastated Gaza 10/11/2025
Stinking mounds of fly-covered garbage lie strewn throughout Gaza amid the rubble from Israel's devastating military campaign, spilling out along roadsides and between the tents where most of the shattered enclave's people live. ...more
 
COP30: The latest in climate science, from faster warming to coral collapse 10/11/2025
With the pace of climate change speeding up, extreme weather and other impacts are taking an increasing toll on populations and environments across the globe. Here are some of the developments this year in climate science: ...more
 
COP30: Could Brazil’s ‘Tropical Forest Forever’ fund help tackle climate change? 10/11/2025
Billed as the “Amazon COP”, the UN climate talks will see the debut of Brazil’s flagship fund to “reward” tropical countries for keeping their forests intact. ...more
 
Gates Foundation pledges $1.4 billion to help farmers adapt to extreme weather 10/11/2025
Billionaire Bill Gates' foundation will spend at least $1.4 billion over the next four years to help farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia access technologies for adapting to extreme weather, the organization's CEO told Reuters. ...more
 
 
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Arab Environment 9: Sustainable Development in a Changing Arab Climate
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