Innovative Trends Increase Appeal Of Sustainable Housing

Over recent years, an increasing number of people have become interested in learning to live more sustainably. Although it is considerably more difficult for an individual to preserve the environment than it is for a large company, there are a number of ways in which a difference can be made. One of the most effective ways is through sustainable homeownership. While this most certainly does involve implementing sustainable practices on a daily basis, there are several sustainable home design trends that can boost the level of sustainability of a house even more. From implementing passive housing to sourcing building materials and labor locally, here’s a closer look at some of the most prominent sustainable housing design trends of the year.

eco-friendly-home

Passive housing is a game-changer

Passive housing is a building concept that incorporates sustainability from the get-go by reducing energy consumption. By paying careful attention to the orientation of the house, passive energy can be created by allowing natural heat and light to enter the house through windows, glass doors, and walls constructed out of glass blocks.

When enough heat and light enters a home naturally, the reliance on on-grid energy decreases exponentially. Such passive housing can, in fact, result in energy savings of as much as 90% compared to traditional houses, and approximately 75% when compared to modern-day buildings.

Multigenerational homes promote foundational sustainability

While having a nuclear family unit continues to appeal to many, especially millennials, multigenerational homes have once again become a trending concept. While multigenerational homes tend to be larger than your typical suburban house, they do present a fundamental opportunity to decrease overall resource consumption.

By accommodating a multigenerational family under one custom-made roof, everything from land and building materials to water and energy can be saved on. Representatives of one experienced Austin home builder assert that a custom home building process such as this needs to be as customer-centered as it is adaptable to rapidly-changing market trends. This will ensure that the sustainability level of the house can be maximized, without compromising on aesthetics and comfort.

Support local where possible

Although the concept of ‘supporting local’ to increase sustainability is typically associated with consumer goods and services, it is applicable to house design as well. Making use of local building materials and enlisting the services of local architects, builders, and contractors is a trend that developers and homeowners should all get behind.

sustainable-housing

Sustainable housing aims to diminish environmental impacts of building

When locally-manufactured building materials are used, the energy and cost relating to their transport are reduced considerably. Apart from benefiting the environment, supporting local also boosts the local economy and the collective community. Another reason to make use of local materials and labor is the higher quality that can be expected.

Bottom Line

An increasing number of people are seeking out sustainable housing options to boost their overall sustainable living efforts. By staying abreast of the latest trends in sustainable homes, individuals can also actively contribute towards a more sustainable society.

EcoMENA – Vision and Mission

The MENA region is plagued by a host of issues including water scarcity, waste disposal, food security, industrial pollution and desertification. Providing free access to quality information and knowledge-based resources motivates youngsters in a big way. EcoMENA provides encouragement to masses in tackling major environmental challenges by empowering them with knowledge and by providing them a solid platform to share their views with the outside world.

Salman Zafar, Founder of EcoMENA, talks to the Florentine Association of International Relations (FAIR) about the vision, aims, objectives and rationale behind the creation of EcoMENA. 

FAIR: What is EcoMENA and what is its primary mission?

Salman Zafar: EcoMENA came into existence in early 2012 with the primary aim to raise environmental awareness in the MENA region and provide a one-stop destination for high-quality information on environment, energy, waste, water, sustainability and related areas.

EcoMENA has made remarkable progress within a short period of time and has huge knowledge base in English as well as Arabic catering to all aspects of sustainability sector, including renewable energy, resource conservation, waste management, environment protection and water management.

FAIR: How did the idea of such an activity come from?

Salman Zafar: While doing research sometimes back, I noticed lack of easily-accessible information on Middle East environmental sector. EcoMENA was launched to empower masses with updated information on Middle East sustainability sector and latest developments taking place worldwide.

EcoMENA is an online information powerhouse freely accessible to anyone having an interest in sustainable development. Our articles, reports and analyses are well-researched, well-written and of the highest professional standards.

FAIR: What is the “state of the art” in the field of sustainability and environment protection in the MENA countries?

Salman Zafar: Unfortunately environment protection is not given due importance by regional countries, though there has been some high-profile initiatives like Masdar City in Abu Dhabi. Sustainability is, no doubt, making its way in the Middle East but the progress has been slow and unsatisfactory.

The MENA region is plagued by a host of issues including water scarcity, waste disposal, food security, industrial pollution and desertification. A regional initiative with a multi-pronged strategy is urgently required to protect the environment and conserve scarce natural resources.

FAIR: What are EcoMENA aims and initiatives for the future?

Salman Zafar: One of the major objectives of EcoMENA is to provide a strong platform for Middle East youngsters to showcase their talents. We are mentoring young students and providing them opportunities to display their innovativeness, creativity and dedication towards environment protection.

Providing free access to quality information and knowledge-based resources motivates youngsters in a big way. EcoMENA provides encouragement to people in tackling major environmental challenges by empowering them with knowledge and by providing them a solid platform to share their views with the outside world. With soaring popularity of social media, networking plays a vital role in assimilation of ideas, knowledge-sharing, scientific thinking and creativeness.

We have a strong pool of expert writers from different parts of the world, and remarkably supported by a handful of volunteers from across the MENA region. Apart from being an information portal, EcoMENA also provide expert guidance and mentorship to entrepreneurs, researchers, students and general public.

FAIR: Do you think there is enough attention and sensitiveness in the sustainable development?

Salman Zafar: Things are slowly, but steadily, changing in most of the MENA countries and a more concerted and organized effort is required to bring about a real change in the prevalent environmental scenario.

A green MENA requires proactive approach from all stakeholders including governments, corporates and general public. Strong environmental laws, promotion of clean energy and eco-friendly projects, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, institutional support and funding, implementing resource conservation, raising environmental awareness and fostering entrepreneurial initiatives are some of the measures that may herald a ‘green revolution’ in the region.

FAIR: In your opinion, what is the “added value” of your mission?

Salman Zafar: EcoMENA endeavor to create mass awareness about the need for clean and green environment in the Middle East through articles, projects, events and campaigns. EcoMENA is counted among the best and most popular Middle East sustainability initiatives with wide following across the world.

Our goal is to transform EcoMENA into a regional cleantech and environmental hub by providing quality information, professional solutions and high level of motivation to people from all walks of life.

Sustainability Perspectives for Amman

Is Amman a sustainable city? No, it is not. That isn’t a very surprising statement if you’ve ever lived in or visited Amman. By all means, it’s a beautiful city, with plenty to offer visitors and residents alike. It is a diverse city with a wide range of experiences to offer between East and West Amman or Downtown to Abdoun.

The fact remains however that it is not a very sustainable city. We as residents are not being kind to the city we call home. When I look at Amman I happen to see all the things I like, but also all the potential our city has to improve.

amman-sustainability

Below I examine only a few factors that contribute to the unsustainability of Amman. These are not the only issues we are facing as Ammanis but they are some of the factors affected by high level policy making in Greater Amman Municipality.

Transportation in Amman

“Amman is a city that is built for the convenience of cars and drivers”. This is a statement I heard from a TEDxAmman speaker just weeks after I moved back to Jordan from abroad, and it was a shock to hear it phrased in that way. Although I was aware of the obvious lack of public transport and alternative means of getting around the city, I had never realized the extent of how true that statement is.

Any investment in the city’s transport infrastructure goes to build and improve the quality of our roads, bridges and tunnels with no consideration of public transport investment. The one time that Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) attempted to invest in a bus rapid transit (BRT) system, it turned into a very controversial topic, with accusations of corruption and mismanagement of resources all around with the project still not close to being completed.

Amman is also not a very pedestrian friendly city, with virtually no sidewalks found on the streets. Or even worse, the sidewalks we do have are in fact pots to plant trees which makes it very difficult for pedestrians to use it for what it’s meant for; to walk. Additionally, there are barely any pedestrian crossings.

Amman is indeed a city built for the convenience of cars and their owners, with almost a 10% increase in car ownership annually in the city, even in low income families.

Historically speaking, our current transportation system worked well up until the mid-1900s when the population of the city grew from a few hundred thousand people to 2 million. Recently the city has reached a little under 3 million inhabitants with the same road infrastructure minus a few improvements here and there.

This is obviously a challenge that our 3 million Jordanians have to endure on a daily basis, whether it is by fighting traffic every day or by long waits on the very little number of buses that we have.

Even less obvious is the environmental impact of such transport habits, with one estimate being that for each passenger in the city we need to plant 17 trees every year to cover our annual CO2 emissions of 1,464.4kgs. 51 million trees need to be planted every year in Amman to cover our transport emissions!

Waste Management in Amman

“Out of sight, out of mind” is probably best applied to our waste in Amman, or indeed in all of Jordan. We all know that we have garbage trucks passing around the neighborhoods collecting garbage once or twice a week. And we all remember the garbage collecting “crisis” Amman went through in 2012 when garbage was piling up and the out of maintenance trucks couldn’t collect it all.

However what we forget is what happens to all our waste once it’s collected. If we had a developed recycling system, we could slightly reduce the amount of waste produced by residents of Amman. Since recycling is not an option we cannot ignore the 1,400 tons of waste produced every year by Ammanis. This translates to more than half of the waste produced in the country – the remaining cities across Jordan only produce 1.1 tons of waste.

amman-litter

This means that 1,400 tons of waste is transported to landfills outside of Amman, but very close to residents of other cities. Once the garbage in those landfills becomes too much to handle, they burn it to empty up space for even more trash. If you’ve ever been to Zarqa, you are very well aware of the smell from the burning garbage in the landfill along the way.

Urban Sprawl

In my opinion, urban sprawl in Amman is the most important issue Amman is facing. It is also an issue largely ignored by our officials and citizens alike. It has reached a very critical condition because large areas of previously agriculture land is now all converted to residential areas and the very little agricultural land we have left is under immediate threat to be converted to residential neighborhoods.

I was actually very surprised to find out that areas such as Sweileh, Wadi Alseer, and Al Jubayha were separate towns in the early 1900s and not a part of Amman. Now however they’re so urbanized that they’re considered another district in the city.

There were actually some recommendations in the 1950s by a group of international experts to separate Amman from these towns by designating green belts around them to limit construction in those areas. All their recommendations were of course ignored. Now other areas are under the same threat of urbanization and loss of agricultural land especially on the road between 7th circle and the Airport.

amman-urban-development

Of course, till now GAM is licensing agricultural land around Amman for construction of residential areas with no consideration to its importance to our agriculture which is already suffering greatly.

Ingredient of a Sustainable City

There are quite a few factors combined that affect the sustainability of a city, or lack thereof.  Based on the broad definition of Sustainability (meeting present needs while ensuring that resources are available to meet future needs), the definition of sustainable cities broadly would be cities that ensure that the current needs of its residents are meet without compromising on the needs of its future inhabitants.

Some of the criteria that help create sustainable cities are the following:

  • Resource recovery and waste management – collection and disposal of non-recyclable materials, frequent and adequate collection of bins as well as creating a broader waste management strategy
  • Litter prevention  – well placed litter bins in public areas and city centers, litter education and awareness programs and integration of litter management with a broader waste management strategy
  • Environmental innovation and protection – establishing partnerships between community, government and industry to protect environmental resources, establishing local conservation groups, develop and implement public/open space plans for local community, among many others.
  • Water Conservation – innovative water conservation and re-use initiatives.
  • Energy Innovation – innovative energy efficiency measures, renewable energy, and addressing climate change issues.

How Can Amman Actually Become Sustainable?

Obviously there is quite a journey ahead of Amman, and Jordan as a whole in fact, in becoming sustainable. While GAM is the main entity able to create the needed environmental regulations, channel investments into sustainable public transport, allow innovations in renewable energy,  and guide the many other initiatives we cannot ignore the role of individual citizens.

In a micro level, each individuals behavior, regardless of how insignificant it may seem to them does indeed influence the overall sustainability of the city. Enumerating the various water conservation, energy efficiency, or waste management methods would probably be repetitive however one request I make of myself and other Ammanis is to be constantly thoughtful of our impact and try to reduce it as much as possible.

One way to remain thoughtful is to remain informed. We should all be aware what the impact of our actions is. Whether it pertain to CO2 emissions of our cars, or the lack of actual waste management.

We should be informed to be able to influence decision making as well. There will come a day when we have proper communication channels with GAM and other government officials and we will be able to shape the decisions that will make our city more sustainable.

Till that day comes, don’t ignore your responsibility as an aware, thoughtful citizen of our beautiful city.

References

    1. The Road Not Taken, Jordan Business, Hazem Zureiqat 
    2. Traffic in Amman, Jordan, Numbeo.com
    3. Urban Sprawl, Center for the Study of the Built Environment (CSBE), Mohammad Al Asad

Women and the Environment: Perspectives from Arabia

Women and the environment are closely interlinked, throughout history, different nations glorified women as powerful symbols of nature, and nature has always been given the female characteristics: care, reproduction and life-giving. Nevertheless, women’s involvement in the preservation of the environment has seldom been recognized and documented in the histories of several nations.

One of the most significant phenomena in the last decades is recognition of women rights to achieve sustainable development; many international agreements reflected this recognition, including Rio Declaration in 1992, which stresses the point of the centrality of the full women participation to achieve environmental sustainability. The UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 has acknowledged the importance of gender equality and women empowerment, the CBD identifies the integration of women right in biodiversity conservation as intrinsically vital.

ecotherapy

يبقى الإنسان محور أهداف الفكر البيئي، وتتمثل أولويات مفاهيهمة في صون الامن البيئي للإنسان

Linking gender equality and sustainable development is not only important for ethical and moral reasons, but also because achieving gender equality as human rights of women is prerequisite of a fair and sustainable globe and future.

Increasingly, achievement of environmental sustainability is recognized as central to pursue development goals. It`s crucial that gender equality —a human right—is central to this pursuit. Worldwide, there is a perception that women are closer to nature than men, as women interact directly and more intensively with the natural surroundings more than their counterparts’ men, which produced their profound experience, understanding and knowledge about the environment.

Many studies on women and environment have shown that women are significant role player in natural resources management and ecological preservation. Women in the Arabia are serving as farmers, water conservationists and scientists with more respectful and caring attitude.

The interesting dilemma about all is since women interact directly with the environment, and because of their roles as home-managers, they are often vulnerable to several environmental threats and hazards especially rural women in developing countries. The toxic environmental hazards may increase the risk of birth defects, abortion, perinatal death, and fetal growth retardation.

Women in Agriculture and Soil Conservation

Globally, women produce around half of all the grown food, women`s roles in agriculture include: planting, cultivation, production, weeding, distribution, harvesting and storage, women are also involved in animal farming such as rearing poultry and goat. Some examples of women role in agriculture in Arabia include rural women in the Jordan Valley, who have proved themselves in agricultural work and is now irreplaceable in various agricultural operations.

In addition, women have participated in and led soil and plant conservation projects. A role model is the Royal Botanic Garden (RBG) of Jordan, led by its founder HRH Princess Basma bint Ali. The RBG aims to preserve plants and ecosystems, and promote biodiversity research and environmental education in Jordan.

Women in Forest Management and Tree Planting

In many areas of the Arab world, natural resources, such as firewood, are the main source of energy for domestic consumption. Unfortunately, the extensive use of these sources has led to forests degradation and air pollution. At the same time, women are the main contributor in forest management through planting and protection.

A good example is the campaign organized by the APN, represented by its President Razan Zeater, which has planted more than two million trees in Jordan and Palestine.

Women and Water Resources

Around the Middle East, women constitute the main group of direct users of water for household consumptions. Therefore, they are a mainstream interest group in water management to provide and safeguard their own water resources. Women involvement in water management is growing up, but not yet receiving the attention it deserves.

To fill the gap, many programs are launched to empower women at all levels including research. Dr. Malak AlNory, a scientist and a winner of Ibn Khaldun fellowship, researched the supply chain for water in Saudi Arabia and was the first Saudi woman presented her paper at the IDA Congress in 2013.

Women and Waste Management

Women role in waste management include garbage disposal management and research. Dr.Sumaya Abbas, a Bahraini engineer and a winner of L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science Fellowship, works on waste management and waste transformation into energy. “Because oil and gas resources are depleting, we are looking at alternatives sources of energy, and waste is one of them ” she clarifies.

Women and Energy

Worldwide, many people lack access to modern, clean energy, which has a huge impact on general quality of life. Rural women devote much of their time as fuel gatherers. Additionally, women work on projects to produce energy.

Rafea-Solar-Jordan

An excellent model is the Jordanian brave Bedouin Rafea, who decided to challenge gender roles in her Bedouin community and followed her aspirations to light up her underprivileged village by enrolling in a solar program in India. Rafea has not only become the first female solar engineer in Jordan, but she has also set up 80 small-scale solar systems, helping her village to become solar-powered. Today Rafea is a role model, an elected leader and training many others on how to use sustainable energy.

Women and Policy

There is growing evidence of the synergies between gender equality and environmental sustainability. While women participation is vital, their involvement in policy-making aimed at sustainability does not mean better gender equality, especially when the foundations of gender inequality remain unchanged. Governments and donor agencies target women as influential agents for green transformation.

However, such stereotypical assumptions which view women as “sustainability saviors” have risks, as it’s based on the assumption that women are unlimited resource that can sustain environments without consideration of women’s health, time, knowledge, interests and opportunities. Thus, women’s involvement in policy-making focused only at sustainability doesn’t mean better gender equality; on the contrary, increase of women’s already heavy unpaid work burdens without consideration of their benefits in advantage to the environment can worsen gender inequalities and power imbalances.

Conclusions

Despite the challenges, this is a time of great opportunity for Arab women in the environmental sector.  Worldwide, there are many examples of alternative pathways that move towards environmental sustainability and gender equality synergistically, which means respect for women knowledge, capabilities, rights and entrepreneurship, while ensuring that roles are matched with rights, control over resources and decision-making power.

References

  1. Wuyep, Solomon Z. et al “Women Participation in Environmental Protection and Management: Lessons from Plateau State, Nigeria.” American Journal of Environmental Protection, n.d. Web. 2014.
  2. Yalan, Zhu. Women’s Participation in Environmental Protection Organizations—A Qualitative Study of Australian Women’s Involvement in Green Non-Governmental Organizations. Diss. D the Graduate School of Beijing Foreign Studies U, 2007. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
  3. Chelala, Cesar. “Women’s Role Key to Saving Environment.” China Daily. N.p., 2011. Web. 27 July 2015.
  4. “Women, Environment and Sustainable Development: Making the Links.” UNEP (n.d.): n. pag. Web. <http://www.unep.org/civilsociety/Portals/24105/documents/publications/Women%20and%20the%20environment/ChapterTwo.pdf>.
  5. The Environment and Women’s Health (n.d.): n. pag. Web. <http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/environment-womens-health.pdf>.
  6. JACKSON, CECILE. “Doing What Comes Naturally? Women and Environment in Development.” World Development. N.p., n.d.
  7. Schultz, . Irmgard.et al  “Research on Gender, the Environment and Sustainable Development.” N.p., n.d. Web. <ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/eesd/docs/wp1_endversion_complete.pdf>.
  8. UN Documents. Beijing Platform for Action. Chapter IV. K. Women and the Environment, n.d. Web. 26 July 2013. http://www.un-documents.net/bpa-4-k.html
  9. “Gender and Sustainable Development.” (2014): n. pag. The Research and Data Section of UN Women. Web..
  10. “Postural Synergies: Gender Equality, Economic Development and Environmental Sustainability.” SpringerReference (2012): n. pag. UNDP. Web.
  11. “For Women, It’s Personal.” Water.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 July 2015.
  12. “WEDO » NEW Article: “Women and Energy Access: Impact on Sustainable Development and Livelihoods”” WEDO RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 July 2015
  13. “Sustainable Energy.” (2010): n. pag” http://www.ashden.org/files/pdfs/reports/DFID-Energia-Ashden-Report-Public-Summary-Feb-2015.pdf
  14. Rafea: Solar Mama. Dir. Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief. Perf. Rafea, Rouf Dabbas, Um Bader. N.p., 2014. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON_NQ1HnRYs>.
  15. Sarant, Louise. “L’Oreal-UNESCO Recognises Exceptional Arab Women Scientists.” – News. Nature Middle East, 9 Feb. 2013. Web. 31 July 2015. <http://www.natureasia.com/en/nmiddleeast/article/10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.20>.

التأثيرات الإجتماعية والإقتصادية للتغير المناخي على الصحة الإنجابية للإناث

تواجه ملايين الإناث حول العالم ضغوطاً هائلة بسبب الانتهاكات المختلفة  لحقهن الإنساني في الرعاية الصحية خاصة الجوانب المتعلقة بالخصوبة والإنجاب منها, ويثقل تغير المناخ هذا العبء بطرق مأساوية كما يحدث في العديد من بلدان العالم من زيادة الفيضانات في بنغلاديش, إلى الأعاصير في موزمبيق, إلى التصحرفي نيجيريا وغيرها الكثير.

آثار التغير المناخي الإجتماعية على الصحة الإنجابية

تندرج الموضوعات المتعلقة بالخصوبة وصحة الأم وطفلها ضمن مصطلح الخصوبة والصحة الإنجابية (FRH). تؤدي الأزمات إلى استفحال عدم المساواة بين الجنسين القائمة أساساً من قبل خاصة بين الفئات الأقل حظاً, مما يؤدي إلى ارتفاع مستويات الوفيات والمرض لدى الإناث وذلك لعدم المساواة في الحصول على المياه وخدمات الصرف الصحي والرعاية الصحية والتغذية الكافيتين. إجتماعياً, وفي العديد من الثقافات, تعاني النساء من محدودية الحركة وكبر المسؤوليات الأسرية وعدم قدرتهن على صنع القرار الأسري بما في ذلك القرارات المتعلقة بصحتهن الإنجابية. كما تكون النساء أكثر عرضة للفقر وللسكن غير الصحي, وهذه الحالة ستزداد سوءًا عندما يتعرضن للفيضانات والجفاف والعواصف والإنهيارات الثلجية والزلازل وغيرها من الكوارث المناخية.

reproductive-health

توثق دراسة أجراها  الإتحاد الدولي لحماية الطبيعة (IUCN) الروابط المباشرة بين الضغوط البيئية والعنف الجنسي, حيث سلطت الدراسة الضوء على الإتجار بالبشر والتحرش والإعتداء وما يتبعه من حمل غير مرغوب فيه في المناطق التي واجهت شح الموارد الطبيعية نتيجة للتغير المناخي, فكثيراً ما تتعرض الإناث للعنف والاستغلال الجنسيين عند سعيهن للحصول على الغذاء والاحتياجات الأساسية لأنفسهن ولأفراد أسرهن, حيث تقترن بعض الحالات التي ينعدم فيها الأمن الغذائي بإفلات مرتكبي العنف الجنسي من العقاب. هذا وتزداد احتمالية حوادث العنف المنزلي والزواج المبكر أو القسري أو كلاهما، وقد يتباين مستوى قابلية الإناث للتضرر حسب نوع الكارثة والسياقات الجغرافية والاجتماعية والثقافية.

ثانياً: تأثيرات التغير المناخي الإقتصادية وتحليل أثر تهديد الأمن الغذائي على الصحة الإنجابية

كثفت الأبحاث جهودها على أهمية تغذية المرأة, فعندما تحصل النساء على غذاء صحي فإنهن يكن أقل عرضة للإجهاض أو وفاة الجنين, ومن المرجح أن يولد أطفالهن بوزن صحي وبفترة حمل صحية. يُعتقد أيضًا أن النساء والأطفال الذين يتغذون جيدًا هم أكثر استعدادًا للرضاعة الطبيعية وبالتالي دعم النمو الصحي للطفل الذي سيصبح بالغًا سليمًا.

يعتمد فقراء قرى البلدان النامية اعتمادًا كبيرًا على بيئتهم لإنتاج غذائهم المحلي من الزراعة والثروة  الحيوانية. لذا يلعب المناخ دوراً مهماً في تحديد دخل هذه الأسر, فعند ارتفاع درجات الحرارة وتأثر موسم الأمطار فإن الموارد الإقتصادية وتوافر الغذاء تتأثر سلباً وتنعكس هذه التأثيرات على FRH, ومنها التغيرات في السلوك الجنسي والصحة النفسية والخصوبة لدى الرجل والولادة والصحة العامة للأم والطفل وتحديد عدد الأطفال والموارد المتاحة لهم, حيث يمكن أن تؤثر الاستجابات السلوكية لانعدام الأمن الغذائي على نتائج الولادة من حيث الإجهاد الحراري, الإجهاض أو موت الجنين. فمثلاً, تعمل النساء في المناطق شبه الحضرية في واغادوغو في قطع أراضي أزواجهن في ساعات الظهيرة الحارة, حيث أعربن عن شعورهن بالإجهاد البدني والنفسي إذا حدث أنهن حملن أثناء فترات العمل بسبب الخوف من الإجهاض أو تأثر صحة الجنين.

يؤثر تغير المناخ سلباً على الطقس وبالتالي على توافر المحاصيل الحيوية كالقمح والذرة والأرز, مما ينتج عنه تأثيرات سلبية على أسعار المواد الغذائية وإنتاجها واستهلاكها, كما أنه من المتوقع أن تؤدي الزيادات في أسعار محاصيل الحبوب هذه إلى ارتفاع أسعار الأعلاف الحيوانية وبالتالي ارتفاع أسعار اللحوم، مما يؤدي إلى انخفاض إجمالي في استهلاك اللحوم والحبوب بحلول عام 2050, مما يعني أن التغير المناخي يهدد استقرار إنتاج المحاصيل وتوافر الغذاء وبالتالي الأمن الغذائي في المناطق المعرضة لسوء التغذية ونقص الغذاء,  كما أنه سيتسبب بمشكلات اقتصادية أخرى بسبب نقص الدخل الفردي والأسري. في الواقع، وجد أن المتاجر الصغيرة كانت أقل مقاومة لظواهر الطقس المتطرفة مقارنةً مع المتاجر الكبيرة الموجودة في المدن.تكمن أهمية كل ما ذكر من تغييرات بتأثيرها على استهلاك العناصر الغذائية وبالتالي على توقيت الحيض, حيث تشير الدراسات إلى أن الغذاء المتوازن ضروري للحفاظ على التوقيت الطبيعي للدورة الشهرية. باختصار، يمكن أن يؤدي اختلال نسب المواد الغذائية إلى الحيض المبكر أو المتأخر، وكلاهما مرتبط بعواقب مرضية محددة. من المحتمل أن يكون للتغيرات الطقسية التي تسبب مشاكل في سلسلة الإمداد الغذائي آثاراً مدمرة على توقيت الحيض للأجيال القادمة إذا لم يتم التعامل معها ومعالجتها. وتتفاقم هذه الآثار السلبية بين السكان المعرضين للجوع وسوء التغذية بسبب انخفاض الاستقرار الاقتصادي.

 لتوصيات

الاستفادة من الخبرات المحلية

تميل مناطق العالم التي خضعت تاريخياً لتغيراتٍ مناخيةٍ شديدةٍ إلى امتلاك معرفة محلية قائمة على العادات التقليدية, والتي يمكن أن تكون مفيدة في مكافحة آثار تغير المناخ على الأمن الغذائي، وهناك بحث مستمر في هذا الفضاء ليكون الهدف منه إنشاء نظام بيئي متماسك قادر على التكييف لمواجهة الظواهر الجوية المتطرفة مع الاستمرار في تمكين الإنتاج الغذائي المتوازن.

إجراء الدراسات والمسوحات المختصة

عند النظر في حلول لأزمة تغير المناخ، قد لا تكون خدمات FRH أول ما يتبادر إلى الذهن, ولكن يمكنها أن تلعب دوراً جوهرياً  في إستراتيجيات الصحة الإنجابية المستقبلية. حيث يعد توفر المعرفة أمراً أساسياً من أجل التأثير على السلوكيات الفردية والجماعية, لا سيما أن المعرفة تشكل رأسمالاً ومصدراً للأفكار والتجارب. إن المعلومات العالمية المتوفره والمتعلقة  في تغير المناخ وأثاره على FRH نادرة,لذا فإنه من الواجب القيام بأبحاث للحصول على معلومات في هذا المجال وتحديد التوصيات التي ترصد آثار وأضرار تغير المناخ على FRH, كما ويجب تحديد الفجوات المعرفية والتشريعية المتعلقة بتغير المناخ وFRH, حيث أن بناء المعرفة فيما يتعلق بالصحة الإنجابية  وعلاقتها بتغير المناخ تؤدي حتماً إلى تقليل نسبة وفيات الأطفال وتحسين صحة الأم والقضاء على الأمراض السارية والمعدية والمتعلقة بالتغير المناخي.

كما تعتبر هذه الدراسات مرجعية علمية مختصة وشاملة لصناع القرار لتساعدهم في تصميم وتنفيذ المشاريع وخطط العمل بناء عليها. كما يمكن الوقوف على التحديات المتعلقة بالسياسات والتي يفرضها التغير المناخي على قطاع الصحة الإنجابية. هذا ويجب إدماج اعتبارات تقييم التأثر بتغير المناخ على FRH وتدابير التكيف مع السياسات والإستراتيجيات وخطط العمل لقطاع  الصحة البيئية, والتي تزيد من المنافع الصحية المشتركة وتقلل من العواقب غير المقصودة. وأخيرا يجب العمل على تعزيز تثقيف الجمهور حول آثار التغير المناخي على FRH لتحديد أولويات التأقلم.5.    زيادة إمكانية استفادة النساء من خطط الحماية الإجتماعية وبرامج تنويع سبل العيش, والتأقلم مع تغير المناخ، ومقومات الاستدامة, وعناصر تمكين المرأة.

تحقيق المبادئ الثلاثة

المساواة ، والمشاركة والتمكين، والمسائلة وإمكانية اللجوء إلى القضاء, والتي تعتبر أساسية لكفالة تنفيذ جميع التدخلات المتعلقة بالحد من مخاطر الكوارث في سياق تغير المناخ.

أدنى بقعة في العالم تنتج أكبر طاقة شمسية في فلسطين

تشير الإحصاءات إلى أن أكثر من 98٪ من الطاقة يتم استيرادها من إسرائيل، وهو ما يعني أن فلسطين في الوقت الحالي تعتمد بالكامل على الاحتلال الاسرائيلي  لتزويد احتياجاتها من الطاقة والكهرباء, ونظراً لأن فلسطين تستقبل اشعاعاً شمسياً يعتبر الاعلى في العالم وأن أسعار البترول والمشتقات التفطية تعتبرعالية نسبياً بالمقارنة بالدول العربية والعالمية الاخرى فان وجود الطاقة المتجددة لتعزيز وتطوير الطاقة المستدامة للفلسطينيين هو من الأهمية بمكان وأن التركيز على تقليل الاعتماد على واردات الطاقة من الاحتلال الاسرائيلي وزيادة استخدام مصادر الطاقة المتجددة المتاحة في فلسطي هو من سبل تعزيز صمود ومواجهة للاحتلال الاسرائيلي .

المقدسيون وهم سكان القدس المحتلة يواجهون ضغوطا اقتصادية حادة من قبل سلطات الاحتلال الاسرائيلي وتكمن هذه الضغوط على شكل  ضرائب وقيود على النشاط الاقتصادي والسياسي والاجتماعي لسنوات عديدة وذلك محاولة من الاحتلال الاسرائيلي طردهم وتهجيرهم من أماكن سكناهم , ولدعم صمود سكان القدس الشرقية في مدينة القدس المحتلة قامت مؤسسة فلسطين الغد للتنمية والتييترأسها رئيس الوزراء السابقد. سلام فياض، بتمويل مشروع للطاقة الشمسية وذلك بانشاء محطة تولد الطاقة الشمسية ( وقفية البلدة القديمة )

أن سكان القدس والبالغ عددهم حوالي 40 ألف نسمة، يعانون من الفقر والتهميشوعلى الرغم من فقر السكان إلا أنهم ملزمون أيضاً بدفع تكلفة الكهرباء بتعرفة تزيد بحاوالي 15% عن التعرفة التي يدفعها السكان الإسرائيليون، الأمر الذي يثقل كاهلهم، خاصة وأن معظمهم ينتمون إلى شرائح فقيرة أصلاً.

ولدعم صمود هذه العائلات ولمساعدتها في مواجهة المتطلبات المعيشية، قامت المؤسسة بدعم لفاتورة الكهرباء المنزلي ل 5,000 عائلة فلسطينية في البلدة القديمة في القدس، وذلك بواقع 14 دولار أمريكي لفاتورة الكهرباء لكل عائلة، مما يساهم في خفض فاتورة الكهرباءبالمعدلحوالي 25 %وباستدامة لهذا الدعم ولمدة تصل لغاية 25 عاماُ .

في منطقة قريبة من أريحا  المدينة التي تعتبر احدة من أقدم المدن المأهولة بالسكان  في العالم وأدنى مستوى تحت سطح البحر في العالم (  258 متر (846 قدم) تحت مستوى سطح البحر ) يقع  أكبر مشروع للطاقة المتجددة في فلسطين ومدينة أريحا كانت ساحة المعركة النظيفة ضد الاحتلال الإسرائيلي وجزءاً  من السعي المتواصل للاستقلال الذاتي للطاقة في فلسطين .

أن  محطة مشروع البحر الميت الكهروضئية  لتوليد الطاقة  هي من أهم المشاريع وأضخمها ليس في فلسطين وحسب بل في المنطقة العربية ككل وتأتي هذه المحطة التي تقدر طاقتها الانتاجية بـ 710 كيلو واط ساعةوالتي تنتج أكثر من 90000  شيكل شهرياً والتي تم تشغيلها بواسطة شركة كهرباء القدس في ديسمبر كانون الاول عام 2014, وقد تم تصميم وبناء هذه المحطة بنسبة 100%  بأيد وخبرات فلسطينية محلية , ولقد قامت شركة مصادر لأنظمة الطاقة وهي إحدى الشركات الرائدة في مجال تركيبأنظمة الطاقة المتجددة في فلسطين بتنفيذ هذا المشروع وبفترة قياسية لم تتجاوز الستة شهور ، وقد بلغت تكلفة انشاء هذه المحطة ما يقارب المليون دولار أمريكي .

أن هذا المشروع وغيره من المشاريع يعطي أملاً لدى الفلسطينين لاستخدام الطاقة البدبلة كنوع من المقاومة الناعمة والسلمية ويبرز الوجه الحضاري لفسطين في الاستثمار في قطاع الطاقة المتجددة وكبديل عن الطاقة التي يتم استيرادهما من شركات الاحتلال الاسرائيلي وكمصدر طاقة اضافي يغذي النقص الحاد في احنياجات قطاع الكهرباء في فلسطين ولتصبح الطاقة الكهروضوئية بنسبة متقاربة من استخدام الطاقة الحرارية لتسخين المياه وبنسبة 80% من اجالي استخدام الطاقة الحرارية في فلسطين .

 

المهندس عبد الناصر دويكات

باحث ومهتم بالطاقة المتجددة وترشيد الاستهلاك 

Plastic Pollution: The Search for a Sustainable Solution

Given the present momentum of events, anthropocene may not last for long as it is engineering the apocalypse with the wonder material – Plastics. Anthropocene signifies the geological period when humans have been the dominant influence on the planet’s environment. According statistics, the world produced 322 million metric tons of plastics in 2015; and it is likely to be four times more by 2050. Plastics have become ubiquitous in our lives today.

This wonder material which was invented in 1907 is thickly intertwined with every aspect of our lives today – from toothbrush to the sophisticated gadgets and equipment which define our lives. However, it is so cheap to produce that its use has become rampant in single-use products, also called disposables. However, this is the starting point of the menace. It contaminates every component of our eco-system – land, water and air.

plastic-waste-middle-east

Plastic waste pose a serious threat to marine life in the Middle East

Environmental and Health Hazards

On land, plastic poses the risk of clogging the city sewer system leading to flooding, while stagnant water in big cities conveniently create the ideal breeding grounds for diseases. The harmful chemicals that leech into the soil from the plastics dumped in landfills, can contaminate the soil and ground water entering our food chain. This has been found to lead to hypospadias which is the abnormality of the genitals.

In the research conducted by the University of Minnesota and the State University of New York, out of 159 tap water sample from 14 countries that were analyzed for plastic contamination, 83% were found to contain plastic particles. The study revealed that people may be ingesting between 3,000 to 4.000 microparticles of plastic from tap water every year. Though the health risks are still unknown, what is established is that these particles have a potential to absorb and release potentially harmful chemicals and bacteria.

Almost 19 million tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans each year. Considering the plastic debris found in the ocean today, it is anticipated that the plastics in the ocean will outnumber the fish by year 2050. The immediate dangers to the marine life are from entangling in the nets or rings and by the consumption of the microplastics (small pieces into which the other meso-plastics shred) mistaken for food.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. When plastics enter the marine environment, they are broadly categorized into three, viz., namely microplastics, macro-plastics and meso-plastics.

Microplastics and Macroplastics

Microplastics are those that usually have a diameter of 1-5 mm. Microplastics are further divided into primary and secondary microplastics. Primary microplastic are those that are used “in the form of plastic–based granulates or pellets”, while secondary microplastics are those that “occur through the chemical and physical degradation process of macro-plastics”.

Macro-plastics, on the other hand, are those which have a diameter of over 20mm, while meso-plastics have a dimeter of about 5-20mm. Of all these forms, microplastics is the biggest threat to marine life as these plastics are so tiny that they can easily enter the food chain in the sea, which is ultimately ingested by humans. These microplastics tend to further break down into nano-plastics.

turtle-plastic-ingestion

Air is the third component of our eco-system that is affected by Plastics. If the by-products from the manufacturing of plastics contaminate air, so do the phthalates. Phthalates are the toxic chemicals added to plastics to make them softer and more pliable. These toxic materials are not chemically bound to the products and easily evaporate into the air. This off-gassing results in the typical “plastic” smell.

Engineering the Change

Environmentalists and the researchers have suggested various measures to combat the problems arising due to plastics. The philosophy that has gained a lot of prominence lately is the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. It makes a lot of business sense to recycle the existing plastic waste to feed as raw materials for our insatiable need for plastics.

There have been lot of measures by the governments of developed countries in Europe and America to measure the plastics generated and about the percentage that has been successfully recycled. The European Commission supporting and propagating the “circular economy platform” is a step in this direction. The corporate world also rode the bandwagon of reuse with Apple and Nokia announcing to buy-back their old models emphasizing on reuse.

However, such regulations are yet to gain steam in the developing and underdeveloped world and in the organizations in the world.  Just as prevention is better than cure, the most important in this chain is to “reduce” plastic generation in the first place.

Locus of action

Considering the locus of action to implement the 3R framework, we can identify three levels to work with – individual, organizational level and macro level (national and international). Starting from the individual and his choices leading to the use and disposal of plastics, to the organizational level involving policies and regulations to minimize or use of recycled plastics and choice of environment friendly substitutes.

At the national and international level, global campaigns and initiatives including measures to establish a plastic pollution treaty between nations are being proposed by the think tanks. The overarching goal being the recycling, reuse and reduction of plastics.

The 5 Gyres Institute, which uses research to motivate change, emphasizes that organizations take responsibility for the entire life-cycle of the products they create. United Nations has instituted prevention and significant reduction of marine pollution as a Sustainable Development goal, which is certainly heartening. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in its global campaign is urging individuals to eliminate excessive wasteful use of single-use plastics.

On the other hand, through its Clean Seas campaign, UN urges countries and businesses to eliminate use of micro-plastics from their products and significantly reduce other disposable plastic items by 2022. Ten countries including Indonesia, Uruguay, Costa Rica have aligned themselves to this initiative with a pledge to make provisions to significantly slash marine litter by taking up measures such as taxing single-use plastic bags, better waste management and education etc. Meanwhile, dynamic political conditions and the political agenda of the governments make other alternative level initiatives imperative.

The most important step is to reduce plastic generation in the first place.

Technological solutions and discoveries of bacteria and micro-organisms which would dissolve and digest plastics, don’t seem to be a possibility soon. Measures such as shifting to biodegradable plastics, charging for the plastic bags, training the packing staff in supermarkets to use the optimal number of bags etc. are some of the measures that are being undertaken at the organizational level and the supermarkets to reduce the problem. Similarly, supply chains should also be modified, designed and managed to minimize the use of non-degradable inputs.

Also Read: Microplastics – A Threat to Food Production

Towards a sustainable solution

A more sustainable and long-lasting solution to tackle plastic pollution could be to look at the individuals – grass roots, the source of the demand to find a sustainable solution. Unconventional campaigns such as the one created by Dan de Almeida and Michael Hughes have been very creative. Their proposal to recognize the Great Pacific Garbage Patch as a sovereign nation, named as the Trash Isles, have been quite unorthodox with the aim of creating awareness about the problem. They have approached the UN with the proposal for official statehood for the “Trash Isles” with mock-ups of a passport, flags, currency and stamps for this would-be nation. With the children in their formative years, who are important stakeholders in this phenomenon, schools and educational institutions are doing their fair share by creating awareness and seeding the thoughts.

Sustainable results usually call for more than just creating awareness. We need to conceptualize and design systems and put the required infrastructure in place to enable execution and realization of benefits. If we need to reduce use of single-use plastics, we need to design and propose plastics free solutions to people’s needs at a reasonable cost. Only then can we expect any permanent change.

Can use of Behavioral Modification (BM) in behavior and choices, sound as a probable solution? Behavior modification that works on the ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) model involves finding out the antecedents i.e. the current environment that influences peoples’ choices and what can be altered to make it favorable for behavior change. This should then be followed with giving them reasons to change to favorable behaviors and then constantly measure the effect to implement informed interventions and thereby create the much-desired result, a better world.

The gains must be made permanent using the Change Management techniques. This approach may not be easy or involve less effort, however these need to be considered as vital components of the multi-pronged approach essential to tackle this mammoth that is our creation.

Cape Three Forks – A Biodiversity Haven on Morocco’s Mediterranean Coast

It goes without saying that the Mediterranean basin is one of the most diverse areas on our planet. But it is threatened by overexploitation, habitat loss and the impacts of climate change. Morocco’s Mediterranean coast is an important home to several endangered species.

Morocco’s Mediterranean coast appears in the form of four large cavities of varying dimensions. Following the Saidia beach in the east, there is the first groove, which is about 80 km long, starts at the head of water, followed by the “Ras Wark” outcrop – Cape Three Forks.

cape three forks

It extends towards the sea. In this part, there is a 24-kilometer coastal strip that separates Lake Nador from the sea. The second cavity, similar in size to the previous one, extends to the west to “Ras El Tarf” (Ras Tarf) in Tetouan (Tétouan) bordering Al Hoceima Bay (Al Hoceïma) to the east.

The coast is shaped like a large concavity and is very open. It gradually changes from an east-west direction to a south-north direction between the strait and the hotel. The entire coast is a series of cliffs interspersed with small beaches.

The Moroccan Mediterranean coast has a diverse terrain. It looks like a large arch east of “Ras Wark” (Cape Three Forks), which includes a series of steep cliffs cut by deep valleys, carved naturally at a height of 70 meters of red earth material, along 30 kilometers of the slopes of “Kabdana” (Kebdana) and then sandy terrain that isolates Lake “Bouarak” between thee areas of “Arkman” “(Arekmane)and Nador (Nador).

From here comes Cape Three Fork in the Eastern Region of Morocco, to furnish the beautiful landscape spaces of the Moroccan Mediterranean Bank. It is a majestic beach rock or a penetrating mountain outcrop, about 20 kilometers, on the Mediterranean coast, 25 kilometers north of Nador (Nador) and on the outskirts of the Spanish colony of Melilla. One hundred kilometers from the Algerian border, it extends over an area of 8000 hectares, two thirds of its maritime area. As a populated village, it belongs to the village community of Bani Shakir.

Cape Three Forks looks like an island. A majestic mountainous area in the middle of a marine landmark with a wide range of seascapes, characterized by clear water. It is surrounded by small scattered sea islands. And charming shiny beaches, full of pebbles. Its terrain is estimated to be 65 meters above sea level.

what is cape three forks

About 35 kilometers away, a lighthouse is visible at the front of Cape Three Forks with a height of 18 meters. Stories were woven around it about the reasons for its construction.   According to the oral version of the people of the area, a Spanish battleship ran aground and crashed on the site. This prompted the Spanish colonizer in the area to build a lighthouse in 1927 AD to prevent the collision of shipping ships and facilitate visibility in front of passing ships.

The Cape Three Forks area is of great environmental importance for its prominent role in the preservation of biodiversity on the Maghreb Mediterranean coast. Several scientific studies and research have recommended making the area a marine reserve. In 1996, residents of the area were encouraged to classify the site as biologically and ecologically important (SIBE) through the Management Plan for Protected Areas in Morocco. In 2005 it was designated as the Ramsar Wetland Site.

The region has living ecosystems and charming natural resources that are essential to the livelihoods of its local residents, but it remains small and fragile. The main activities that take place in the area are fishing and tourism.

The coastal villages in the area are remote, areas of social fragility and rugged paths. Its inhabitants are forced to live in a steep, rocky, arid and salty land. However, it requires living near waters where catching fish becomes increasingly difficult.

The region has already witnessed a scientific study that allows creating initiatives that provide opportunities and knowledge, ensure access to resources and invest joint efforts between researchers, farmers and poor fishermen, men and women, in order to sustain income sources and adapt to climate change.

The residents of the village of Tabouda adjacent to Cape Three Forks practice some traditional crafts such as fishing, farming, livestock raising and living on various natural resources. The region also suffers from geographical isolation. It takes about half an hour to reach the nearest village and an hour to reach the city of Nador. The road to the top of the head has been connected through the lighthouse, but it remains difficult, requiring restoration and extension. Work is under way to open access to villages in the isolated area.

The fishing community in the area relies on fishing boats measuring 5 to 6 meters in size. Other complementary activities directed towards mountain crops are terraced fields such as horticulture, grains, legumes and tree crops.  The region is witnessing the migration of some residents towards neighboring cities and outside Morocco.

Professor Abdellatif Al-Khattabi, an expert in climate change and former coordinator of the Climate Change Adaptation Project in Morocco, says that the region has risks related to climate change such as higher temperatures, increased frequency and unpredictability of extreme events, such as heat waves, storms and floods. These manifestations and developments have a direct impact on the local community because they threaten traditional agricultural activities through increased evaporation, reduced availability of water for agriculture, and erosion of fragile soils. It also has a negative impact on fishing through a reduction in the number of fishing days, a decrease in the availability of fish, and hence the quantity and quality of fish caught.

Professor Al-Khattabi added that studies have already been carried out in the context of the project to adapt to climate change in Morocco that have worked to enhance the adaptation capabilities of the residents of the Tabouda area in the village community of Beni Shakir.

With the effects of climate change, and the development of fragility of local ecosystems that are threatened by worsening climate changes. The project chose two main pivotal approaches as a field of intervention in terms of adaptation to climate change: improving artisanal fishing practices in order to facilitate the adaptation of fishing to climate change and agriculture and water, i.e. the ability of agricultural activities to reduce the reduction of water resources and the salinity of soil and water, by collecting rainwater and improving resource management.

The scientific study has made it possible to create initiatives that provide opportunities and knowledge, ensure access to resources and invest joint efforts between researchers, farmers and poor fishermen, men and women, in order to sustain income sources and adapt to climate change. It requires more research and study to find ways to support and enhance the capabilities of the region’s residents in accordance with a precise scientific strategic vision.

The marine environment of the site hosts different types of fish and whales, some of which are threatened with extinction. There are loggerhead turtles, fin whales, and types of dolphins. The people of the area expressed their regret over the extinction of the monk seal. it has not been seen for years.

Dr. Naguib Al-Waamari, head of the Regional Center of the Institute of Fisheries Research in Nador reported that 180 species and ten types of benthic communities have been identified. The marine biological communities included in the area vary depending on the nature of their habitat. Cape Three Forks is of great environmental quality and includes many species with a vital index and a great diversity of species, whether protected species or species of commercial importance. It is also characterized by a diversity of habitats such as meadows and rocky caves.

Dr. Najib El Ouamari, the head of the Regional Center of the Marine Research Institute in Nador, reported that 180 species and ten types of benthic communities have been identified. The marine biological communities in the region vary according to the nature of their habitat. The Cape Three Forks, with its high environmental quality, hosts numerous species with significant ecological indicators and a wide diversity of species, whether protected or commercially important. It is characterized by diverse habitats such as seagrass meadows and rocky caves.

cape three forks

Dr. El Oumari added that the waters of Cape Three Forks serve as a habitat for many important species, contributing significantly to the conservation of marine biodiversity in the Moroccan Mediterranean, including coral reefs, light-loving algae communities, algae such as Lithophyllum and Mesophyllum, Phymatholiton, red algae Rhodophycée, Cymodocea nodosa seagrass, Phymatholiton, red algae Rhodophycée, Cymodocea nodosa seagrass, shade-loving cave plants Sciaphiles, and flowering marine seagrass meadows.

The Lithophyllum, Mesophyllum, and Phymatholiton types of algae are found in the coastal rock bottoms primarily in the western region of Cape Three Forks. Moreover, red algae Rhodophycée Peysomnelia are found in semi-dark caves and marine meadows like Cymodocea nodosa, which are located on sandy substrata throughout the coastal strip of the site at depths ranging from 10 to 30 meters, and other species are found on rocky bottoms. The site includes subsurface light-dependent algae that settle on well-lit rocks or sediments. These are the most common species in Cape Three Forks, observed along the entire coast, according to Dr. El Ouamari.

The site contains many corals and sponges such as the yellow clathrin sponge, Clathrus of the Clathrinidae family, Chondrosia Reniformis of the Chondrosiidae family, Axinella damicornis from the Axinellidae family, Axinella species, the blue-coated sponge Phorbacias Tenor from the Hymedesmidae family, “Phorbaceae” , stone sponge Petrobia from the Hymedesmiidae family, “Phorbaceae”, stone sponge Petrobia from The Petrosiidae family and the species “Petrosia”.

The corals mainly include the solitary yellow coral Leptopsammia pruvoti from the Dendrophylliidae family, the species Leptopsammia, the orange coral Astroides calycularis from the Dendrophilliidae family, the species Astroides, as well as the gray-coated Epizanthus arenaceus from the Epizoanthidae family and the species Epianthus.

It should be noted that some species recorded in the Cape Three Forks region are indicative of biological conditions in clean and renewable waters with a low sediment load, reflecting good water quality. Also, the remarkable diversity of species and habitats in this site contributes to its important environmental quality.

According to Mr. Said Azwaagh, the coordinator of the East Side of the Research Group for the Protection of Birds in Morocco, the nature of the Cape Three Forks is rocky, and due to its lack of a suitable breeding ground for bird feeding, its importance in ornithology is evident in it being a resting place for seabirds such as Sternes, Goéland’s Gulls, Audouin’s Gull, and Yellow-footed Gull, which feed on discarded fish remains.

Some of them are by surface or tow fishing boats that roam the site day and night.  The site is also considered a favorite place to observe migratory birds in groups during two periods before breeding (pre-nuptial) at the end of spring or after breeding, beginning of autumn (post-nuptial), the most important of which are eagles (the brown vulture), kites (Milan Noir) and the pink flamingo. And cranes (Les Grues Cendrés) and seagulls, in addition to waterfowl (Fou de Bassan et Puffin).

migratory birds morocoo

Mr. Abdel Salam Al-Waaliti, one of the residents of the area, said that Cape Three Forks is a wonderful tourist product that includes good natural resources that attract tourists. The area is very important environmentally and socially and is attractive in tourism. The site is a destination for many visitors and tourists from all over the world. Visitors to this pristine natural masterpiece go to several swimming and diving enthusiasts who enjoy discovering the aesthetic characteristics of the area. They perform recreational activities and cruise tours with small boats provided by the people of the area.

Residents of the area practice traditional fishing activities and some wild crops based on low rainfall. Mr. Abdel Salam added, “In order to end the isolation of villages in the area, the concerned authorities are now extending routes to villages that are isolated due to the mountainous geographical nature of the area.” Some local residents expressed their desire to speed up the work so that the people of the region can benefit from the expected tourist turnout next summer because they have a unique and qualitative tourist product on the Mediterranean coast.

The Efficiency of Heat Exchangers – Energy Cost Savings Paired with Sustainability

Heat exchangers are pivotal in optimizing energy use across industries, playing a crucial role in heating, cooling, and transferring heat between two or more fluids. These systems are not only fundamental in managing thermal energy efficiently but also in contributing to significant reductions in energy costs and CO2 emissions.

custom-made heat exchange systems

Understanding the Role of Custom Heat Exchangers

At its core, a heat exchanger does precisely what its name suggests—exchanging heat from one medium to another without mixing them. This process is instrumental in various industrial applications, from cooling and heating within production processes to waste heat recovery. The efficiency of these systems lies in their ability to reuse heat that would otherwise be lost, translating into substantial energy savings and a lower carbon footprint.

Custom heat exchange systems are engineered to meet the precise requirements of different processes. This customization allows for the best economic efficiency and sustainability, utilizing components such as steam, gas or water heaters, sorption wheels, and electric air heaters. The adaptability of these systems to specific industrial needs underscores their importance in manufacturing and processing environments.

Customization and Efficiency in the Design

In the development, customization is key to meeting diverse industry needs efficiently and sustainably. This involves optimizing heat transfer surfaces and integrating functional components to enhance system performance. Such tailored designs aim to reduce material use and pressure drops, while ensuring robust and safe operations.

Tailored Solutions for Diverse Industries

Custom-made heat exchange systems are designed to fit the unique requirements of different sectors, ensuring optimal performance and sustainability. Industries that greatly benefit from these innovations include:

  • Food Industry
  • Dairy Industry
  • Chemical Industry
  • Pharma Industry
  • Pulp/Paper Industry

These sectors rely on heat exchangers for a range of processes, such as maintaining precise temperature conditions, ensuring product quality, and adhering to strict hygiene standards.

Sustainability through Innovation

Enhancing Features for Optimized Performance

Focusing on efficiency, eco-friendliness, durability, compact design, and cost optimization is fundamental in the evolution of heat exchanger technology. These attributes are critical in addressing the demands of modern industrial applications, offering a pathway to sustainability and economic efficiency. Leveraging expertise in thermal engineering and mechanical design, industries worldwide are moving towards solutions that are not just functionally superior but also environmentally responsible, marking a significant step forward in industrial thermal management practices.

Maximizing Industrial Efficiency and Sustainability

Achieving up to 40% energy cost savings and CO2 emission reductions of up to 100%, custom heat exchange solutions are an important example of promoting smart sustainability. These figures are not just impressive; they represent a significant leap towards greener, more sustainable industrial operations. There are case-studies of heat exchange manufacturers like AnyTherm from Switzerland who report a payback period of approximately 0-4 years for their clients.

Technological Innovations Driving Change

The advancements in heat exchange technology, such as finned tubes, pillow plates, and bespoke filtering units, are key to these systems’ impact. These components are meticulously engineered to enhance heat transfer efficiency, cater to specific process requirements, and withstand the demanding conditions of industrial environments. Their adaptability and performance efficiency underscore the importance of custom-designed solutions in achieving economic and environmental goals.

The Path Forward – MENA’s Potential with Heat Exchange Technologies

Given the MENA region’s diverse climate and industrial landscape, incorporating heat exchanger technologies offers a strategic advantage. These systems can be particularly effective in optimizing energy use and enhancing cooling processes, essential in the region’s hotter climates. Tailoring solutions to the specific needs and environmental conditions could significantly improve industrial efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and support sustainability goals.

References:

MIT web course on Heat Exchangers

الطاقة المتجددة في رؤية السعودية 2030

في الخامس والعشرين من شهر أبريل لعام 2015م تمت الموافقة من قبل مجلس الوزراء السعودي على إقرار ميثاق وطني جديد في المملكة العربية السعودية يعرف “رؤية المملكة 2030م”، على أن يتولى مجلس الشؤون الاقتصادية والتنمية وضع الآليات ومتابعة الوزارات والجهات المستهدفة من خلال مؤشرات الأداء الرئيسية في تطبيق برامج وآليات رؤية السعودية 2030م. وتعد هذه الرؤية خطة عريضة لضم وتنظيم العمل الحكومي والخاص للعمل على تحقيق أهداف الرؤيا.

saudi-vision-2030

ومن بين الأهداف المتضمنة في رؤية السعودية 2030: وجود خطة متخصصة تسعى لتنويع وتنمية الاقتصاد السعودي، حيث تأمل هذه الخطة الطموحة إلى التحول باقتصاد المملكة من المرتبة العشرين حاليا، لتصبح ضمن أفضل خمسة عشرة اقتصادا في العالم. وستعمل المملكة على زيادة إيراداتها غير النفطية ستة أضعاف من 43.5 مليار دولار سنويا إلى 267 مليار دولار سنويا! وتماشيا مع أهداف الرؤيا حدث تغير وزاري حيث أضحت وزارة الطاقة والصناعة والثروة المعدنية المتعددة المهام بدلا لوزارة البترول والثروة المعدنية. والجدير بالذكر أن هذا التعديل الوزاري يدل على نية المملكة العربية السعودية الاهتمام فعليا بالطاقة الشمسية.

البرنامج الوطني للطاقة المتجددة

يعد البرنامج الوطني للطاقة المتجدد، مبادرة استراتيجية في عهد الملك سلمان بن عبد العزيز آلِ سعود، وتنضوي هذه المبادرة تحت مظلة رؤية السعودية ٢٠٣٠م وبرنامج  التحول الوطني ٢٠٢٠م. ويعمل البرنامج الوطني للطاقة المتجددة على إنتاج ٩.٥ جيجاوات من الطاقة المتجددة بحلول ٢٠٢٣م، إضافة إلى هدف مرحلي بتحقيق ٣.٤٥ جيجاوات بحلول ٢٠٢٠م.

السياسات والأطر التنظيمية

وبحسب ما ذكر في نص رؤية السعودية 2030 بوجود عوائق تحد من انتشار مشاريع الطاقة المتجددة، لذلك لابد من الحاجة إلى الدعم السياسي لتحسين فرص الطاقة المتجددة لتساهم في مزيج الطاقة الحالي. والهدف من سياسات الدعم للطاقة المتجددة هو لدعم التصنيع والتطوير في هذا القطاع الواعد، وبناء القدرات التسويقية، والعمل على خفض الكلفة الاقتصادية للألواح الشمسية، والتركيز على الدور الهام الذي تلعبه الطاقة المتجددة للتخفيف من تبعات التغير المناخي وتلبية الاحتياج المحلي من الطاقة مما يساهم في تعزيز أمن الطاقة.

والجدير بالذكر أن المملكة العربية السعودية تحتاج للبدء بتكوين إطار قانوني وتنظيمي ملائم لجذب القطاع الخاص للاستثمار في الطاقة المتجددة والمساهمة في تحقيق اهداف رؤية 2030. وتعتبر “هيئة تنظيم الكهرباء والإنتاج المزدوج” هي الواجهة المنوط بها تنظيم صناعة تحلية المياه وإنتاج الكهرباء في المملكة العربية السعودية، بالإضافة إلى ذلك فهي تعمل على بناء وتطوير سياسة وطنية للطاقة المتجددة. ويشمل ذلك خطة وطنية لصناعة الكهرباء ودعم القطاع الخاص في توليد الطاقة الكهربائية من خلال منتجين مستقلين لتحقيق التنافسية في هذا القطاع. مما سيسمح للمستهلكين من الحصول على خدمات الكهرباء بصورة مباشرة من الموردين بحسب الأسعار المتفق عليها.

10 Basic Things Every Car Owner Should Know

Owning a car is so exciting. The first days are just so thrilling when the car is still new. Wait until you run into mechanical issues and you will know that maintaining a car and owning one are two very different things. In fact, buying a car is cheaper than maintaining one when you do not arm yourself with knowledge on how to maintaining it.

Read through these 10 basic things that every car owner should know. It will save you lots of cash, time and give you peace of mind.

electric-car

1. Regular Car Maintenance

For a first-time car owner, you are clueless and car maintenance may seem an expensive affair and it’s easy to just ignore because you think your car is still new. But someone who understands vehicles knows that regular car maintenance is critical, it is expensive but all worth it. Your vehicle comes with a manual that tells you what regular services your car needs.

2. Shocks and Struts

If you halt your car and you feel your car rocking back and forth or some rattling when going over the bumps then your shocks and struts have seen better days. This is very common with older cars. It is easy to ignore this signs because they happen over time.

3. Emergency Kit and Roadside Kit

Cars have a tendency of breaking down when you least expect it so you always always need to have proper car insurance coverage. Most car owners can relate to this. It is important that you always have an emergency kit with you and that includes roadside kits as well. Always ensure that you have a First aid kit, fire extinguisher, at least three reflective warning triangles, jumper cables, flashlight, foam tire sealant, tire gauge, tow rope, duct tape, and at least a warm blanket.

4. Brakes

You have to really monitor your brakes. They are such a safety concern. If you feel your steering shaking when you step on the brakes, get them checked because it might affect your car’s stability as well as the Anti-braking system.

5. Headlights and Taillights

These two lights get dimmer with time so it’s important that you monitor them. In fact, it’s recommended that you change your headlights every year.

6. Spare Tire

A spare tire is one of those things you know you must have even if you know nothing else about cars. A spare tire comes must be accompanied by tire changing tools. Don’t forget that lest you get stranded in the middle of nowhere. Make sure that you know how to change a tire as well. You can’t always be asking strangers to help, it’s not safe.

7. Vehicle Fluids

To keep your car running smoothly, you have to regularly check your car fluids. The most important being the engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and windshield washer fluid. While maintaining your vehicle, using genuine Toyota parts can significantly extend its lifespan and enhance performance. Unlike aftermarket alternatives, OEM parts guarantee a perfect fit and reliability you can trust for your Toyota.

best-car-rental-dubai

8. Car Tire Pressure

Monitoring your car tire pressure is one of the most important safety measures. It is supposed to be low neither too high. When pressure is too low, it will cause friction between the tire and the ground which will make the tire wear out very fast. On the other hand, when it is too high, it will cause less traction.

9. Flashing Check Engine Light

You should immediately get your car checked if you notice the engine light flashing. That is an indication that something is seriously wrong with your car and you should not drive it.  It means that there is some sort of misfire and it can lead to catalytic converter damage or a loose gas cap.

10. Good Mechanic

Besides everything else that you will need to know as a car owner, getting yourself a good mechanic will save you lots of stress. Knowing that you have someone very knowledgeable and reliable is important. Someone whom you can get hold of easily and will respond almost immediately. Do not go for the cheapest, a cheap mechanic is expensive in the long run.

11. Importance of Using a Car Cover

A custom-fit car cover is important to protect your car from the elements, dust, and debris. For example, Mustangs are luxury cars that should be kept in good condition, so using a Mustang-specific car cover can help maintain their value and appearance. A properly fitted car cover will also prevent scratches and dings from occurring. It’s important to choose a car cover made from high-quality materials that will resist water, UV rays, and mildew. By investing in a custom-fit car cover, you’re ensuring that your Mustang will stay looking like new for years to come.

Final Words

Your car is going to be probably the second most expensive investment after your home. Therefore it deserves nothing but the best care and accessories such as the best car covers and mats, superior vehicle fluids and cleaning detergents if you self-clean. You should also invest in the best car covers to protect your car when it is not in use.

Current Renewable Energy Potential in Egypt – An Overview

Egypt aims to increase the share of renewable energy in electricity generation to 42% by 2035, compared to 20% in 2022. This strategy is based on Egypt’s desire to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The Egyptian government aims to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and increase the overall share of renewable energy sources in electricity generation to meet the growing demand for energy. This shift aims to reduce the negative effects resulting from dependence on fossil fuels, such as high carbon emissions, higher energy intensity, and increased subsidies for fossil fuels. According to NREA (2023), the total electricity generation  from renewable energy in Egypt in 2023 reached 25,875 GWh, compared to 25,753 GWh in 2022.

renewables capacity in Egypt

1. Hydropower

The Aswan Dam was initially constructed between 1899 and 1902 for irrigation purposes and has been enlarged twice in 1929 and 1934. The dam was eventually equipped with a hydroelectric plant in 1960. (Britannica, 2023)

The Aswan High Dam construction started in 1959 and was completed on stages in the 1960s. The dam is located approx. 7 km upstream from the Aswan Dam. The dam was constructed to protect the country from high floods and droughts, increase the agricultural land, retain water from being wasted into the sea and generate electricity for economic growth, among other objectives. It has an installed hydroelectric generating capacity of 2,100 megawatts.

There are currently four main hydroelectric generating stations in Egypt, and there is potential for increasing the hydropower generation.

Figure 1 shows the changes in the electricity generated from hydropower during 2000/2001-2020/2021. It reached its maximum of 15510 GWh in 2007/2008, then decreased to 12863 GWh in 2009/2010 and continued to gradually increase until it reached 13545 GWh in 2015/2016, then it decreased again until it reached 13121 GWh in 2018/2019. The hydroelectric power generation increased by 14% to 15038 GWh in 2019/2020, compared to the previous year 2018/2019. Assiut hydroelectric power generation plants were operated in 2017/2018 with a production of 32.2 GWh before it increased to 207 GWh, a 543% increase.

hydropower generation in egypt

Figure 1: Energy Generated from Hydropower 2000/2001-2020/2021 (GWh)

Source: Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC)- Annual Reports (2003/2004-2020/2021).

Table 1 shows the changes in the hydropower energy generated from each of the main hydropower stations,  the high dam, Aswan Dam I, Aswan Dam II, Esna, and Naga Hamadi, from 2010/2011 to 2020/2021.

Table 2 indicates that the High Dam had the largest load in 2020/2021, producing 2400 MW, while the Assiut plants had the lowest load, producing 43.5 MW.

Table 1:  Energy Generated from Hydro Power Plants by Source (GWh)

hydroelectric in Egypt

Source: Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) – Annual Reports (2011/2012-2020/2021).

Table 2: Hydropower indicators 2020/2021

High Dam Aswan Dam I Aswan Dam II Esna Naga Hamadi Assiut
Generated Energy (GWH) 10329 1733 1581 453 439 234
Peak load (MW) 2400 280 270 84.4 66.2 43.5
Max. daily generated energy(GWh) 51.8 7.8 6.5 2 1.6 1.6
Efficiency (%) 84.8 84.5 88.7 90.4 87.7 82.4

Source: Egyptian Electricity Holding Company(EEHC)- Annual Report 2020/2021.

2. Wind energy

In 1993, Egypt started the wind power program to generate electricity when the government established in Hurghada a 5 MW pilot wind farm (Hussein, Abokersh, Kost, & Schlegl, 2016). Figure 2 shows the electricity generated from wind energy during 2000/2001-2020/2021. The electricity produced from wind increased from 137 to 1524 GWh from 2000/2001 to 2011/2012. In 2012/2013, the electricity generated from wind decreased to 1260 GWh, a decrease of 17.32%, probably because of the political disturbance at that period. It continued to increase again, reaching its maximum of 5257 GWh in 2020/2021.

As shown in Figure 3, the lowest value of the installed capacity of wind was 140 MW in 2003/2004 and continued to increase until it reached 550 MW in 2010/2011, with an average rate of increase of 293%, although in reality, the rate has been increasing year after year. It remained constant until 2013/2014, likely because of the political disturbance. It then accelerated and increased from 967 to 1385 MW, a 43% increase from 2017/2018 to 2020/2021. Egypt accounted for 21% of Africa’s total wind generation capacity in 2020 (IRENA and AfDB, 2022).

wind energy in Egypt

Figure 2: Energy Generated from Wind 2000/2001-2020/2021 (GWh).

Source: Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) – Annual Reports (2003/2004-2020/2021).

installed wind power in Egypt

Figure 3: Installed Electrical Capacity from Wind  2000/2001-2020/2021 (MW).

Source: Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC)- Annual Reports (2003/2004-2020/2021).

Table 2 shows the values of the achieved fuel savings and Emissions reductions from wind production from 2010/2011 to 12016/2017.  The value shows a decrease from 312 to 269 ktoe in the period from  2010/2011 to 2012/2013, a decrease of 13.80%; then it increased again during the period (2013/2014-2016/2017), reaching 467.06 ktoe. The lowest emissions reduction value from wind production was 708 thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2012/2013,  while the highest was 1223 thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2016/2017.

The demonstration wind farm in Hurghada was constructed in 1992 and is the oldest wind farm in Egypt. It includes four units with a capacity of 100 kilowatts, and the local manufacturing rate of some components has reached 45% (Clausen et al., 2004). The Zafrana wind farm was installed in several phases, starting from 2000/2001, through governmental cooperation protocols with Germany, Denmark, Spain, and Japan. The installed wind energy capacity at Zafrana reached 754 MW in 2015/2016, and the farm includes 700 turbines of different models (CAPMAS, 2018).

Table 2: Fuel Saving and Emissions Reductions in Egypt 2010/2011-2016/2017.

Year Fuel-saving

(ktoe)

Emissions reductions

(k-tCo2)

2010/2011 312 822
2011/2012 327 856
2012/2013 269 708
2013/2014 278 728
2014/2015 309 792
2015/2016 432.18 1132
2016/2017 467.06 1223

Source: NREA, 2018

3. Solar power

Figure 4 indicates that Egypt did not use solar power at a reasonable commercial or private scale until 2010/2011 when the produced solar energy reached 206 GWh. The produced solar energy increased from 206 to 237 GWh from 2010/2011 to 2012/2013, a 15% increase before it dropped to 114 GWh in 2013/2014, a 52% decrease, likely because of the political unrest at that time.

Electricity produced from solar increased again from 114 to 1525 GWh from 2014/2015 to 2018/2019, a substantial increase of 1237%. It continued to accelerate and increased to 4945 GWh, a 224% increase from 2018/2019  to 2020/2021.

solar power generation in Egypt

Figure 4: Energy Generated from Solar in Egypt 2000/2001-2020/2021 (GWh).

Source: Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) – Annual Reports (2003/2004-2020/2021).

Figure 5 shows the installed solar power capacity from 2011/2012 to 2018/2019. The installed solar power capacity remained constant at 20 MW from 2011/2012 to 2015/2016. The addition of new projects increased the installed capacity to 89 MW in 2016/2017, increasing 345%. The big increase in the installed capacity of solar power occurred in 2020/2021 due to the addition of 1465 MW from Benban Solar Energy Park (EEHC, 2021).  In 2020, South Africa and Egypt were the top solar producers in Africa, representing more than 75% of the total installed solar capacity in Africa (IRENA and AfDB, 2022).

installed solar power in egypt

Figure 5: Installed Capacity Solar in Egypt 2011/2012-2020/2021 (MW).

Source: (CAPMAS, 2018) and (EEHC, 2021).

Table 3 shows Egypt’s fuel saving and emissions reductions from 2010/2011 to 2017/2018. It indicates that the first year of using solar energy witnessed a fuel saving of 46 ktoe and reduced emissions by 124 thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent. The lowest value of the reduction in emissions was 63 thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent (k-tCo2) in 2013/2014, while its highest value reached 319 (k-tCo2) in 2016/2017 before it decreased to 110 thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent in the year 2016/2017.

solar energy potential in egypt

Similarly, the lowest fuel-saving value was 34 ktoe in 2015/2016, which rose to its maximum value of 119 ktoe, an increase of  250%.  Kuraymat solar hybrid plant was the first solar plant in Egypt and was launched commercially in July 2011. The project is one of 3 projects implemented in Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt, with an overall capacity of 140 MW (NREA, 2009).

Table 3: Fuel Saving and Emissions Reductions in Egypt  2010/2011-2017/2018.

Year Fuel-saving

(ktoe)

Emissions reductions

(k-tCo2)

2010/2011 46 124
2011/2012 102 271
2012/2013 51 134
2013/2014 58 63
2014/2015 0 0
2015/2016 34 92
2016/2017 119 319
2017/2018 110 287

Source: NREA, 2018

Conclusion

Hydropower was the first renewable energy source that Egypt used to generate electricity, maintaining its lead in renewable sources throughout the study period. We observed  a significant increase in wind  power during the period (2000/2001-2020/2021), as it increased from 137 GWh in the year 2000/2001 to 5257 GWh in the year 2020/2021, ranking second in generating electricity from renewable sources. However, the year 2012/2013 witnessed a decrease of 17.3% in wind-generated electricity compared to 2011/2012.  This decrease was attributed to political disturbance during that period.

Regarding solar energy, Egypt did not use solar energy in a reasonable commercial or private system until 2010/2011. The significant increase in solar electricity generation in 2019/2020 resulted from the construction of the Benban power plant. We can conclude that increasing the share of renewable energy in electricity generation in Egypt in recent years has had a positive impact in reducing emissions and saving fuel. These effects are expected to increase with the expansion of reliance on renewable energy.

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