Category Archives: Climate Change

Post-Coronavirus World: Human Development Re-defined

By | | , ,
7 Comments

Like many of you around the globe, I have been adjusting with the exigencies of the spread of COVID-19, both personally and professionally. The crisis is rejuvenating human traits and values from various angles. Self-care, life balance, personal development, helping others, and considering the environment are just a few of many values and principles that are boiling down these days. Let’s take environmental values as an example with the several statements issued lately about the potential impact of Coronavirus on some of the hot green issues of today, Climate Change and Biodiversity. A few questions come to mind – though … Continue reading →

Zero Emissions Day: Our Planet is Counting on Us

By | | , , ,
1 Comment

The Zero Emissions Day (or ‘Ze Day’) aims to put the Global 24 hour Moratorium on the Combustion of Fossil Fuels. The day started on March 21, 2008 with the launch of a website calling for “A Global Moratorium on Fossil Fuel Combustion on September 21” in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The message, “Giving our planet one day off a year”, was simple yet profound and was translated into 12 languages for easy reach of people. The idea behind is of giving everything a ‘rest day’ so why not for emissions and environment. The notion behind the Zero Emissions Day is … Continue reading →

Climate Change Impacts in Kuwait

By | | , , ,
5 Comments

Kuwait is facing a wide range of climate change challenges including sea level rise, water scarcity, desertification and loss of diversity. Kuwait is characterized by high temperature, high humidity and arid lands resulting in seriously degraded soil and land damage in addition to salt intrusion in the aquifers affecting the small scale agricultural lands thus enhancing the food security threat in the region. Since 1975, Kuwait has experienced 1.50C to 20C increase in temperature, which is significantly higher than the global average. In recent years, there has been a sharp change in rainfall pattern in Kuwait which may be attributed to … Continue reading →

How Can The Effects Of Climate Change Be Mitigated?

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

Climate change will affect us all and it’s important to consider how climate change will have wide reaching consequences for generations to come. This article investigates how the effects of climate change will affect all of us and what measures we can take to mitigate the effects of climate change. What is climate change mitigation? Climate change mitigation refers to actions taken to limit climate change by either reducing greenhouse gas emissions or removing those gases from the atmosphere. Mitigation actions can include using new technologies and renewable energies, making existing equipment more energy efficient, and ensuring carbon sinks continue … Continue reading →

Rethinking Sustainability: Islamic Perspectives

By | | , ,
3 Comments

The 21st century is characterized by a number of global environmental challenges that shaped and defined the discourse and agenda of the West with respect to the developing world, specifically the Islamic world. Islam provides new sustainability perspectives for discovering and explaining the root causes for the current environmental, economic and social crises as manifested in climate change, HIV, poverty and human security. For example, the Islamic perspective on climate change is that the root cause of this global issue is the absence or lack of human stewardship and is an indication of market failures. Pitfalls of the Western Model … Continue reading →

The Green Girl of UAE

By | | , ,
1 Comment

Kehkashan Basu is a 12 year old environmental and social activist from the United Arab Emirates whose sole objective is to involve and mobilize kids and youth in the movement for a sustainable and green future. Born on 5th June, which interestingly also happens to be the World Environment Day, she feels that it was pre-ordained that she should grow up to be an environmental activist. Spreading the message of peace and sustainability has been her passion since she her early childhood days. Needless to say, Kehkashan has been working tirelessly to motivate youngsters all over the world to care … Continue reading →

Desert Locusts Are Swarming With Greater Ferocity

By | | , , ,
1 Comment

The latest outbreak of locusts over eastern Africa has been ongoing since the beginning of this year. It is considered by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the UN as the worst outbreak of locusts in 70 years. The threat of the desert locust is extreme urgent as it’s a major threat to the food security in the region. Bearing in mind, that this region is extremely vulnerable to the predominant subsistence lifestyle. It also appears that new breeding may have occurred in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia which will intensify the infestation. The question that are foremost in minds … Continue reading →

Earth Hour – Making of a Movement

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

Earth Hour is a worldwide movement for the planet organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Earth Hour engages a massive mainstream community on a broad range of environmental issues. The event is held worldwide and held towards the end of March annually, encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the planet Making of a Movement Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia and was conceived by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). On the occasion, 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off … Continue reading →

Climate Justice and Environmental Justice – Two Concepts for One Challenge

By | | ,
Leave a comment

Science keeps showing that as the effects of climate change get worse, extreme weather events are hurting developing countries a lot. This is especially true in Africa and Asia. Over half of Africa’s people would be at risk of not getting enough food if global warming reached 2°C. As it is, we have already reached about 1°C above pre-industrial levels (1850–1900). If things keep going the way they are, global warming is likely to reach 1.5°C between 2030 and 2052. From 1990 to 2015, the poorest half of the world, which is the most vulnerable to the effects of climate … Continue reading →

زرع الأشجار لم يكن بهذه السهولة

By | | ,
Leave a comment

ظاهرة الاحتباس الحراري  كانت كلمة جديدة بالنسبة لي عندما كنت في الصف السادس. مندهش من التأثيرات، سألت أستاذ العلوم، “إذا كان بإمكان طلاب مدرستنا زرع الأشجار؟”. كانت الفكرة هي زراعة حوالي 500 شجرة. لسوء الحظ، جاء الرد بالنفي. في الواقع، لقد كان تحديًا عمليًا بالنسبة لنا هو الحصول على المساحة لزرع والإبقاء على 500 شجرة، وكان ذلك نتاج افكاري وأنا طفل. في وقت لاحق، انتهى بنا المطاف في زراعة خمسة أشجار فقط، عاش منها اثنان. الآن عندما أزور مدرستي، وأنظر إلى الشجرتين اشعر بالفرح. وتعصف بذهني الافكار، ماذا لو زرعنا 500 شجرة وتمكنا من حماية أكبر عدد ممكن من ال … Continue reading →

What are the 5 Causes of Global Warming?

By | |
Leave a comment

The extra heat in the earth’s atmosphere is called “global warming.” It has increased global temperatures. To date, global warming is a top contributor to climate change. It also results in extreme weather conditions, the destruction of communities, and rising sea levels. Today, the earth is warming quicker than it has in history. Because greenhouse gas emissions also cover the earth, the heat from the sun is trapped. It also disrupts the average balance of nature. Causes of Global Warming Here are five top reasons why global warming keeps increasing today. 1. Consumerism It is easier for consumers to have access … Continue reading →

الإسلام و حماية البيئة

By | | , ,
7 Comments

حماية البيئة هو جانب هام من جوانب الإسلام. بما اننا خلفاء في الأرض، فإنه يقع على عاتقنا كمسلمين العناية بالبيئة، فهناك غرض محدد وراء وجود أنواع مختلفة، سواء كان ذلك نباتات أو حيوانات.  لذا يتوجب على المسلمين التفكير في العلاقة بين الكائنات الحية وبيئتها والحفاظ على التوازن البيئي الذي خلقه الله فحماية البيئة أمر أساسي للمعتقدات الإسلامية، والبشرية لديها مسؤولية لتضمن الحفاظ الآمن للبيئة حماية البيئة والحفاظ على الموارد  المنظور الإسلامي حول حماية البيئة يعكس صورة إيجابية عن الإسلام وكيف يحتضن كل مسألة  تواجه البشر على وجه الأرض.  الموقف الإسلامي تجاه البيئة والحفاظ على الموارد الطبيعية لا يعتمد فقط على … Continue reading →