Category Archives: Middle East

Solar Energy in Saudi Arabia: Perspectives

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Saudi Arabia, the epicenter of global oil industry, has been showing keen interest in solar energy in recent years. Saudi Arabia has one of the world’s highest solar irradiation in the world, estimated at approximately 2,200 thermal kWh of solar radiation per m2. The country is strategically located near the Sun Belt, in addition to plentiful availability of empty stretches of desert that may accommodate infrastructure for solar power projects. Vast deposits of sand can be used in the manufacture of silicon PV cells which makes Saudi Arabia an attractive location for solar industry. “The resource is stunning; land is … Continue reading →

Climate Change Impacts on Public Health: Perspectives for Arab World

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Climate change is not only affecting the economies of Arab world but also having detrimental impacts on the very fabric of society, through threats to public health and livelihoods. Climate change in the Arab world is also exacerbating social inequalities, hitting the rural poor the hardest. This is not a reason for complacency amongst the wealthy urban classes. Basic humanitarianism aside, history suggests that physical hardships can breed wider unrest: a body of evidence suggests that poor harvests caused by a major Icelandic volcanic ash cloud in 1783 triggered no less an event that the French Revolution. Extreme weather events … Continue reading →

Solid Waste Management in Jordan

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Jordan is an emerging and stable economy in the Middle East. The growing industrialization and high population growth rate has led to rapid increase in solid waste generation in the country which has, in turn, put increasing pressure in waste management infrastructure. Around 2 million tons of municipal waste is generated in Jordan each year with most of it diverted to unsanitary landfills and dumpsites. Improper solid waste disposal is leading to public health risks, adverse environmental impacts as well as socio-economic problems.  Solid Waste Generation The predominant fraction in Jordanian MSW is organic matter which makes up as much as … Continue reading →

Future of Smart Sustainable Cities in the Middle East: Case Studies from NEOM and Masdar City

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The techno-urban phenomenon we now call a smart city became widespread in the 2010s. Many metropolises worldwide have risen to the challenge of several interconnected global shifts, driving new developments that set the latest benchmarks for truly smart and sustainable living. However, some cities go beyond merely meeting expectations — they redefine them. NEOM and Masdar City in the Middle East are among the most ambitious pioneers, reshaping urban living through intelligent design aimed at minimizing the negative impacts of modern cities while creating ideal model communities for the future. Redefining Urban Movement Today, traffic congestion is worsening in the … Continue reading →

Trash Talk from Doha

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On arriving a few years ago from a town in the UK that boasts a university course in waste management, and a very efficient weekly recyclable waste collection from our houses, I was a bit shocked, like many Europeans by how difficult it was to recycle in Doha. Having had the moral obligation to recycle drummed into me since I was quite young, I felt guilty throwing away all my waste into one bin, destined to fill up a huge smelly hole in the desert, where it would take a long time, if not forever to biodegrade. The Real Picture … Continue reading →

How to Protect Green Spaces in the Middle East

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One of the ecological benefits brought by green spaces is its capability to combat urban heat. The increasing urban heat is usually caused by the high number of heat reflective substances that are emerging in the cities. Green spaces such as gardens and parks can significantly reduce heat and promote natural cooling through an efficient ventilation and dynamic absorption. Some green spaces could even help prevent urban flooding, air pollution, and storm water run-off. So, how can we protect these beneficial green spaces in Middle East? Spread Awareness Dubai is expected to plant an estimated of 50 million flowers in … Continue reading →

الأكياس البلاستيكية – مشكلة العصر

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الجميع ينشد التحضر ويعبر عن رغبته في توفير متطلبات العيش في بيئة نظيفة وصحية، لكن غالبية المكون الاجتماعي تسلك طريق مغاير لذلك الهدف البيئي والانساني، إذ يعمل الكثير من الافراد في تبني سلوك يتعارض مع ذلك المنهج والمعنى الحضاري، ومن المظاهر السلبية التي إستوقفتنا في هذا السياق والتي يعتبرها البعض ثقافة وحضارة، الاستخدام غير الرشيد للأكياس البلاستيكية، وبالاخص الخفيفة منها التي تجد طريقها الى الساحات العامة والشوارع والممرات وتأخذ في التطاير وتشويه المنظر الجمالي للقرية والمدينة، إذ نجدها معلقة بكثرة على أغصان الاشجار وإعلانات واجهات المتاجر والاسلاك على إختلاف أنواعها، ومتناثرة في الحدائق العامة وعلى شواطئ البحر وفي المياه البحرية … Continue reading →

Solid Waste Management in Kuwait

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With rapid economic growth, solid waste generation is increasing rapidly in Kuwait. Presently, Kuwait is facing serious challenges in solid waste management sector. which is grossly affecting the environmental, economic and social situation in the country in addition to precipitating climate change. The World Bank noted that Kuwait has a very high per capita waste generation of 1.55 kg per day, much higher than the global per capita average of 0.74 kg per day. The predominant solid waste disposal method in Kuwait is landfill burial which act as dumpsites without considering environmental and safety precautions. The land area of Kuwait is … Continue reading →

قانون حماية المجتمع: الحيوانات المفترسة هدفا

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الخطر الذي تسببه الحيونات الضالة والسائبة بمختلف انواعها على حياة ومعيشة المجتمع العامل الفعلي في القلق المتصاعد في الوسط الاجتماعي الذي نلمس حكاياته في المعالجات الاعلامية على صفحات وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي وفي الاعلام المقروء والمرئي والمسموع، ويمثل ردت فعل على تصاعد الظاهرة ومخاطرها التي تعد سببا لظاهرة انتشار الكلاب الضالة وحالات التخلص من الحيونات المفترسة التي يجري تربيتها في المنازل والحدائق الخاصة التي تفتقد لوسائل الحماية والضبط وتترك سائبة في المناطق المزدحمة بالسكان، بالاضافة الى حالة الازعاج والاثار الصحية على السكان الذي يتسببه تربية الحيوانات في الاحياء السكنية.  ذلك الواقع يشكل عامل مهم في تحفيز الجهات المسؤولة والمعنية في الشأن … Continue reading →

Understanding Qatar’s Ecological Footprint

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Qatar’s environmental impact remains worryingly high. The country’s per capita ecological footprint is now the second highest in the world, as another Gulf state, Kuwait, has overtaken it to become the worst offender of the 152 countries that were measured, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Living Planet Report 2014. The third country in the list is the UAE, with Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer, in 33rd position. By comparing the total footprint with the planet’s biocapacity – its capacity to generate an ongoing supply of renewable resources and to absorb waste -the report, based on 2010 … Continue reading →

District Cooling in Middle East: Potential and Challenges

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District cooling produces chilled water in a centralized location for distribution to buildings, like offices and factories, through a network of insulated underground pipes. The chilled water travels to different buildings, where the water circulates through refrigeration coils or uses absorption technology to enter the air-conditioning system. During winter, the source for the cooling can often be seawater, so it is a cheaper resource than using electricity to run compressors for cooling. What is District Cooling District cooling provides effective control over internal temperature of a building, requires less maintenance than a standalone air-conditioning system, consumes lesser space and reduces … Continue reading →

The Potential of Green Hydrogen in the MENA Region

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The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) offer impeccable weather conditions to develop renewable energy continuously all year round. There are currently over 1500 wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the area with a producing capacity of over 20GW[1] and these numbers are expected to grow exponentially in the forthcoming years[2]. Recently, hydrogen has received an unprecedented attention in the global energy scenery. Over 30 countries have revealed their hydrogen strategies, and more are expected to follow. Just in the MENA region, 10 countries have ambitions in developing the technology and are prepared to invest in related projects, in … Continue reading →