Category Archives: Pollution

Solid Waste Management in Kuwait

By | | , ,
1 Comment

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 →

Air Quality in Arab Countries: An Overview

By | | , ,
16 Comments

Air quality in the Arab countries has deteriorated over the past few decades. Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) have nearly doubled. Changes in the power sector were driven by strategies that have been successfully implemented in many countries in the region to improve energy access, leading to more fossil fuels being burnt in the thermal power plants to meet the increase in power demand. Electricity consumption has increased by 75.5 percent, leading to a total amount of 766.5 million tons of CO2 being emitted in 2015, compared to 436.6 in 2006. Emissions from the transport sector have increased due to … Continue reading →

Carbon Capture and Storage: Prospects in GCC

By | | , ,
3 Comments

Gulf Cooperation Council countries are burgeoning economies which are highly dependent on hydrocarbons to fuel their needs for economic growth. GCC nations are fully aware of the mounting consequences of increasing levels of CO­2 on the environment, mainly attributed to soaring energy demand of domestic and industrial sector. Regional countries are undertaking concrete steps and measures to reduce their carbon footprint through the introduction of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. Among other options, Carbon Capture and Storage, popularly known as CCS, can be an attractive proposition for GCC nations. What is CCS Carbon capture and storage (or carbon capture and sequestration) … Continue reading →

The Harmful Impacts of Tire-Burning Kilns

By | | , , ,
6 Comments

Decorative arts such as woodworking, weaving as well as ceramics and other pottery have a long and honored tradition.  In fact, some of the earliest examples of pottery originated from the Middle East from the time of 6500 BC. In order to meet the ceramic industry’s high energy demand, much of the developing world, MENA in particular, is resorting to cheaper alternatives such as fueling kilns by burning tires and other harmful materials. Though modern technology has led to clean and efficient kiln usage in the developed world, these options come with a high price tag when referring to industrial … Continue reading →

إدارة نفايات الإسبستوس في الشرق الاوسط

By | | , ,
1 Comment

في كل عام تعمل دول منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا على إستيراد كميات كبيرة من الإسبستوس بهدف إستخدامها في قطاع الإنشاء. و بينما تُمثل منطقة الشرق الأوسط وأفريقيا معاً 20٪ من الطلب العالمي على مادة الإسبستوس بحسب آخر الإحصاءات فإن أكبر المستهلكين لمادة الإسبستوس في المنطقة هما دولتي إيران والإمارات العربية المتحدة. فى الواقع، واردات الأسبستوس في الشرق الأوسط بأكمله تزايدت بشكل مطرد بإستثناء مصر والمملكة العربية السعودية حيث أنهما الدولتان الوحيدتان اللاتي وضعت حظراً على الأسبستوس ولكن  بفعالية مشكوك فيها. وقد بلغت واردات إيران وحدها نحو 30،000 طن من الأسبستوس كل عام. و قد تم استيراد و إستهلاك أكثر … Continue reading →

Muslims and the Environment: A Mischance

By | | , , , ,
Leave a comment

The detachment of the modern-day man from the environment can be attributed to the desacralization of nature, and the modernist destitution of the inner state of the soul which, according to the scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr in ‘Man and Nature’, accounts for the phenomenon of the ‘prostitution of nature’: “For modern man, nature has become like a prostitute ─to be benefited from without any sense of obligation and responsibility toward her.” Eradication of Natural World Mankind has surrounded itself with square walls and barren concrete structures for the sake of creating this artificial industrial world. Its constant need to feed … Continue reading →