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Water-Energy Nexus in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has been witnessing fast-paced economic growth as well as rapid increase in population during the last couple of decades. As a result, the need for water and energy has increased significantly and this trend is expected to continue into the future. Water in the UAE comes from four different sources – groundwater (44%), desalinated seawater (42%), treated wastewater (14%), and surface water (1%). Most of the groundwater and treated seawater are used for irrigation and landscaping while desalinated seawater is used for drinking, household, industrial, and commercial purposes. Water consumption per capita in UAE is more … Continue reading

Artisanal Fishing in Morocco – Enormous Resources and Pressing Constraints

In Morocco, artisanal fishing is a traditional activity based on canoes, generally made of wood, generally equipped with an outboard engine and a small crew of three people on average, fishing for benthic and surface species. Fishing is mostly based on the coastline and in estuaries and lakes. Morocco overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean with coastlines extending over more than three thousand five hundred kilometers, opening its shields to tens of thousands of fishermen. Artisanal fishing in the Moroccan Mediterranean Sea occupies a great place, due to the advantages it offers, especially the large mass of labor … Continue reading

Hima: Integration of Religion and Conservation

Revisiting the earliest days of rural, pastoral- and agriculture-based societies offers thought-provoking answers to solve today’s crises. At the highest levels of international concern, Islam’s formalized system of “Hima,” or Nature Conservation, is receiving optimistic attention. One of the reasons why Hima is an interesting solution for today’s conservation needs is because it developed under a similar set of crises. Relatively speaking, the ratio of human population to accessible natural resources in the days of Moses was just as dire as today’s challenges. It is possible to recognize the development of Hima by following the early days of Prophet Moses, … Continue reading

نظرة عامة حول جودة الهواء في الدول العربية

تدهورت جودة الهواء في الدول العربية خلال العقود القليلة الماضية ، حيث آرتفع معدل  انبعاثات ثاني أكسيد الكربون (CO2) إلى حوالي الضعف. كما ساهمت  التغييرات التي عرفها  قطاع الطاقة والتي استمدت من التجارب الناجحة في تطوير معدل النفاذ إلى مصادر الطاقة بعدد من بلدان المنطقة  في  إحراق المزيد من الوقود الأحفوري في محطات الطاقة الحرارية لتلبية الزيادة في الطلب على الطاقة. ازداد استهلاك الكهرباء بنسبة 75.5 في المائة ، مما أدى إلى إنبعاث ما مجموعه 766.5 مليون طن من ثاني أكسيد الكربون في عام 2015 ، مقارنة بـ 436.6 في عام 2006. كما آرتفعت الإنبعاثات الصادرة من قطاع النقل بسبب … Continue reading

Energy Sector in Arab Countries

The Arab energy sector has played and will continue to play an important role in the regional as well as global economy. In addition to satisfying energy needs for economic and social development, it is the source of oil and gas export revenues contributing to economic development. The Arab oil and gas sector represents the largest economic sector in the region. Increase of oil revenues were the main drivers for economic development in most of the Arab oil producing countries. The Arab economies, as well, are heavily dependent on oil and gas to meet their domestic energy demand. Oil contributes … Continue reading

Climate Change Mitigation in Tunisia: Challenges and Progress

Climate change has become a reality in Tunisia, which is struggling to cope with the problems of desertification, water scarcity and the degradation of natural resources. Despite its limited carbon footprint, the risks of climate change may be high. The fourth Arab country to have published its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, Tunisia has put climate change on the top of its political and economic agenda. It is also the first country in the region to include in its new Constitution recognition of climate change: “A sound and balanced environment while contributing to … Continue reading

The Islamic Discourse on Climate Change

Global ecological trends show that we face the risk of tipping points and irreversible changes in the environment and in its capacity to support and sustain human life in all its dimensions.  This state of imbalance and pollution is referred to as “fassad” in Islam which is attributed to human-made actions. Transforming society and the world’s economy to a sustainable basis presents the most significant challenge to the 21st century. It is inspiring to harness local knowledge and culture to inform sustainability. Islam as a worldview and a way of life can provide a fresh outlook to human-environmental in a … Continue reading

Corporate Shared Value: Trends in the Corporate World

What if businesses could both make money and do good through the same actions? Businesses leaders who subscribe to the idea of corporate shared value believe they can. Many proponents even say it redefines and revitalizes capitalism. Michael Porter, a professor at Harvard Business School, and Mark Kramer, managing director of the global social impact consulting firm FSG, kicked off the corporate shared value trend in 2011 with an article in Harvard Business Review. Corporate Shared Value (or Shared Value) is a new generation business thinking which enhances the competitive position of the company while at the same time advances … Continue reading

مقدمة في عملية التسميد

إن عملية التسميد هي  عبارة عن تفاعل معقد بين النفايات والكائنات الحية الدقيقة المتواجدة داخلها . الكائنات الدقيقة التي تنفذ هذه العملية تنقسم إلى ثلاث مجموعات: البكتيريا والفطريات، والفطريات الشعاعية . الفطريات الشعاعية هي شكل من أشكال البكتيريا مثل الفطريات التي تفتت المواد العضوية .المرحلة الأولى من النشاط البيولوجي هو استهلاك السكريات المتوفرة بسهولة عن طريق البكتيريا، مما يسبب ارتفاعا سريعا في درجات الحرارة . تليها  المرحلة الثانية التي تسبب فيها  البكتيريا والفطريات الشعاعية  انهيار السليلوز . المرحلة الأخيرة هي المرحلة  المعنية بإنهيار اليغنينس “lignins” الصلبة من قبل الفطريات . الحلول الوسط لهذه العملية تتخلص  بالتسميد بكلفة منخفضة دون التهوية … Continue reading

ترشيد الطاقة في المساجد

المسجد هو المكان الذي يستخدمه المسلمون للعبادة ولتأدية صلواتهم على مدار السنة، إضافة الى الدور المحوري الذي يلعبه في المجتمع الاسلامي. تعمل المساجد ضمن جدول زمني محدد ومرتبط بمواعيد الصلوات اليومية الخمس الممتدة على طوال اليوم، وتستغرق كل فترة صلاة من 30 الى 60 دقيقة وهي تختلف من مسجد لاخر، وقد تطول فترة بقاء المصلين في المسجد اكثر من المعتاد في بعض المواسم والصلوات مثل صلاة الجمعة وصلاة العيدين وشهر رمضان. في السنوات الأخيرة اصبحت المساجد شديدة الاستهلاك للطاقة نظرا لإستخدام مكيفات الهواء وسخانات المياه والإنارة وغيرها من الاجهزة الكهربائية. لقد تطور الشكل العمراني للمسجد نتيجة الموقع الجغرافي والبيئة والعوامل … Continue reading

All You Need to Know About Ocean Acidification and its Impacts

The relentless rise in the percentage of atmospheric carbon dioxide since the Industrial Revolution is a well-known fact. Carbon dioxide is considered as one of the key players among the greenhouse gases that has contributed the most towards global warming, the current hot topic among environmentalists, scientists and even politicians. Another key issue is increasing being discussed nowadays is Ocean Acidification. Ocean acidification is an ongoing change in the chemistry of the ocean caused primarily by the ocean’s absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. What is Ocean Acidification Around 1/4th of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere via … Continue reading

Islam and Environmental Protection: A Fresh Perspective

There is an inseparable relation between the environment and our soul. It will be great if Muslims in particular and the wider world in general learn from the Holy Scriptures, like the Holy Qur’an and Hadith, to try to wage an eco-friendly jihad (noble effort) to promote environmental balance and stability. This will be the true jihad to please God and ensure easy entry to heaven, in the existing world, not to speak of the hereafter. Thus, we can taste the bliss of heaven on this planet before we chance upon the eternal paradise. Quran and Environmentalism The Holy Qur’an … Continue reading