Jordan Environment Watch: UAE

UAE academy to tackle regional water shortages

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:49:58 GMT

Another welcomed research institutions focusing on developing technological solutions to the region's water problems is established. We hope to see a highly professional crop of water specialists that can serve tackle the most important challenge in the region. This is a report by Wagdy Sawahel published by Science DevNet Wagdy Sawahel The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched... [read more]

A Coal Fired Power Plant in the UAE, Why?

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:20:04 GMT

I am amazed to read that a coal fired power plant will be established soon in the Ajman Emirate within the United Arab Emirates. A country that is rich in oil and seeking enterpreneurship in renewable energy technologies is not expected to resort to old and polluting sources of energy anymore. Ajman is not one of the super wealthy Emirates and is suffering from electricity shortage but to think of... [read more]

Abu Dhabi’s water conservation plans

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:28:00 GMT

Source: The National Vesela Todorova Abu Dhabi, which has the highest water consumption rate in the world, is planning to slash consumption and focus on conservation. Residents used an average of 550 litres of water a day compared with 85 litres in Jordan, a country with a similar climate, said Dr Mohammed Dawoud, manager of the water resources department at the Environment Agency – Abu... [read more]

Video about Masdar City

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:09:00 GMT

This is a nice video illustrating the technology and vision to be used in Masdar City, the first zero carbon and zero waste city in the world to be built in Abu Dhabi In addition, this is an insightful analysis of the Masdar city from a technological point of view http://www.dinarstandard.com/innovation/Masdar040608.htm [read more]

Time: Renewable energy aspirations in the Arab World

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:20:07 GMT

This is a comprehensive article that was published in Time magazine describing the current wave of renewable energy innovations coming out of the UAE. Again the focus here is Masdar city but with more investigative reporting than public relations By: Bryan Walsh If you want to see the future of sustainable design, drive southwest from Abu Dhabi's international airport, stop when you... [read more]

Brave new world: Gulf seeks bold science initiatives

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:06:00 GMT

This is a very well written analytical article about the efforts conducted by Gulf states in developing cutting edge research and innovation practices. The article is originally published by Science Devnet By: Waleed Al-Shobakky Farouk El-Baz routinely shifts between two views of the Gulf countries. One day the Egyptian-American geologist will be in his Boston office poring over detailed... [read more]

Work starts on $22bn carbon-neutral city in Abu Dhabi

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:40:00 GMT

Source: Financial Times By Simeon Kerr in Dubai Published: February 10 2008 Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy initiative, Masdar, has laid the cornerstone of its carbon-neutral, waste-free city, saying it will invest $22bn in the hope that the project becomes a blueprint for sustainable development around the world. Oil-rich Abu Dhabi said it was committing $15bn (€10... [read more]

Tougher Environmental Codes for Construction in the UAE

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 14:16:17 GMT

The UAE is planning to introduce the first package of environmental protection codes in construction in the Arab World. The booming construction industry in the UAE will be environmentally regulated as of 2008. This is a news item from Gulf News By Ahmed Elewa and Marten Youssef, Staff Reporters Published November 25, 2007 Dubai: The UAE is actively seeking to upgrade its environmental... [read more]

UAE construction going green

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:47:00 GMT

There is a continuous flow of praise for the new ecological standards used by the UAE construction boom. Such innovations bring hope of upscaling and replication in other Arab countries. This is a good feature from Ethical Corporation Magazine By: Amelia Shepherd-Smith Two years after it signed the Kyoto Protocol, the United Arab Emirates is developing its own green building ratings... [read more]

The World's first zero carbon and zero waset city to be established in Dubai

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:09:00 GMT

It is not news anymore that the first global zero carbon and zero waste city will be established in Dubai, but I liked this article by gizmag blog as it includes a lot of technical details and some smashing prototypes. Enjoy the reading, and the photos The sleek, modern capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, will be host to what is planned as the world’s first zero carbon, zero waste... [read more]

World's top sustainable architect to design 1.25 US $ billion projects in UAE and Saudi Arabia

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:00:00 GMT

The thrust for sustainable and green urbanization in the Gulf is gaining more momentum. After a carefully designed visit of Japanese world's top sustainable achitect design giants Nikken Sekkei to the Gulf, reports of a package of projects worth US $ 1.25 billion have been recently unveiled. This is the story published in Al Bawaba website Contracts with a combined total of US$1.25 billion... [read more]

Solar Island in the UAE is not a solution to any problem

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:08:00 GMT

Fellow Tunisian blogger Subzero blue has published the story of another invention from the UAE. This time it is a floating solar island, conceptualised by the Swiss Firm CSEM and to be built with UAE money. For once I do not see this as a useful and strategic environmental innovation. Building Islands is a strange trend in the Gulf countries, and it causes a drastic impact on the marine environment... [read more]

Campaign for recycling of used Mobiles in the UAE

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:46:00 GMT

Another smart idea for an environmental campaign from the UAE. Public figures are putting efforts together to encourage youth to get involved in a campaign for the collection and recycling of used mobile phones. With the exponential increase of mobile phone use and penetartion in the Arab world and the short life span of a mobile this idea can well be replicated in many other countries. This is new... [read more]

UAE unveil three year environmental plan

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:22:35 GMT

Source: Arabian Business by Safura Rahimi The UAE has unveiled a three-year environmental plan focused on the rational use of the country’s natural resources, the Ministry of Water and Environment announced in a statement Tuesday. The new plan is aimed at reducing the use of groundwater and other natural reserves over the next three years in a bid to shift focus to alternative sources... [read more]

Dubai most congested Arab city

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 10:05:00 GMT

Source: Middle East Online The booming emirate of Dubai is the most congested city in the Middle East, according to a survey released Saturday, on the eve of Dubai's launch of a controversial road toll. An average employee in Dubai spends around one hour and 45 minutes a day in commuting, according to the survey, conducted by GulfTalent.com, a regional online recruitment portal. For... [read more]

Emirates Environmental Group Pushes for Corporate Social Responsibility

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:38:00 GMT

Source: AME Info Half of the world's top 250 companies today have active Corporate Social Responsibility programmes that focus on the social impact of their business. Mammoth multinationals such as Nike and Coke, to regional leaders such as Al Safi Danone and Oryx (Al Maha Enterprises), are all recognising the importance of CSR. 'The beginnings of CSR in Europe and North America, were... [read more]

Contractors face fines for using hazardous materials in Abu Dhabi

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 23:11:00 GMT

Source: Arabian Business 23 June 2007 By: Angela Giuffrida Contractors in Abu Dhabi will face fines for using hazardous building materials in government projects under a new contract introduced by the Abu Dhabi government. This is the first time the emirate has included a clause governing building products in its construction contracts and will form part of the new Abu Dhabi Law... [read more]

Eco-Architecture in the UAE

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 21:59:00 GMT

This is a mouth watering article published in June issue of the Jordanian magazine "Jordan Business" describing new ecological architecture innovations in the United Arab Emirates By: Naseem Tarawnah Without a doubt, one of the most dominant issues that plagues the world today is that of energy, or rather the lack thereof. The search for alternative sources of energy has been ongoing in various circles... [read more]

Green buildings hit the UAE

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:37:00 GMT

Source: Arabian Business Friday 1-6-2007 By: Becca Wilson Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) will use the FM Expo as a platform to inform people about its new rating system for green buildings. The system, which will be based on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system developed by the United States Green Building Council, is due to be rolled out... [read more]

Dubai real estate developer establishes Emirates Environmental Group

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:23:00 GMT

Iwould like to think that this initiative is a genuine example of "corporate environmental responsibility" and not another public relations efforts. Only time and action will tell, and we will monitor the news. Sama Dubai, the international real estate investment and development arm of Dubai Holding, has put environmental protection at the heart of its development efforts by becoming one of... [read more]

Dubai wins the 'cleanest Arab city' crown

Thu, 24 May 2007 15:15:00 GMT

Another accomplishment by Dubai, this time in an environmental "glamour". Congrats. Gulf News- 12/5/2007 Dubai has won the most 'Environmentally Safe City' award from the Kuwait-based Arab Towns Organisation which considered the city's track record in developing effective programmes to maintain general cleanliness of the city and control noise pollution and other pollutants. Abdullah... [read more]

Abu Dhabi to include World's first zero-carbon city

Wed, 09 May 2007 01:18:00 GMT

Emirates News Agency 8 May 2007 The world's first attempt to create a zero-carbon, zero-waste city was officially launched Monday during Cityscape in Abu Dhabi. The new six square kilometer energy, science and technology community will open in late 2009. The development is a unique, integrated "Green Community" in the heart of Abu Dhabi, which uses the traditional planning principals of... [read more]

UAE Embraces Solar Power

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 01:18:51 GMT

AFP The United Arab Emirates is still sitting on huge reserves of oil and natural gas, but now the Gulf federation plans to harness yet another of its abundant natural resources - the year-round sunshine. In the vast desert surrounding the capital, Abu Dhabi, the authorities are planning to spread arrays of solar panels to transform the blazing sun into energy. The plan may be expensive, but... [read more]

Powering development at a competitive price in the UAE

Sat, 07 Apr 2007 19:30:13 GMT

Dr Mohammad Al Assoumi, Special to Gulf News Scientific developments in the field of solar energy emerged more than twenty years ago, leading to many questions about the future of the oil era and the emergence of a solar energy era. Views concerning oil exporting countries benefiting from the new solar energy and its relation to hydrocarbon energy varied. The answer came from Abu Dhabi,... [read more]

UAE green tax needed now, says expert

Sat, 07 Apr 2007 19:28:11 GMT

Source: Jordan Business By: James Bennet The UAE should introduce a population-wide green tax to combat its dramatically rising waste mountain, the head of the region's first recycling park has exclusively revealed to Arabian Business. Musaed Al-Saleh, vice chairman and CEO of the National Projects Holding Company (NPHC), told Arabian Business that in five years time Dubai would produce... [read more]

Abu Dhabi launches its 1st State of the Environment Report

Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:49:46 GMT

The excellence of producing the first State of the Environment report was claimed by Abu Dhabi last week. Although I have learned that both Lebanon and Egypt have produced former national reports, while Jordan produced a "civil society" perspective report, Abu Dhabi has made it clear that it is the leader by producing a highly informative report that can be traced and viewed from www.soa.ae ... [read more]

UAE worries about water scarcity

Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:34:00 GMT

Source: 7 days magazine It might just be another Thursday for many people, but for the more environmentally inclined among us, today is to be celebrated as ‘World Water Day’. Water, the stuff of life, the stuff that we need for almost every aspect of survival is under threat and environmental experts have warned that fresh water is set to become even more precious as global warming begins to... [read more]

UAE launches an organic farm

Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:24:00 GMT

I am happy to report some good environmental news from the UAE here. Looking for more positive signs. His Royal Highness Prince Charles paid a glowing tribute to Abu Dhabi Organics, Abu Dhabi's only organic farm. Prince Charles, a keen advocate of organic farming, was speaking at the company's stand at Al Khubairat School in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Organics will go into full production... [read more]

United Arab Emirates consume more energy than U.S.

Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:18:07 GMT

The Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates— When it comes to squandering the earth's natural resources, residents of this desert land of chilled swimming pools, monster 4x4s and air-conditioned malls are on a par with even the ravenous consumption of Americans, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The average person in the Emirates puts more demand on the global ecosystem than any... [read more]

UAE population least aware of global warming in the world

Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:06:00 GMT

Source: Asia Journal Filipinos with access to the Internet are among the people most aware of global warming, according to a survey by a multinational consumer research group. The AC Nielsen "Online Consumer Opinion Survey," conducted last November, covered 25,408 Internet users from 47 countries and territories in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. The survey found... [read more]