[This is a monthly roundup of news articles and other materials related to environmental issues in the Middle East. It does not reflect the views of the Environment Page of Jadaliyya.]

Regional News

First Jordanian-Palestinian Vegetable Shipment Heads to QatarMiddle East Monitor (10 October 2022) 

The Jordanian-Palestinian Agriculture Products Marketing Company (JPACO) has shipped 36 tonnes of vegetables to Qatar from Amman as part of their mission to supply Arab countries with locally grown produce. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

Israel and Lebanon Reach ‘Historic’ Maritime Border and Gas Fields DealThe Guardian (11 October 2022) 

Israel and Lebanon have reached an agreement over the disputed Karish maritime natural gas reservoir ahead of Israeli elections. 

Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources

Turkey, Ukraine, UN Press Ahead With Black Sea Grain Deal Despite Russian PulloutMiddle East Eye (30 October 2022) 

Russia has suspended its participation in a Black Sea grain export deal, while Turkey and the UN attempt to save the deal. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

Algeria

على مشارف الوباء… صدور الجزائريات في خطرRaseef 22 (25 October 2022) 

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Algeria, but early detection and diagnosis and treatment costs contribute to it being the number one cause of death for women in the country. 

Keywords: Health 

Egypt

الزراعة المائية... أمل يتجدد بتحقيق الأمن الغذائي والمائي وحماية البيئة Raseef 22 (5 October 2022) 

Agricultural colleges believe hydroponics may be the future of sustainable Egyptian agriculture. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

No Place for the Environment in the North CoastMada Masr (6 October 2022) 

Noticeable coastal erosion in Sidi Abdel Rahman on the north coast of Egypt related to the construction of the Marassi Marina prompted the Egyptian Ministry of Environment to call for the cessation of dredging activities related to the project. 

Keywords: Urban Planning, Water, Land 

"مهددون بإغلاق مناحلهم بسبب الخسائر"... مربّو النحل المصريون في مواجهة التغيّر المناخيRaseef 22 (6 October 2022) 

Beekeepers in Egypt are facing declining bee populations due to changes in weather patterns. 

Keywords: Climate & Weather, Food & Agriculture

‘I’ll Never Give Vaginal Birth a Chance Again:’ Chronically Incapacitated Health Sector Leads to World’s Highest C-Section RateMada Masr (7 October 2022) 

Lack of information, lack of resources, and poor doctor salaries contribute to Egypt’s seventy-two percent C-section rate, the highest occurrence in the world.  

Keywords: Health 

Egypt’s New Administrative Capital Rises, but at What Price?New York Times (8 October 2022)

Construction of the new administrative capital outside Cairo, costing an estimated $59 billion, raises concern over Egyptian finances. 

Keywords: Urban Planning 

"التعرّف على الطبيعة بعيداً عن الهواتف الذكية"... مساحات خضراء للأطفال في مصرRaseef 22 (12 October 2022) 

The Green Space project in northern Egypt hopes to create space for children to learn about nature and disconnect from technology. 

Keywords: Health

"أشجار الزينة تهدر المياه"... مصريون يزرعون الزيتون والرمّان في الشوارعRaseef 22 (16 October 2022) 

A resident of Al-Ghar is hoping to replace ornamental trees on the streets with olive and pomegranate trees to maximize water use and discourage trash dumping. 

Keywords: Urban Planning, Food & Agriculture, Water 

"يزيد معدلات الإصابة بحصوات الكلى"... أجسامنا ليست بمنأى عن تبعات تغيّر المناخRaseef 22 (18 October 2022) 

Studies attribute the increase in the occurrence of kidney stones over the past two decades to rising temperatures. 

Keywords: Health, Climate & Weather  

لتجنب السوق السوداء.. «الزراعة» تطالب «المركزي» بالإفراج عن مكونات الأعلاف من الموانئMada Masr (20 OCtober 2022) 

The livestock sector is facing a shortage of feed ingredients. As a result the price of poultry, meat, and eggs is increasing, and some farms are opting to cull livestock due to the resulting losses. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

صدورنا وجودة الهواء... ضحيتان مسكوت عنهما في مشروعات "التطوير" المصرية Raseef 22 (24 October 2022) 

Construction on the new administrative capital outside Cairo has resulted in the destruction of greenspaces and diminishing air quality. 

Keywords: Urban Planning, Land, Air, Pollution 

Egypt Shuts Down Event Spaces on First Monday of COP27 In Blow to NGOsThe Guardian (24 October 2022) 

Civil society organizations and governments may have to cancel events planned in Sharm El-Sheikh during COP27 conference if a head of state is not present. 

Keywords: Climate & Weather 

Cashing in on Greenwashing? Egyptian Solar Companies Sell Carbon Certificates to Global NorthMada Masr (30 October 2022) 

Twenty-two companies in Benban Solar Park in Aswan are entering a global emissions trading scheme which aims to mitigate worldwide carbon emissions, while critics argue carbon trading fails to significantly alter net production of emissions. 

Keywords: Climate & Weather, Pollution, Air 

Cop27 Protesters Will Be Corralled in Desert Away from Climate ConferenceThe Guardian (31 October 2022) 

COP27 is being called the most highly surveilled COP in the history of the conference.

Keywords: Climate & Weather 

Iran

أوصى به ابن سينا... هل سمعتم بالزبيب الحامض الذي لا ينبت سوى في إيران؟Raseef 22 (25 October 2022) 

Iran produces ninety-five percent of the global barberry harvest, an important crop to the region. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

Iraq

Iraq: Drought Pushes 3,000 Families To Leave HomesMiddle East Monitor (1 October 2022) 

Thousands of Iraqi families across eight provinces have left their homes due to drought, with the Diyala Governorate most affected due to Iran cutting flow in Tigris tributaries. 

Keywords: Climate & Weather, Water 

Iraq: Baghdad’s Historic Homes Crumble as Real Estate BoomsMiddle East Monitor (6 October 2022) 

2,500 historic houses in Baghdad are in danger of collapse due to a lack of funding for preservation. 

Keywords: Historic Preservation, Urban Planning 

من أنابيب الصرف إلى نهر دجلة ومنه إلى المنازل... المياه الثقيلة تهدد حياة العراقيين Raseef 22 (14 October 2022) 

High levels of heavy metals have been detected in Tigris River waters due in part to improper waste management by factories along the river. 

Keywords: Pollution, Waste, Water

Iraq Prepares Law To Support Waste-to-Energy ProjectsMiddle East Monitor (21 October 2022) 

Iraq introduced a new law which allows for the use of solid waste to produce electricity and methane gas. 

Keywords: Waste, Energy 

Jordan, Palestine, and Israel

Israel Steals Then Sells Palestinian Farmer’s Equipment Middle East Monitor (6 October 2022) 

Israeli military authorities confiscate farming equipment from Palestintian farmers who are often unable to afford the fines required to reclaim the equipment. The military then sells the confiscated equipment at auction. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

Israel: Huge Gas Reserves Found in Offshore Hermes FieldMiddle East Monitor (6 October 2022) 

New supplies of natural gas have been discovered in the Hermes field, preliminary estimates measure between seven and fifteen billion cubic meters.  

Keywords: Natural Resources, Energy 

While Settlers' Swimming Pools Overflow, Palestinians Go ThirstyRaseef 22 (13 October 2022) 

While Palestinians in the West Bank face severe water shortages and contamination, Israeli settlers experience relative abundance and are able to maintain recreational pools and ponds.

Keywords: Water, Infrastructure 

Festival Launches Gaza’s Olive Picking SeasonMiddle East Monitor (15 October 2022) 

The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture inaugurated olive harvest season with an opening ceremony in Gaza. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

Settlers Continue Attacks on Palestinian Farmers in Occupied West BankMiddle East Monitor (17 October 2022) 

As the olive harvest begins many Palestinian farmers across the West Bank have experienced attacks by Israeli settlers. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

Gaza: Palestinian Farmers Hope To Export Olives and Olive OilMiddle East Monitor (17 October 2022) 

Gazan farmers are expecting a large crop of olives this year, and hope to export high quality oil to Arab markets. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

Israel Plans To Destroy 30,000 Trees in Nature ReserveMiddle East Monitor (18 October 2022) 

Israeli authorities have announced intent to clear 30,000 trees which were planted by the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture from a 400 acre nature preserve in the Jordan Valley. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Land 

Why Are Israeli Soldiers Harvesting Palestinians’ Olive Groves?972 Magazine (19 October 2022) 

Palestinians have been barred from harvesting olives from a grove in East Jerusalem while soldiers have been seen picking olives from the trees. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

An Olive Harvest Lynching 972 Magazine (20 October 2022) 

Israeli settlers brutalized an elderly Jewish Israeli woman while she accompanied a Palestinian farmer to olive harvest. They additionally sprayed toxic chemicals on the trees, contaminating this year’s harvest and likely killing the trees. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Pollution 

Israel: Top Doctor Says 'Arab Womb' Is Overwhelming Country with High Birthrate Middle East Eye (24 October 2022) 

An Israeli director at the Soroka Hospital in Beersheba suggested fining Palestinian women who have more than five children in an attempt to limit the Palestinian fertility rate. 

Keywords: Health 

Israel Begins Karish Gas Production Ahead of Lebanon DealAl Jazeera (26 October 2022) 

A US-brokered deal between Israel and Lebanon is set to be finalized regarding jurisdiction of the Karish and Qana gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean. 

Keywords: Natural Resources, Energy 

Israel Bans Palestinian Farmers from Their Land, Destroy 180 Olive TreesMiddle East Monitor (30 October 2022) 

Israeli occupation forces banned Palestinians in Beit Furik from picking olives and have not provided a date when harvest may resume. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Land 

Jordan Temporarily Suspends Olive Oil Imports from PalestineMiddle East Monitor (31 October 2022) 

Jordan has suspended olive oil imports from Palestine to protect the local oil market during production season. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

Kuwait

Kuwait To Develop ‘World’s Most Walkable’ Carbon-Free Green CityMiddle East Monitor (10 October 2022) 

Kuwait released plans for a new carbon-free green city named XZERO. Construction is expected to commence in 2024 and take ten years to complete. 

Keywords: Urban Planning, Infrastructure 

Lebanon

The Lebanese Farm Regenerating Soil and Promoting Food SecurityAl Jazeera (3 October 2022) 

Turba, a farm in the Bekaa Valley, is practicing regenerative agricultural techniques to preserve soil and water quality.

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

"الحل يبدأ بتلقيح الكلاب المنزلية والشاردة"... مواجهة انتشار "الكَلَب" في لبنانRaseef 22 (10 October 2022) 

Improper food waste disposal, along with families being unable to afford pets amid the economic crisis, has led to a rise in rabies in stray dogs in Lebanon. Vaccinating the strays is an important step to combat the spread, but financial resources to do so remains limited. 

Keywords: Health, Waste

Tripoli's Impending Disaster: 300 Ancient Buildings on the Brink of CollapseRaseef 22 (12 October 2022) 

Hundreds of buildings of historical and cultural importance in Tripoli are in danger of collapsing.

Keywords: Historic Preservation, Urban Planning 

Lebanon Reports First Cholera Death in New OutbreakAl Jazeera (12 October 2022) 

Lebanon’s first cholera outbreak since 1993, attributed to a serious outbreak across the border in Syria, reports first death.

Keywords: Health

Lebanon Warns Deadly Cholera Outbreak ‘Spreading Rapidly’Al Jazeera (19 October 2022) 

At least five are dead in the rapidly spreading cholera outbreak in Lebanon. 

Keywords: Health 

Lebanon: Cholera Cases Soar with Refugee Camp in North at Centre of OutbreakMiddle East Eye (26 October 2022) 

Water samples from across Lebanon show the presence of cholera as the death toll rises to eleven. 

Keywords: Health 

Battling Cholera, Lebanon Gets First Vaccines and Sharp Words from FranceMiddle East Monitor (31 October 2022) 

Lebanon receives first cholera vaccines from France to help combat the rapidly spreading outbreak. 

Keywords: Health  

Morocco

Jerada... The Coal Capital that Devours Its Sons Raseef 22 (5 October 2022) 

Three miners have died from suffocation in coal mines in Jerada. Miner deaths occur every year and are part of a list known as martyrs of the ‘black bread.’  

Keywords: Natural Resources 

Qatar 

Will the World Cup in Qatar be Carbon-Neutral?Al Jazeera (19 October 2022) 

The Qatar 2022 World Cup has promised to be a carbon-neutral event, but environmental groups have noted that the carbon calculation has been incomplete and underestimated the environmental footprint. 

Keywords: Pollution

Saudi Arabia

Neom: Yet-To-Be-Built Saudi Resort Chosen To Host 2029 Asian Winter GamesMiddle East Eye (4 October 2022) 

The Trojena sports city, a mountain resort town which remains to be built, will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games. The completion of the resort is projected for 2026. 

Keywords: Urban Planning, Tourism 

Russia and Saudi Arabia Agree to Massive Cuts to Oil Output. Here's Why It MattersNPR (5 October 2022) 

OPEC+ will be cutting back two million barrels of oil production per day, with potential for causing another spike in oil prices. 

Keywords: 

Saudi Arabia Plants Over 12m Trees To Reverse DesertificationMiddle East Monitor (6 October 2022) 

As part of a “regreening” initiative, Saudi Arabia hopes to develop flood plains and gardens through planting wild trees and shrubs.

Keywords: Urban Planning, Land, Food & Agriculture 

Some Democrats Push To Punish Saudi Arabia after OPEC+ Move to Cut Oil ProductionNPR (6 October 2022) 

US congress representatives criticize OPEC+’s decision to reduce oil production as a hostile act intended to deliberately hurt the US. 

Keywords: Energy 

Neom: Saudi Arabia Sentences Tribesmen to Death for Resisting DisplacementMiddle East Eye (7 October 2022) 

Three members of the Howeitat tribe in Saudi Arabia have been sentenced to death after refusing displacement caused by construction of the megacity Neom. 

Keywords: Urban Planning 

Saudi Carries Out First Successful Brain Surgery To Treat DepressionMiddle East Monitor (20 October 2022) 

A medical team of psychiatrists and surgeons have successfully completed the first bilateral anterior gyrus resection surgery for the treatment of depression. 

Keywords: Health 

Saudia To Buy up to 100 German Electric AircraftMiddle East Monitor (27 October 2022) 

Saudi Airlines plans to purchase 100 fully electric aircrafts from the German company Liliam.

Keywords: Energy, Infrastructure 

Sudan

What Thwarted the Dream of a Sudanese Bread Basket?As-safir Al-Arabi (19 October 2022) 

Arable land is one of the most abundant resources in Sudan, but conflicting government visions and lack of infrastructural development have neglected the agricultural sector. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

Syria

Syria To Trial Increase Extracted Gas from Central WellsMiddle East Monitor (3 October 2022) 

The Syrian Ministry of Oil is hoping to restore a number of closed wells to increase gas extraction in the central region. 

Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources 

Syria Regime Seizes Displaced People’s Farmland in Idlib, Reports SayMiddle East Monitor (5 October 2022) 

The Syrian regime is seizing farmland from displaced families with intent to cultivate.

Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Land 

Syria Regime Signs New Agreements for Wheat Imports from RussiaMiddle East Monitor (10 October 2022) 

Syria is facing another year of low domestic wheat yield. Bashar Al-Assad’s regime has reached an agreement with Russia to supply 600,000 tons of wheat. 

Keywords: Food & Agriculture 

كيف تسببت أحلام الثراء الزائفة والأساطير في تدمير المغارات السورية؟Raseef 22 (15 October 2022) 

Increasing interest in the exploration of unknown caves, especially driven by myths of hidden Ottoman treasures, reveals both a world of incredible natural formations but also extreme dangers of collapse, suffocation, and deadly creatures. 

Keywords: Land, Wildlife, Tourism 

بدائل سورية للتدفئة من مخلّفات نباتية وحيوانية... هل هي آمنة للصحة والبيئة؟Raseef 22 (24 October 2022) 

Many Syrians face difficulty accessing adequate fuel for heat during the winter months, so some are turning to alternative materials for combustion like manure, olive waste, vegetal matter, synthetic materials, and alcohol. Many of these sources result in toxic gas emissions when burned. 

Keywords: Energy, Air, Pollution, Health 

UN: Cholera Spreads in All 14 Governorates in SyriaMiddle East Monitor (26 October 2022) 

The UN confirmed the presence of Cholera in all fourteen Syrian governorates and is asking for financial assistance for health resources, hygiene, and sanitation. 

Keywords: Health 

Random Loggers Turn Syria’s Oak Tree Forests to CharcoalRaseef 22 (27 October 2022) 

Economic conditions have pushed Syrians to exploit oak forests for charcoal production. Environmentalists warn that the destruction of oak forest is damaging wildlife populations that rely on acorns as a main food supply. 

Keywords: Land, Wildlife, Natural Resources

Tunisia

Young People Demand Climate Justice in Run-Up to COP27 UN TalksThe Guardian (3 October 2022) 

Activists from around the world are gathering in Tunis ahead of the COP27 conference. The groups stand against exploitation of the global south, emphasizing that the countries suffering most from climate change are the least responsible for it.  

Keywords: Weather & Climate 

Tunisia: The State and Its Nationalized LandsAs-safir Al-arabi (3 October 2022) 

Privatization of state lands has expanded in Tunisia since the 1980s, resulting in a system of increasing clientelism and rentier liberalism. 

Keywords: Land, Food & Agriculture 

Tunisia’s Raging Wildfires Causing Extinction of WildlifeRaseef 22 (7 October 2022)
Increasingly frequent wildfires in Tunisia threaten the environment through erosion and toxin production, while habitat loss also results in loss of wildlife. 

Keywords: Climate & Weather, Land, Water, Wildlife, Pollution 

Türkiye

Putin Courts Erdogan To Pump More Russian Gas through TurkeyAl Jazeera (13 October 2022) 

Russia has approached Türkiye about increasing gas exports through Türkiye to redirect supply from the Nord Stream pipeline.

Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources

Yemen

Storing Water in Every Container.. “Harvesting” the Rain in SanaaRaseef 22 (1 October 2022)

Rainwater storage has become an important practice in Yemen as government water supply is limited to major city centers and wells have dried up.

Keywords: Water, Infrastructure, Climate & Weather 

Yemen Houthis Give Foreign Oil Companies Ultimatum To Stop Oil ExtractionMiddle East Monitor (3 October 2022) 

Yemen’s Houthis have threatened to attack foreign oil companies working in Houthi-controlled territory if they do not cease operations. 

Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources 

اختفاء المساحات الخضراء من صنعاء القديمة... بفعل البشر أم بفعل المناخ؟ Raseef 22 (8 October 2022) 

Historic orchards in Old Sana’a are threatened by drought and desertification in a growing trend of disappearing green space in the city.

Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Water, Urban Planning, Climate & Weather

‘Contaminated’ Medicine Kills At Least 10 Children in YemenAl Jazeera (14 October 2022) 

Expired leukemia medications killed ten children after being administered in a hospital in Sana’a. 

Keywords: Health 

Yemen’s Future Conflicts Will Be over WaterAl Jazeera (14 October 2022) 

An increasing number of local conflicts are erupting in Yemen as the country is running out of usable water. 

Keywords: Water, Climate & Weather, Infrastructure 

Yemen Farmers Turn To Planting Wheat as Prices BiteMiddle East Monitor (27 October 2022) 

Yemeni farmers as well as people who have never cultivated their land have begun to plant wheat as many are unable to afford foreign wheat prices.

Keywords: Food & Agriculture