Applications are invited for the inaugural round of African Climate Change Fellowships. The African Climate Change Fellowship Program (ACCFP) aims to support African professionals, researchers and graduate students to undertake activities that will enhance their capacities for advancing and applying knowledge for climate change adaptation in Africa. The deadline is 17 September 2008. For more information, visit: http://accfp.pass-africa.org.

The EC launched on August 20 a pilot project that gives unrestricted online access to research results it funds under the EU's 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7) with more than EUR 50 billion from 2007 – 2013. The information disseminated signals the EC keenness to ensure that the results of the research are disseminated as widely and effectively as possible to guarantee maximum exploitation and impact in the world of researchers and beyond. It covers research articles published in peer reviewed journals, after an embargo period of between 6 and 12 months. The pilot will cover around 20% of the FP7 programme budget in areas such as health, energy, environment, social sciences and information and communication technologies. To learn more, visit:
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1262&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=de

The most ambitious Mediterranean tuna tagging project yet has recently started seeking answers to some key mysteries on the migratory behaviour of this most valuable but also most imperilled ‘prince of the sea’. WWF scientists, launching the three-year On the Med tuna trail project in Spain’s Balearic Islands, hope to map tuna migrations around the Mediterranean and verify theories that there may be resident tuna populations in the eastern Mediterranean that never venture into the Atlantic. You can know more about the project funded by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation by clicking: http://www.panda.org/index.cfm?uNewsID=143482

The prospect of climate change sparking food and water shortages in the Middle East is less likely than previously thought, with new research by an Australian climate scientist suggesting that rainfall will increase by 50 percent in key parts of the region. Recent projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) raised fears that storm activity in the eastern Mediterranean would decline this century if global warming continues on present trends. In turn, that would have reduced rainfall by between 15 and 25 per cent over a large part of the so-called Fertile Crescent. To read more about this research, click: http://www.physorg.com/news137837149.html

SMAP-RMSU will hold a meeting on “environmental information exchange and reporting mechanisms in the Mediterranean” in Cairo on August 19, 2008. The meeting will bring the focal points of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, the Barcelona convention and its Regional Activity Centre, the UN conventions (CBD, UNCCD, UNFCCC), Horizon 2020 and Medstat. The aim of the meeting is to evaluate existing strengths and weaknesses of existing national environmental information systems and identify benefits of streamlining regional information exchange mechanisms. For more information, contact Alessandro Candeloro, SMAP RMSU Information Manager, at a.candeloro@apat.it or visit: http://smap.ew.eea.europa.eu

The Jordanian Ministry of Environment announced a mobile contest to raise the awareness of citizens on the effects of climate change and how to help reduce them. The HSBC bank will present daily awards to those who answer questions via sms about saving energy and protecting the environment. For more information, visit the ministry's website at:
http://www.moenv.gov.jo/arabicmoe/users/BindDescription.aspx?id=12&mainPage=1&pageId=192

Morocco will host the "Coast Day" central celebration this year on October 24, under the auspices of newly-appointed "Ambassador for the Coast" Princess Lalla Hasnaa. This year, the theme of the campaign will be "sustainable beach management". The event will feature several seminars and workshops, photo and design exhibitions, concerts, sailing contests, excursions, TV transmissions and interviews with policy-makers. Also, the Foundation for the Preservation of Nature “Nicolas Hulot” will be present with its famous sailing boat at the central ceremony. The campaign was launched initially by the Priority Actions Programme, Regional Activity Centre (PAP/RAC) in collaboration with different partners and sponsors, including SMAP, in Sardinia in 2007. It aims to highlight the importance of environmental issues among the policy-makers and local population, as well as to promote the implementation of a new Mediterranean Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), signed in Madrid in January 2008. To read more about the Coast Day, visit: www.coastday.org.

A call for proposals on “international climate change” is open until October 10, 2008. The call comes in the context of the Thematic Programme for Environment and sustainable management of Natural Resources, including energy (ENRTP). It focuses on measures to support reaching a global and comprehensive post-2012 climate change agreement and the development of a robust global carbon market to combat global climate change. The measures will focus on developed as well as developing countries, as both have a role to play, with developed countries continuing to take the lead in achieving emissions reductions, whilst developing countries step up their actions. For more information or to apply, visit: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/enrtp_climate_grant_2008.htm

SMAP-RMSU will hold a meeting on “environmental information exchange and reporting mechanisms in the Mediterranean” in Damascus, Syria, on August 4, 2008. For more information, contact Alessandro Candeloro, SMAP RMSU Information Manager, at a.candeloro@apat.it or visit: http://smap.ew.eea.europa.eu

The World Bank signed its first greenhouse gas emission reductions purchase agreement in Egypt for a municipal solid waste composting project. The Cairo Southern Zone Composting Project will avoid the generation of greenhouse gases caused by landfill, such as methane, which has 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. Under the agreement, project developer Egyptian Company for Solid Waste Utilization (ECARU) will sell 325,480 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emission reductions to the Carbon Fund for Europe, which is managed by the World Bank. For more information, go to:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAEXT/EGYPTEXTN/0,,
contentMDK:21826656~pagePK:1497618~piPK:217854~theSitePK:256307,00.html

The world Bank held a series of meetings in Jordan, the Palestinian Areas and Israel to update interested stakeholders on the Study Program being carried out as part of a feasibility study for the proposed Red-Dead seas canal project. The canal, which environmentalists have different opinions about, aims at saving the Dead Sea. The water level of the Dead Sea has fallen over twenty meters in less than fifty years. The current rate of decline is approximately one meter per year. To read more visit:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAEXT/0,,contentMDK:20664264
~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:256299,00.html Or http://www.foeme.org/events.php

If you are part of a local sustainable energy project that is inspirational, innovative and worthy of international recognition, apply for the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy. The deadline set by the British charity is 21 October 2008. The awards range from 20,000 to 40,000 sterling pounds and will be presented at a high-level ceremony in London in June 2009. Apply online at http://www.ashdenawards.org/int_awards

A multiple framework contract to recruit short-term services for the exclusive benefit of third countries from 2009 to 2013 was announced. The contract (EuropeAid/127054/C/SER/Multi) covers the areas of rural development, environment, transport, telecommunications, governance, health, trade, macro economy, transportation, statistics and human aid. Deadline for receiving applications is August 25. For more information, visit: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.169.news.en.4195.html

A high-level conference, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Sirte, Libya, from 15 to 17 December 2008, tackles the potential of water for the development of Africa. The conference aims to assess the challenges faced by the agricultural sector in view of the impending food crisis in Africa, taking into account the strong linkages with energy and climate change. It will also propose ways to promote and secure investment in water to maintain food and energy security in the region. For more information, or to participate, visit: http://www.fao.org/nr/water/events.html

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) will organize this year a training programme on regional ocean governance for Mediterranean and east European countries in Malta from November 16 to December 19, 2008. Some scholarships are available especially for developing countries to enroll in the training programme to be held under the slogan "Towards a Holistic Maritime Policy." For more information, or to apply, visit:
http://ioc-unesco.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61&Itemid=76
or http://www.capemalta.net/ioimoc/course2008/apply.html

As part of SMAP III TA activities, a caravan started a tour to several beaches and schools in north Morocco to display a theater performance under the slogan “Our fragile coast, let’s preserve it” as of last June.

The play, suggested and partly financed by SMAP III TA, is acted by students from Oujda’s academic institutions. The students disguise as animals to highlight environmental problems and the negative effects of tourism on important protected areas in Morocco, such as the mouth of Moulouya River, the second largest river in north Africa after the River Nile, said Etienne Baijot, SMAP III TA team leader.

The caravan was organized by the environmental association of NGOs for north Morocco, including Association de Protection des Cigognes Blanches (APROCIB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Environment, the French Embassy in Morocco and the French research and development institute (IRD).

The tour, which started with the protected area of the mouth of Moulouya River on the World Environment Day, will tour Berkane, Nador, Oujda, and Saidia, added Baijot. For more information, contact the team leader at etienne.baijot@ta-smap.com.

Environment and Sustainable Development featured high on the cooperation vistas of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean, adopted in a summit held in Paris in July 13, 2008 under the co-chairmanship of French and Egyptian Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Hosni Mubarak. The Summit brought together 43 European and Mediterranean States, the Community institutions and the regional organisations. A joint declaration adopted at the end entailed holding a biennial summit to set a plan of the suggested projects, and an annual meeting at the level of foreign ministers. A ministerial meeting envisaged next November will decide upon the premises of the new union's secretariat. The six vistas of cooperation are identified as de-pollution of the Mediterranean, maritime and land highways, civil protection, alternative energies: Mediterranean solar plan, higher education and research and the Mediterranean business development initiative. For more information, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.168.news.en.4170.html

Tunis will host the third round of the international Symposium GEO Tunis from 26 to 30 November. The symposium entitled "Natural resource management and study of the impact of climate change with geographic information systems, science and space technologies" is organized by the Tunisian Association of the Digital Geographic Information under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. Participants can send their presentations and take part in the exhibition to be held on the sidelines of the symposium. For more information, visit: http://www.geotunis.org

A new study, unveiled recently by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Plan Bleu, suggests that it is possible to mitigate climate change in the Maghreb and Mashrek countries by investing in energy efficiency, renewable energy and the modernization of power generation. "The combined actions in the energy sector will yield annual benefits of at least USD 30 billion from 2015 onwards,' the study adds. To read the study, click: http://www.eib.org/projects/publications/climate-change-and-energy-in-the-mediterranean.htm

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) through its West Asia Middle East Regional Office is holding a Regional Dialogue on the Future of Ground Water in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Region in Cairo between 12-14 July, 2008. This dialogue is held under the Patronage of HE Dr Mahmoud Abu Zeid, president of the Arab Water Council and Egyptian minister of water & irrigation, in cooperation with Center for Environment & Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE), The Arab Water Council. It is funded by Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGCS), IUCN Water & Nature Initiative (WANI), in addition to the Global Water Partnership – MED. For more information, visit: http://cms.iucn.org/where/asia/index.cfm?uNewsID=1278

In preparation of its Annual Conference “Euro-Mediterranean Relations Between Continuity and Reinforced Cooperation. Quo Vadis Barcelona ?” – to be held in Jordan on 16-17 October 2008 – EuroMeSCo announced an open Call for Papers in collaboration with the Center for Strategic Studies (CSS) in Amman. The deadline for applications to participate in the Annual Conference workshops is 5 September 2008. It is looking for concise, policy-oriented and conceptually sound input papers of 2-3 pages with an empirical focus related to six working groups details of which can be found on its website:
http://www.euromesco.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=949&Itemid=42&lang=en

EuroMeSCo, funded by EuropeAid’s Regional Programme, is a network of independent research institutes and university centres dedicated to the analysis of Euro-Mediterranean issues.

The First class of the Health and Environment Department at the Lebanese University, Tripoli, will graduate in July 2008 after four years of study. Dr. Jalal Halwani, head of the department which was established in 2004, said that 15 students are chosen to study different health and environment issues. For more information, contact jhalwani@ul.edu.lb

Water: a question of life or death. This was one of the recent conference topics at the mega-expo on Water & Sustainable Development, ExpoZaragosa 2008, which started on June 14 and will run until September 14 2008 in Zaragosa, Spain. The expo features “national days” for dozens of countries, including Algeria, Morocco and Jordan, and literally thousands of events and conferences. Read more (http://www.expozaragoza2008.es/Home/seccion=3&idioma=en_GB.do) and find out about the EC’s involvement in the Expo (http://www.expozaragoza2008.europa.eu).

The report, “The Millennium development Goals in the Arab Region 2007: A Youth Lens” was prepared by the UN and the League of Arab States. It highlights three pressing issues that affect youth development in the Arab region and their impact on the attainment of the MDGs, namely: employment and education; political, social and cultural participation; and health and environment. Download the full report at http://www.escwa.un.org/information/publications/edit/upload/ead-07-3-e.pdf

The call from the Economic Research Forum is for original research under the theme “New Frontiers in the Economics of Environment in the ERF Region”. It is open to ERF and non-ERF affiliates from the region. Read more at http://www.erf.org.eg/cms.php?id=events_details&news_id=23

1 July 2008 – Prompted by climate change concerns, increased international support, surging oil prices and continuing anxiety over energy security, investment in renewable energy and energy efficient reached a record last year, according to a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report released today. Read more at http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=27234&Cr=climate&Cr1

The "5th Conference of the Water Directors of the Euro-Mediterranean and Southeastern European Countries" will take place on 21 and 22 July 2008, in Athens, Greece. The main objective of this conference is to prepare for the special ad hoc Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on Water planned in Jordan, on 29 October 2008 and the related civil society event on 28 October. This, and much more water news is available on the EMWIS website where you can also subscribe to the monthly EMWIS Flash.

EuropeAid, together with DG Development and DG Humanitarian Aid, is organizing a conference-round table on "Water and Waste Management in the EU External Aid". It will be held on 15 July at ExpoZaragosa, the three-month expo devoted to Water, in Zaragoza, Spain. Commissioner Louis Michel, responsible for development and humanitarian aid, will give a speech that will be broadcast live on the Commission site and on Europe By Satellite.
Download the agenda of the conference
Register to the conference

"GLOBAL CHANGE: Enough Water for all?" is the title of a new book written by a group of international experts and published by the University of Hamburg. The aim of this book is to contribute to the public discussion on our relations and dealings with water, especially as 1.2 billion people (20 percent of the world population) have no secure access to clean drinking water and 2.4 billion people do not dispose of access to sanitary installations. The book is part of efforts to shape the public opinion towards an integrated view on water and the necessity to ensure enough water for coming generations. About 250 free copies are available for libraries of institutions in developing countries. To apply, visit: http://www1.uni-hamburg.de/Warnsignale/buchWater.html

The First Annual Assembly of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) will be held in Manama, the capital of Bahrain on October 26 and 27, 2008 to delve in alternative environmental and development policies for the region.
The participants are to debate for the first time a comprehensive independent expert report on Arab environment entitled "Arab Environment: Future Challenges". The report, has been commissioned by AFED, and written by some of the most prominent Arab experts, under the leadership of Dr. Mostafa Kamal Tolba, the renowned international environmental pioneer and former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It covers integrating environment in development planning, consumption and production patterns, the quality of water, air, marine life, lands, and forest, in addition to waste management, food safety, climate change, biological safety and laws.
Beyond appraising the state of the environment, based on the most recent data, the policy-oriented report also evaluates the progress towards the realization of sustainable development targets, assesses current policies and examines the Arab contribution to global environmental endeavors. Ultimately, the report proposes alternative policies and remedial action, according to AFED.
Alongside AFED members, the Assembly will be open to all major stakeholders: private and public sectors, policy makers, international and regional institutions, academia, civil society and media. For more information, visit: http://www.afedonline.org/conference/default.html

Malta is to host two conferences in September on environment. the first will be the 14th international conference on urban transport and the environment and it will take place from 1 to 3 September. The second conference is third international one on sustainable tourism and it will occur from 3 to 5 September. The two conferences are organized by the Wessex Institute of Technology in the United Kingdom. For more information about these conferences and other international environment conferences, visit the institute website at: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2008/

Youth from 10 Euro-Mediterranean countries will discuss the environmental issues in the Mediterranean area in a conference, to be held in Oujda, north east Morocco, from 20 to 29 June. The conference is organized by Chantiers Sociaux Marocains in Ahfir in the context of the EuroMed programme for Youth III's unit at the Moroccan Secretary of Youth.

The conference aims to raise environmental awareness, set environment as a priority issue at local and regional levels, draw the link between environment and development, exchange the experiences of participating countries as regards environment protection projects, and promoting non-governmental and local organizations to focus their attention on environment.

The participating countries are Egypt, France, Tunisia, Spain, Algeria, Italy, Jordan, Portugal and Belgium. You can learn more about the EuroMed Youth III programme at http://www.euromedyouth.net/spip.php?rubrique2

The second international conference on economic, financial and statistical aspects of water and sanitation is to open in Alexandroupolis in Thrace, Greece from 3 to 5 July, 2009. The deadline for submitting abstracts is 15 November 2008. The conference is intended to make a major contribution to the transfer of knowledge from research to practice covering the entire water cycle, ultimately influencing major policy decisions. It is organized by the International Water Association (IWA) in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Engineering of the Democritus University of Thrace and the Department of Economics of the University of Crete. For more information, visit: http://www.soc.uoc.gr/iwa/2009/iwa_page.php

Two major projects from the Euro-Med regional programmes, EMWIS and SMAP, were in the spotlight to celebrate World Environment Day. On June 5, the EuroMed Info Centre published the stories in English, French and Arabic: a feature entitled "Olive mill waste: a source of concern for the environment," focusing on the SMAP II-funded project in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. To read it, click: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.0.successstory.en.22.html, and a second feature "EMWIS Algeria: the winning team," on water management successes in Algeria. Read the full story at http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.0.successstory.en.15.html

After several years of negotiations and following the last ratifications by Syria and Croatia, the 1996 amendments to the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities have finally entered into force. The entry into force of the Protocol accelerates the process for Mediterranean countries to develop short-term and medium-term regional action plans and programmes containing legally binding measures and timetables for their implementation, as stated in article 15 of the Barcelona Convention. According to art.15, the plans and the programmes must be approved within one year following the entry into force of the protocol and then become legally binding.

"The entry into force of the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities provides the region with a very modern and powerful legal instrument for the elimination of land-based pollution. This is a major breakthrough for MAP and its legal framework, that commits Contracting Parties to enter into a concrete process of pollution reduction with precise targets and deadlines, in order to protect the Mediterranean region", said UNEP/MAP Coordinator Paul Mifsud. For more information, go to: http://www.unepmap.org/index.php?module=news&action=detail&id=37

The Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALInd), the Lebanese member of BUSINESSMED, managed to secure 200,000 euros in funding from the Environment Fund for Lebanon financed by GTZ, an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. This is a very promising follow-on from the SMAP III TA BusinessMed initiative, ongoing for over a year now, that has centered on actively involving the private sector in promoting sustainable development in the region. The amount, to be funded under the BUSSINESSMED memorandum of understanding, will be used over 18 months for a project with the following objectives:

1. Create a nucleus for a unit at ALInd that will provide services for and promote environmental and SD practices with the members
2. Ensure sustainability for the implementation of the roadmap developed with the help of SMAP III TA.
3. Support the members of ALInd in complying to the EU REACH directive thus reducing the use of toxic and environmentally unsafe chemicals in industry and improving access to export markets.
4. Provide small grants to medium- and small-scale enterprises for compliance with environmental standards and the REACH directive.
5. Help larger enterprises prepare a funding file to be submitted to banks in Lebanon and other donors through linkages with the SMAP III TA Sustainable Finance initiative.

MEPs support the "fresh political and practical impetus" given to the revised Barcelona process in order to raise its profile and highlight its tangible benefits for citizens and, in particular, for citizens on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, but ask that concrete projects such as solar electricity and water desalination are promoted. The Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA) should become the parliamentary dimension of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean, the say in a joint resolution adopted at the Plenary today with 562 votes in favour, 50 against and 30 abstentions, with amendments approved. To read the article, click: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/008-30830-156-06-23-
901-20080604IPR30761-04-06-2008-2008-false/default_en.htm

A comprehensive reference for water and wetland managers was issued recently by four international organizations with a long record of water conservation. With input from several experts around the world, the "Wetland Management Planning - a Guide for Site Managers" deals with several pragmatic aspects: building trust, participation, and capacity; assessing wetlands values; and setting achievable objectives. The four partners are the WWF, the Ramsar Convention, IUCN, and Wetlands International. The guide can be downloaded from: http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/freshwater/index.cfm?uNewsID=132501

Ten species of sea grass in the Mediterranean region are now considered endangered, said a new World Wildlife Fund (WWF) report. Seagrass meadows produce over 80% of the annual fish yields in the Mediterranean, so this threat to ten species of grass could seriously undermine future fish production. For more detail, see the full report:
http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/ecoregions/mediterranean_sea.cfm

The University Center for Euro-Mediterranean Studies (Center EMUNI), established at a Slovenian initiative, is to open in Portoroz-Piran, Slovenia on June 9 under the auspices of Slovenia’s Prime Minister Janez Janša. Janša, who doubles also as the president of the European Council, will give a speech at the inaugural session together with Amr Moussa, the secretary-general of the Arab League, Hans-Gert Pottering, the president of the European Parliament, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, the president of the European Commission. During the inauguration, the foundation charter of the Euro-Mediterranean University with its seat in Slovenia will be signed.
The summer school at Center EMUNI will begin its courses as of 16 June in several areas, including architecture, tourism in the Mediterranean area, maritime resources and coastal zone management, climate change and its effect on the Mediterranean. The center provides education in several languages, including Arabic for certain courses. It also provides education grants and e-learning courses. To apply, click: http://www.emuni.si/en/strani/88/Inauguration-Ceremony.html

Egypt’s Human Development Report for 2008 was released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Institute of National Planning, bringing together an array of independent, multi-disciplinary contributors from the nation’s finest experts. The report address the problems of environment in Egypt and the role needed by NGOs. To access to the report, visit: http://www.unic-eg.org/Default.aspx?tabid=180

Marrakech is to host a workshop on the “technological perspectives for rational use of water resources in the Mediterranean region”, from October 29 to November 2, 2008. The workshop is the second regional one organized by the EU-funded MELIA project (Mediterranean Dialogue on Integrated Water Management), which is dedicated to technological perspectives for rational use of water resources in the Mediterranean region. The workshop seeks to formulate a consensus on the socio-economic environment future perspectives that water technology must envisage in the Mediterranean and to assess relevant Mediterranean wide options and experiences brought directly into MELIA or provided indirectly by the different external stakeholders. To read more, visit: http://www.meliaproject.eu

Egypt launched recently the first phase of a new database aimed at tracking its progress towards the development goals. The launch of EgyInfo 1.0 is considered a step in the right direction towards development. EgyptInfo 1.0 is the Egyptian version of the United Nation’s DevInfo, a database used to monitor progress in the Millennium Development Goals, mainly halving extreme poverty, getting rid of HIV/AIDS, and providing universal primary education by 2015. The EgyInfo database generates tables, graphs and maps for reports and presentations. In addition, the portal the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), and the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), maintains indicators by time periods and geographic areas to monitor commitments to sustained human development. To access the portal, visit http://www.egyinfo.net.eg/DI5Web/home.aspx

The declining water level of the Dead Sea has far reaching environmental, social, and economic consequences for the Dead Sea region and beyond. The water level of the Dead Sea has fallen over twenty meters in less than fifty years. The current rate of decline is approximately one meter per year. The consequent impacts on the region of the shrinking Sea are varied, numerous, and may soon become irreversible. On May 22, 2005 at the annual World Economic Forum - Dead Sea, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority announced their agreement and commitment to study the feasibility of transferring water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea as a solution to stop the rapidly declining level of the Dead Sea. To know more, go to: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAEXT/0,,contentMDK:20664264
~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:256299,00.html

The European Commission has adopted a document with proposals for upgrading relations with its Mediterranean partners, through the “Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean“. External Relations and ENP Commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, presented an outline, which aim at giving renewed vitality and visibility to the EU’s relations with Partners in the Mediterranean region. The proposals include the setting up of a Secretariat and the creation of a permanent committee of Euro-Mediterranean representatives. The policy paper also outlines the kinds of projects that would help improve the lives and livelihoods of the region’s citizens. The proposals contained in the Communication will be presented at the inaugural Summit of “Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean”, in Paris, on 13 July, 2008. For more information, visit: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.168.news.en.3872.html

Medcoast is organizing its second international conference on integrated coastal management (ICM) in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea in Akyaka, Turkey, from October 14 to 18. The conference is entitled “Immediate Needs for Research, Education/Training and Implementation”. Deadline for abstract submission is May 31, 2008. For more information on guidelines and contacts, visit: http://www.medcoast.org.tr

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) of eastern Africa in conjunction with GTZ Cooperation and River Basin Organizations is organizing a competition for youth and children with the purpose of promoting integrated water management. The winners will have the opportunity to travel to Cairo to present their winning essays at the African Union Summit on June 30th 2008. Submissions should be presented before May 30th 2008. For more information, visit: http://blog.eatribune.com/2008/05/21/youth-water-competition/

To support the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) partner countries (and Russia) in their efforts to converge their environmental policies to the principles and approaches developed in EU legislation, DG Environment has produced six brief “Convergence Guides”. Convergence of the environmental policies of the partner countries is foreseen in the ENP Action Plans. This is expected to bring environmental benefits both to the countries concerned and the European region. The guides, in English, French, Arabic and Russian, cover the key areas of water quality, waste management, air quality, horizontal issues, nature protection, and industrial pollution. To read the guides, go to: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enlarg/short_convergence.htm

A new website Climate-L.ORG (http://www.climate-l.org) kicked off with the aim of giving access to the United Nations activities on climate change and information about ongoing negotiations. The site, meant to address the needs of policymakers, is run by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

Does your country wish to host the next World Water Forum in March 2012? Express your interest now as the bidding process has been launched by the WWC. For the next edition of the World Water Forum, the Government of any country, in collaboration with a city, are invited to demonstrate its capacity to organise such an important event. In order to be considered for the next steps in the bidding procedure, a preliminary expression of interest should be received by the WWC Headquarters in Marseille by 1 June 2008. It must be presented or endorsed by a representative of the central Government of the country concerned, at the highest possible level. To read the full announcement, go to www.worldwatercouncil.org.
Or contact the forum coordinator at d.gaillard@worldwatercouncil.org

The Cambridge Centre for Landscape and People is launching this year with Co@st its first summer course on natural and cultural heritage of coastal zones from July 28 to August 1st. The course offers a novel approach to the analysis, evaluation, mapping, planning and management of world coastlines with the view to preserving their natural and cultural values, including their landscapes, beauty, ecosystems and services. It is sponsored by several parties, including the University of Cambridge, The Coastal Management Centre, Sapienza Universita Di Roma, the Priority Action Programme (PAP) /RAC and the UNEP/MAP. The deadline for registration is 20th May 2008. To register, visit: http://www.cclp.group.cam.ac.uk/courses.html

Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety opened on May 12, 2008 their fourth meeting in Bonn, Germany. More than 3000 participants from 147 countries assembled in an attempt to ensure the safe use of modern biotechnology, including reaching an agreement on international rules on liability and redress for potential damages caused by LMOs. The meeting will continue until May 16, 2008. To read more, visit: http://www.cbd.int

The National Geographic and Global Scan released a new international study that focuses on consumers' progress as regards environmentally sustainable consumption. The study tackles both the attitudes and actual behaviors in 14 countries. To look at the study, click: http://event.nationalgeographic.com/greendex/

The Expo Zaragoza 2008 – the international fair of “Water and Sustainable Development” – is to start on June 14. The exhibition has 140 pavilions for the participants, including countries, autonomous regions, companies and organizations. It will host 4,529 different shows in 13 different venues during the 93 days of the event. Added to this figure are more than 1,000 performances that comprise the participating countries’ cultural programme. More than 36,000 people have shown their support to the fair by signing up for the Volunteer Programme. Of these, 66% are European, 26% are from the Americas, 3% are Asian, 3% are from Oceania and 2% are from Africa. Fore more information, visit : http://www.expozaragoza2008.es/Home/seccion=3&seccionRaiz=3&
seccionDesplegar=3&idioma=en_GB.do

The Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Climate Change (CMCC), a new Italian non-profit research institution supported by governmental and academic institutions, welcomes applications to the Marie Curie Fellowship in its fields of research.
The institute research fields comprise Global ocean and climate, climate and chemistry, aerosols and effects, predictions and scenarios of GHG emissions. They also include of the economic value of impacts of climate change, analysis of mitigation and adaptation policies, impact on soil and coasts, and impact agriculture, forest, and natural ecosystems. The Marie Curie fellowship has a significant overall budget of more than € 4,7 billion over a seven year period until 2013. The deadline to apply for the fellowship is 15 August 2008. For more information, visit: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/people/home_en.html

The Spring 2008 SMAP Bulletin is now available for download in English, French and Arabic.

To download the English version: http://www.smap.eu/DOC/Bulletins/SMAP_Bulletin_22_EN.pdf
To download the French version: http://www.smap.eu/DOC/Bulletins/SMAP_Bulletin_22_FR.pdf
To download the Arabic version: http://www.smap.eu/DOC/Bulletins/SMAP_Bulletin_22_AR.pdf

You'll find an interview with Dr Klaus Ebermann, EC Ambassador to Egypt, on EU support for the environment in the Mediterranean region - a massive 460 million euros for ongoing projects! Plus, there's an in-depth article on the SMAP III project in Lebanon (IMAC), coverage of the recent SMAP III Regional Workshop in Turkey and much, much more.

The SMAP III TA team hopes you will enjoy this edition and welcomes any feedback, comments and suggestions you might have.

The EU’s Neighborhood Investment Facility (NIF) will be formally launched on May 6th by External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, representatives of EU Member States and ENP partner countries. The NIF is a key instrument of the ENP and will mobilize additional funding for infrastructure projects mainly in the energy, transport and environment sectors in the entire area. The Commission has already made available €100 out of the €700 million it intends to allocate to the NIF for the period 2007-2013. For more, go to http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.168.news.en.3755.html?PHPSESSID=909ea605488e7570c71012e3ed3448bd

The second annual Middle East Waste & Water Congress will be held in the UAE on May 26, 27. The congress entitled: "Moving forward with the advances in waste and water technologies for a more secured future and environment" will serve as a platform for various organisations in the wide spectrum of environmental resource management to achieve new standards of sustainability. The congress will also serve as an ideal platform for professionals from the waste and water industry to meet, network and exchange ideas for the improvement of these 2 major sectors in the Middle East. For more information on how to register and exhibit, please visit http://www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/events/sev556504

Water Alternatives is a new interdisciplinary scientific e-journal on Water, Politics and Development. The e-journal welcomes contributions that address any dimension of water resources development, management and use, and their relations with society and the environment. Its ambition is to provide space for alternative and critical thinking and to associate high scholarly quality with accessibility to a wide readership. The first issue of Water Alternatives will be published on the 1st of June 2008. Access to articles in the journal will be free. Potential subscribers may already register in order to receive alerts and to submit your contributions. For more information, visit: http://www.water-alternatives.org or
http://www.unesco.org/water/news/newsletter/203.shtml#news_3

Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) is pleased to invite the public to attend presentations of design scenarios for the proposed Jordan River Peace Park.

The designs will be prepared at an international architectural design workshop organized by FoEME and led by Yale University with the participation of architectural teams from Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Territories.

The public is also invited to present recommendations of the pre-feasibility study and business plan for the proposed Jordan River Peace Park. The presentations will take place on May 15 at the Wild Jordan Center in Amman and on May 19 at the Van Leer Institute in Jerusalem. For more information, visit: http://www.foeme.org/events.php?ind=45

The General Water Authority (GWA) of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and UNESCO will organize, in partnership with the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), an international conference on "Managing Shared Aquifer Resources in Africa" on 25-27 May 2008 in Tripoli, Libya. For more information, go to http://www.oss-online.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=585&Itemid=643

With the rise in the prices of wheat, corn and rice along with other crops, the globe earmarked this year for potato, a main food crop. The world produced in 2007 some 320 million tons. On this occasion, a lot of events will be held to celebrate the biodiversity of potatoes and its production all-over the world as of May until August 2008. The events will be held in the Americas, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. To learn more about the "Potato" events or to announce yours, visit the following related FAO website: http://www.potato2008.org/en/events/index.html

PAP/RAC, together with its partners (the BP/RAC and METAP of the World Bank), is organising a Mediterranean Workshop on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Policy in Alghero, Sardinia on 19-21 May 2008.
The workshop will be held within the context of the EU-funded SMAP III TA project which focuses on promoting integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and sustainable development within the Mediterranean region. Among the participants are Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa of Morocco, Mr. Renato Soru, President of the Sardinia Region, Mr. Chérif Rahmani, Minister of Environment of Algeria, and Mr. Mostafa K. Tolba, Former Executive Director of UNEP. To learn more about the workshop, click: http://www.pap-thecoastcentre.org/itl_news.php?lang=en

A new World Bank-IMF report warns that most countries will fall short on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight globally agreed development goals with a due date of 2015. Though much of the world is set to cut extreme poverty in half by then, prospects are gravest for the goals of reducing child and maternal mortality. Serious shortfalls also likely in primary school completion, nutrition, and sanitation goals. The report also stresses the link between environment and development and calls for urgent action on climate change. To build on hard-won gains, developing countries need support to address the links between growth, development and environmental sustainability. To read the report, click: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTDEC/EXTGLOBALMONITOR/EXTGLOMONREP2008/
0,,menuPK:4738069~pagePK:64168427~piPK:64168435~theSitePK:4738057,00.html

A new database is available on the Euromed Audiovisual II Programme’s website, providing contact details of key public and private organisations as well as professionals operating in the MEDA region's audiovisual industry.
The directory contains some 1,670 contacts and has been divided into the following 15 categories: Authors, Directors, Distributors, Education, Exhibition, Festivals & Markets, Media, Others, Participants in Euromed Activities, Production, Professional Associations, Public Institutions, Sales and Television. Information is searchable by country, category or contact name. The database is a useful tool to learn about media contacts in the area, interested in Euromed cooperation. You can have access to it on: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.169.news.en.3692.html

A new Eco-innovation Call for 2008 by Life Programme is open as of April 21 to all legal persons based in 27 EU Member States, Israel and Turkey. Applications from SMEs are particularly encouraged. The total financial resources available are to the tune of 28 million euros and the deadline for submission of proposals is September 11, 2008. This year's Call focuses on Eco-friendly materials recycling, buildings, food & drink, greening business & smart purchasing. LIFE is the EU’s financial instrument supporting environmental and nature conservation projects throughout the EU, as well as in some candidate, acceding and neighbouring countries. For further information see http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/ecoinnovation/funding_en.htm

A new training manual and resource kit inform media practitioners about how to examine sustainable development priorities and the best ways to respond. The manual, published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Thomson Foundation, has three sections. The first part covers issues on climate change, forests and fisheries, fresh water, biodiversity and pollution; the second is on the idea of sustainable development; and the last section takes a glimpse into the future, imagining what people would have to give up to accelerate gains for “sustainable” living. A DVD containing films and audio clips and a CD-ROM of information resources is also included. To learn more visit: www.unesco.org/webworld/en/media-partners-education

CREAM, an EC-funded initiative in Turkey to promote Public Private Partnerships, is holding a conference in Ankara on 29 April entitled MasterPPPlan Turkey 2008. Turkey, like many countries in the region, is making the transformation from a centrally planned or mixed economy to market-based economy, and attempting to devise effective regulations to manage and govern this change. This is especially important in the critical areas of infrastructure service delivery and public/private utilities management in the energy, water, transportation etc., sectors where sustainability is particularly important. PPPs have been much discussed in the SMAP III TA activities with BusinessMed (regional) and Sustainable Banking (Lebanon).
For full information about the conference, please visit: http://www.cream-europe.eu/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=104

The Marine Environment Protection (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) at its 57th Session (in London from 31st March – 4th April 2008), has adopted an MEPC resolution establishing the date on which the MARPOL Annex V (Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships) special area regulations shall take effect in the Mediterranean Sea.

MEPC decided that the discharge requirements for special areas of MARPOL Annex V shall take effect, for the Mediterranean Sea, on 1st May 2009. Consequently, for all ships, as from 1st May 2009, disposal into the Mediterranean Sea of the following is prohibited: all plastics, including but not limited to synthetic ropes, synthetic fishing nets and plastic garbage bags; and all other garbage, including paper products, rags, glass metal, bottles, crockery, dunnage, lining and packing materials.

The adoption of the resolution follows the notification at the same MEPC session by Albania, Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey, representing States bordering the Mediterranean Sea special area, that adequate reception facilities for garbage are provided in all the relevant ports within the region. For more information, click: http://www.unepmap.org/index.php?module=news&action=detail&id=32

The second meeting of the MEDA water regional programme will be held in Marrakech from April 28 to 30. The meeting will discuss the impact and results of various projects. Organisations from Mediterranean Partner Countries not participating in the MEDA Water Projects but falling within the scope of the workshops, will be invited to present their experiences. The MEDA Water Programme, funded through the EU’s Regional Programme, got underway in 2003 with a €40 million budget. For more information, visit: http://www.medawater-rmsu.org/meetings/2nd_MWP_conference.htm

Established four years ago during the third Session of the World Conservation Congress in Thailand, the award will go to a conservation professional with outstanding contributions to conservation of nature and natural resources. The winner will be announced at the upcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, 5-14 October. The deadline is 30 June 2008. For more information, visit: http://cms.iucn.org/news_events/events/congress/index.cfm?uNewsID=805

If the EU does not take urgent action against the lack of water in the Mediterranean region, the agriculture sector of the area will disappear in a few years causing a chain reaction that will increase the impact of climate change in the whole of Europe. This was one of the main conclusions of the public hearing organised on April 16 by Member of European Parliament Cristina Gutiérrez-Cortines. The hearing tried to find ways on how to cope with the scarcity of water resources in the context of global warming, with the support of the European Water Forum and the Europe Near East Forum. Gutiérrez-Cortines called for "urgent measures" to be taken at EU level because "a decrease or withdrawal of agriculture activities due to the lack of water will reduce the EU's capacity to produce quality foodstuffs - fruit, vegetables, wine, olive oil - and will weaken it's capacity to absorb CO2 emissions due the disappearance of the green cover of the Mediterranean region". For more, visit: http://www.epp-ed.eu/Press/showpr.asp?PRControlDocTypeID=1&PRControlID=7301&PRContentID=12747&PRContentLG=en

The Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) will hold its fourth conference in Tunis on May 5. The conference, entitled "Microfinance in the Mediterranean: What impact?" is organized by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Sanabel, the network of Arab microfinance institutions. The topic of the meeting is seen as a priority sector for economic development and growth as well as for active solidarity in the region. This FEMIP Conference will take place on 5 May and will precede the 5th Annual Conference of Sanabel to be held from 6-8 May in Tunis. For more information, visit: http://www.eib.org/projects/events/4th-femip-conference,-tunis.htm

The ninth international conference on dry land development will be held in Alexandria, Egypt, from November 7 to 10, 2008. The conference titled "Sustainable Development in the Drylands - Meeting the Challenge of Global Climate Change" is organized by the International Dryland Development Commission (IDDC) and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The participants will examine the probable impact of global climate change on the natural resources and the agricultural productivity of dry area ecosystems. They will also exchange information and possible ways to enhance the resilience of these systems through adaptation and mitigation strategies. The conference, is sponsored by the Arid Land Research Center (ALRC) of Tottori University, Japan; the Agricultural Research Center (ARC) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Egypt; the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China; the Desert Research Institute (DRI), Nevada, USA; the FAO; the ICARDA; the Japanese Agency for International Cooperation (JAICA); Japan's International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS); the UNESCO; the UNCCD; and other national and international organizations. To participate, visit: http://www.icarda.org/Announcement/2008/9th-IDDC/9th-IDDC_FirstAnn.htm

Algeria will host the 4th edition of the international exhibition of equipment and services for water (SIEE Pollutec, "rendez-vous") from 19 to 22 May 2008. SIEE Pollutec 2008 SIEE is organized by Reed Exhibitions France and Mediaedge, in partnership with the Algerian Ministry of Water Resources. More than 4000 people are expected to participate in the exhibition, which will gather for the 4th consecutive year Algerian decision makers in the water sector, agencies and state enterprises as well as major international operators, equipment suppliers and service providers in the areas of water treatment, wastewater treatment, water supply, the treatment of industrial pollution, analysis, measurement, control and irrigation. For more information, visit: http://www.siee-pollutec.com/en/index.php

The second international conference on integrated coastal management in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea will be held in Akyaka, Turkey, from October 14 to 18, 2008.
The conference is organized by the Ankara-based MEDCOAST which aims to contribute to coastal and marine conservation in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea through improved coastal management practices. Submission of abstracts is open until May 31, 2008. For more information about the conference, visit: http://www.medcoast.org.tr

The Dean of the Mass Communication Faculty at Cairo University announced organizing a week for environmental causes from 13 to 17 April 2008. The students will participate in face-lifting the building of the faculty and planting trees in the campus during the week, the dean said. Among other activities, a lecture and a book exhibition will be held with the aim of raising environmental awareness. To read the story in Arabic, click: http://www.ahram.org.eg/Index.asp?CurFN=nday5.htm&DID=9547

A newly-released study assessed the possibility of preventing pollution in the Mediterranean through investments addressing hot spots. The study, launched by the European Investment Bank (EIB), refers to the need for a Mediterranean Hot Spot investment programme (MeHSIP) and identifies 44 bankable projects under the MeHSIP. The MeHSIP programme, according to the study, aims to support the Horizon 2020 initiative and its partner countries covered by the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), namely, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine Authority, Syria and Tunisia. For more information, visit: http://smap.ew.eea.europa.eu/news/horizon-2020-final-report-elaboration

Youth from countries north the Mediterranean and Turkey are invited to apply for a 10-day training course on environment in the Mediterranean on a sailboat in July 2008. The course, held under the title "Protecting the Mediterranean environment: youth can make the difference!" is organized by SALTO-YOUTH EuroMed Resource Centre and the national agencies for Youth in Action Programme from Greece and Cyprus. The deadline for applying is the 3rd of May 2008. For more information, click: http://www.salto-youth.net/Euromedenvironment

Algeria surpassed the United Nations millennium goals in the sector of water development, said a report by the Algerian al-Massa newspaper. The government's support for the drinking water sector will even increase by 2009 when it receives several ground establishments that would help improve production capacity and per capita quota, the report quoted government sources as saying. For more information, read the following article: http://www.el-massa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5150&Itemid=41

Dubai Industrial City, a member of Tatweer, and the region's premier destination for the manufacturing sector, highlighted its best practices in the field of quality, health, safety and the environment (QHSE), along with the Kuwaiti-based National Projects Holding Company, at the Kuwait Waste Management Conference and Exhibition 2008, the region's largest gathering of government, municipal and private sector professionals.

Held under the patronage of Moussa Hussein Al-Sarraf, Kuwait's Minister of Public Works and State Minister of Municipal Affairs, the event, from 7-9 April, served as a platform for leading waste management professionals from Kuwait, KSA, UAE, Libya, Oman, Sudan and USA to exchange ideas and information on international waste and recycling methods.

For more information, visit: http://www.wam.org.ae/servlet/Satellite?c=WamLocEnews&cid=1200074031639&p=1135099400295&pagename=WAM%2FWamLocEnews%2FW-T-LEN-FullNews

Israel hosted the 2nd OECD Workshop on Sustainable Materials Management in Tel Aviv from April 7 to 9, 2008. It will be followed by the 11th Meeting of the OECD Working Group on Waste Prevention and Recycling on April 10 and 11. The meetings, held in the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv, provided Israel with an opportunity to showcase its environmental activities in these fields, while learning from the experience of others. For more, visit: http://www.environment.gov.il/bin/en.jsp?enPage=e_BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=Object&enDispWho=News^l4017&enZone=e_news

A Euromed Ministerial Conference on water will be organized in Jordan the 29 October 2008 under the French Presidency of the European Union and the Euro Mediterranean Partnership.
The meeting follows a proposal by the last conference of the water directors of the Euro-Mediterranean and Southeastern European countries held in Bled (Slovenia), in December 2007. The Euromed ministers will aim in Jordan to prepare a long-term strategy on water in the region. Also, to involve all stakeholders, a day dedicated to civil society will be held on the eve of the ministerial conference.
Further information is available on: http://www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/events/sev786321

The first formal talks meant to replace the Kyoto climate change pact will continue in Thailand until April 4, 2008 with the aim of defeating the phenomenon of global warming.
Speaking to 1000 delegates from 163 countries via a video address, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon said "the world is waiting for a solution that is long-term and economically viable".
The five-day round of talks comes after an agreement in Bali last year to start talks in order to replace Kyoto that binds 37 countries to cut gas emissions by an average of five percent by 2012.
To read the article, visit: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=26149&Cr=climate&Cr1=change

A capacity building workshop on “Energy Efficient Buildings and Green Cities: Success Factors and Policy/Planning Tools”, will be held in Jordan, on April 16-17. The workshop is organized by the EU-funded project Euro-Mediterranean Co-operation in the Energy Sector (MED-ENEC). Expert participants from both shores of the Mediterranean will outline their views and experiences on the integration of energy efficiency in buildings and urban planning. For more information, visit: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.169.news.en.3503.html

The EuroMed Info Centre, an EU-funded Regional Information and Communication project on the European and Mediterranean partnership, highlighted in a new feature story the role of cooperation between the public and private sector in building sustainable energy projects in Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. The feature entitled “Cooperation boosts sustainable energy development - Public-private sector projects the key to the progress in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia” is available in English, French and Arabic. To read it, visit: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.361.news.en.2726.html

The continued dumping of untreated or partially treated sewage into rivers and streams is the number one source of dangerous pollution in Israel, a report by the Humanitarian News and Analysis network IRIN, an affiliate of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, quoted the Ministry for Environmental protection as saying.

Municipalities are responsible for sewage treatment, but high costs of treating sewage and building new treatment plants have prompted many local councils to dump the sewage wherever they can, ministry officials added.

In 2007 alone, over 40 Israeli beaches were contaminated due to overflow of sewage systems, harming delicate marine life in places like Eilat on the Red Sea.

The River Jordan, mentioned in the Bible and considered by many a holy site, has also not escaped pollution. “Sewage that has only undergone basic treatment is dumped into the southern Jordan river turning it into a sewage pipe,” said Hillel Glasman of the Israeli Parks and Nature Reserves Authority.
For more information, visit http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77514

Jordan's Princess Sumaya University for Technology launched a master's degree in environmental technology recently. The curriculum announced aims at ameliorating the environmental performance in Jordan and bridging the gap between economy and environment. To read more, visit: http://www.sdnp.jo/NewsShow.aspx?newsId=458
or visit the university's website: http://www.psut.edu.jo