 Neither the End of Pandemics nor the Last of Wars |
|
Najib Saab
May 2023
The world has faced massive crises in the last few years, starting with the Corona pandemic, which the World Health Organization declared weeks ago no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, to the ongoing war in Ukraine. |
|
| Collaboration in the Shadow of Conflicts |
|
Najib Saab
May 2023
The need for Arab cooperation in times of war and peace was behind the establishment of the League of Arab States in 1945, preceding the European Union and most other regional groups in the world by decades. |
|
| Changing Lifestyle to Preserve Life |
|
Najib Saab
April 2023
The solution to addressing the problem of depletion and exhausting natural resources has traditionally been to search for new resources, by adopting innovative technological methods. |
|
| E-Fuels for German Racing Highways |
|
Najib Saab
April 2023
The German car industry succeeded in amending the European Union's plan to ban the sale of cars running on internal combustion engines by 2035. |
|
| A Ministry is not an NGO |
|
Najib Saab
April 2023
An environment minister once told me: "We are the Ministry of Environment, so we don't deal in politics." |
|
| Climate and the Culture of Fear |
|
Najib Saab
March 2023
The report issued a few days ago by the international scientific body advising the United Nations on climate change brought nothing new, except for confirming what has been known for years: that the climate is changing faster than expected, and the impact will be multiplied should there be no prompt practical plan. |
|
| Laws that regulate not obstruct |
|
Najib Saab
March 2023
Protecting the environment begins with the rational management of natural resources. |
|
| Oil for Climate Action |
|
Najib Saab
February 2023
The appointment of Sultan Al Jaber to lead the 28th climate summit this year unleashed criticism of some Western media, especially in Britain, and fueled skepticism among environmental activists. |
|
| Reforming Regimes Must Precede Greening |
|
Najib Saab
February 2023
A recent international report placed Lebanon among top countries that have made progress in switching to solar energy to produce electricity, by increasing capacity exponentially within three years. |
|
| Organization of Nickel Exporting Countries? |
|
Najib Saab
January 2023
The Future Minerals Forum, recently held in Riyadh, carries important connotations in a capital that usually hosts energy conferences, as the largest oil exporting country in the world. |
|
| Wasting Environment and Development Aid Continues |
|
Najib Saab
January 2023
A former senior official at an international organization reminded me, when we met recently, of an article I wrote in 2000, entitled 'EU Follows UN in Wasting Development Aid.' |
|
| A Year of Environmental Hopes and Disappointments |
|
Najib Saab
December 2022
Environmental action in 2022 culminated in an image of the self-congratulatory applause of heads of delegations and international organizations, on what they called a "historic deal", at the conclusion of the 15th meeting of the biodiversity convention (COP 15) held in Montreal. |
|
| COPs From Trivial to Essential |
|
Najib Saab
December 2022
As soon as the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (COP 27) concluded, preparations for future climate summits were underway, as if the matter was a mere accumulation of conferences. |
|
| Climate, a Step Forward |
|
Najib Saab
December 2022
Now that the dust of the climate battles in Sharm El-Sheikh has settled, it is time for a levelheaded assessment that helps draw lessons and morals. |
|
| Did the Climate Summit Succeed? |
|
Najib Saab
November 2022
By the time the climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh concludes, the outcomes will be classified under metaphors, ranging from failure and weakness to glorious victory. |
|
| Summit of Implementation or Postponement? |
|
Najib Saab
November 2022
After long rounds of negotiations following the Climate Summit in Glasgow last year, world leaders will meet tomorrow in Sharm El-Sheikh at the 27th summit (COP27). |
|
| Between Nuclear Power and Hydrogen |
|
Najib Saab
October 2022
The quest to meet national commitments to reduce carbon emissions, and the instability facing energy markets, have brought the option of nuclear energy back in circulation, as it is carbon-free and can produce uninterrupted electricity. |
|
| Who Will Foot the Bill in Sharm El-Sheikh? |
|
Najib Saab
October 2022
The world meets at the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Summit in less than a month, overwhelmed by worries and conflicting concerns. |
|
| Yemen Tanker Joins Climate on the Brink of Disaster |
|
Najib Saab
September 2022
The persistent delay in addressing the issue of the aging supertanker Safer, used as a floating storage and offloading vessel, which threatens unprecedented pollution in the Red Sea region, proves that the world often does not learn from past experience. |
|
| Message from the "Old Continent" |
|
Najib Saab
September 2022
Some Arab politicians and journalists have been frequently using the term "old continent" recently, often in the context of mocking Europe's current troubles. |
|
| From Disaster Management to Resource Management |
|
Najib Saab
August 2022
The phrase "unprecedented" has become a common description in the past years, in media reports about natural disasters such as forest fires, droughts and floods. |
|
| Environment Criminal Court |
|
Najib Saab
August 2022
Should demanding the establishment of an Environmental Criminal Court be considered a step too far, then it might be necessary to review this stance based on the facts, which prove that environmental crimes are expanding more rapidly than other types of organized crimes, and are generating profits of over 300 billion dollars annually. |
|
| Wildfires and Conspiracy Theories |
|
Najib Saab
July 2022
Some extreme skeptics of environmental devastation and climate change have developed a hobby of seizing opportunities to interpret reports and events to suit their own distorted illusions. |
|
| Climate Driven by War |
|
Najib Saab
July 2022
The war in Ukraine revealed the sensitivity of climate agreements to wars and major geopolitical developments, especially if they affect food and energy supplies and plunge the global economy into recession. |
|
| Compromises Make Agreements |
|
Najib Saab
July 2022
As in politics and economics, so in environment and climate; it is compromises that allow for reaching major agreements, where facts are intertwined, interests are diverged and options are conflicting. |
|
| Desertification cannot wait for climate |
|
Najib Saab
June 2022
The fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, garnered little publicity. |
|
| Which Price Levels Good for Climate and OPEC? |
|
Najib Saab
June 2022
Despite the frenzied talk about the huge rise in oil prices, what the market is witnessing is not a novelty, as prices have reached higher levels in the past, based on political, military and economic developments. |
|
| Environmental Dialogue Above Lac Leman |
|
Najib Saab
May 2022
Discussions with representatives of countries and international organizations at Palais des Nations (Palace of Nations) in Geneva reveal divergences, almost to the point of contradiction, on issues related to environment and development. |
|
| Managing the Lifecycle of Plastics |
|
Najib Saab
May 2022
The coronavirus outbreak brought back the plastic waste dilemma to the forefront. |
|
| UAE's Environmental Centennial |
|
Najib Saab
April 2022
Abu Dhabi recently pledged Environmental targets for the coming fifty years, in conjunction with the UAE Centennial in 2071, which was announced earlier to mark the creation of the state. |
|
| Time for Climate Engineering |
|
Najib Saab
April 2022
While talk of reducing carbon emissions responsible for climate change continues as if it were a problem for the future, scientists are working to devise solutions for current environmental challenges. |
|
| The polluter pays: Noble principle, but weakly implemented |
|
Najib Saab
March 2022
The "polluter pays" principle has been associated with the environmental movement since its inception, although its interpretation and mode of application remain ambiguous. |
|
| Environment Stumbling Between Pandemic and Invasion |
|
Najib Saab
March 2022
The corona pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine are two overwhelming events that will mark the twenty-first century with their impacts and repercussions. |
|
| The Environment We Want |
|
Najib Saab
March 2022
What environment do we want and what organization can lead international environmental action? |
|
| Will Australia Export Hydrogen and Import Carbon? |
|
Najib Saab
February 2022
The first shipment of liquefied hydrogen, which recently left Australia for Japan, heralded a new era in energy technology and trade. |
|
| Beyond Climate in 2022 |
|
Najib Saab
February 2022
Epidemics and climate change took center stage in 2021 while other issues essential to safeguard life on Earth took a back seat. |
|
| Climate Change: Bittersweet Choices
|
|
Najib Saab
January 2022
Those who were under the illusion that the transition to a green economy and cleaner production would be a simple matter, discovered upon implementation that the issue is complex, tantamount to fixing a problem only for a new one to arise. |
|
| Is Climate Change a Threat to Peace and Security? |
|
Najib Saab
January 2022
The United Nations concluded its 2021 environmental discourse with a resolution, endorsed by a majority of the General Assembly members, deeming climate change a threat to world peace and security. |
|
| Climate Profiteers |
|
Najib Saab
December 2021
Just as wars create a new social class of profiteers known as war profiteers, the battle against climate change will undoubtedly create a new class of disaster traders, whom we might call the climate profiteers. |
|
| A Green Germany Elected By Youth |
|
Najib Saab
December 2021
Transition to a Green Economy is the broad motto of Germany's new three-party coalition, led by Social Democrats, which takes the helm next week |
|
| Glasgow not Last Chance but Door to Opportunities |
|
Najib Saab
November 2021
Climate Summit (COP26) enters its second week with global consensus on one matter: that climate is already changing at a dangerous pace due to human activities |
|
| Peace Treaty with Nature |
|
Najib Saab
October 2021
When the Glasgow Climate Summit kicks off in a week, all eyes will be on what new commitments world leaders will make to cut carbon emissions and finance climate change programs |
|
| New York Soft Dreams Crushed By Hard World Realities |
|
Najib Saab
October 2021
Those who thought that declaring new climate commitments, whether to cut emissions or increase finance, would suffice to resolve challenges, discovered that the issue was more complicated than that |
|
| Environment and Economy Can Converge |
|
Najib Saab
September 2021
US climate envoy John Kerry joined the ranks of environmental activists when he called for direct action that turns scientific research findings into policies and plans |
|
| Green Jobs For All Not Only For Report Authors |
|
Najib Saab
September 2021
Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa, sent a letter of thanks to the governments that have reported on their Nationally Determined Commitment (NDC) |
|
| Dana's Soil is More Precious than Gold, not just Copper |
|
Najib Saab
August 2021
Fear of failure is part of human nature. But what's surprising is that some people act as if they fear success, or fail to even recognize success |
|
| Climate Plans to the Beat of Disasters |
|
Najib Saab
August 2021
The new scientific evidence that catastrophic impacts of climate change are accelerating fast were not enough to garner general acceptance of the strong climate plan launched by the European Union last month |
|
| Reforming International Environment Programs |
|
Najib Saab
August 2021
Going through some old papers, I came across a letter from a former minister of environment, accompanied by a list containing dozens of projects and programs funded by international organizations |
|
| Water Security Beyond the Nile Dam |
|
Najib Saab
July 2021
The heated confrontation over the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam would suggest that it is the only source of danger to Egypt's water security |
|
| Corona is not an excuse for failure |
|
Najib Saab
July 2021
When the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) announced its annual meeting to discuss the repercussions of the coronavirus on its programs in the region, we expected to see a decline in the positive results that countries had achieved before the pandemic |
|
| A Race to Protect the Environment or Control Natural Resources? |
|
Najib Saab
June 2021
When US climate envoy John Kerry called to transform the science of climate change into policies and laws, he only got it half right, because setting public policies is not a simple matter |
|
| Corporate Climate Judgment Day |
|
Najib Saab
June 2021
The predicaments that have beleaguered some of the major global oil companies - in courts and within their own boardrooms - have proven beyond doubt that they will no longer be able to ignore the facts of science, rule of law and the pressure of public opinion |
|
| Will Space be the Next Waste Dump? |
|
Najib Saab
May 2021
After land and oceans, will space become the new waste dump? |
|
| Climate skeptics should find a new job |
|
Najib Saab
May 2021
With the launch of its green initiative, Saudi Arabia assumes a long-awaited role as a key player in environmental protection and climate change |
|
| Saudi Arabia's Quantum Leap to Green Era |
|
Najib Saab
April 2021
With the launch of its green initiative, Saudi Arabia assumes a long-awaited role as a key player in environmental protection and climate change |
|
| Environmental Lessons From the Netherlands Elections |
|
Najib Saab
March 2021
Electoral platforms of political parties typically cover topics such as the economy, employment, social benefits, taxes, education, scientific research, and foreign policy. However, the environment, climate change and sustainable development have recently become a staple of electoral platforms around the world |
|
| Towards Arab Green Recovery |
|
Najib Saab
March 2021
As a glimmer of light began to twinkle at the end of the pandemic tunnel, it became imperative for Arab countries to initiate long-term recovery plans |
|
| Adaptation a way to accelerate climate solution |
|
Najib Saab
February 2021
The UN Environment Assembly was virtually hosted last week by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya |
|
| Carbon Tax on Consumption? |
|
Najib Saab
February 2021
While the Chinese deputy prime minister was addressing the Climate Adaptation Summit hosted by the Netherlands last week, the Chinese president was concurrently addressing the Davos World Economic Forum, online |
|
| Clean Solar Panels From Polluting Coal Plants |
|
Najib Saab
January 2021
Listening to the statements at the annual assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), held in Abu Dhabi last week, one would think, at first glance, that the world has fully entered the era of clean energy and that the problem of carbon emissions has become a concern of the past |
|
| "Normal Weather"... No More |
|
Najib Saab
January 2021
The term normal temperature is becoming something of the past, and will soon disappear from weather forecasts |
|
| Towards Climate and Environmental Literacy in Arab Countries |
|
Najib Saab
January 2021
Literacy is a term that refers to the indoctrination of the basic principles of reading and writing, which is essential to secure proper communication among humans. However, climate and environmental literacy is a new concept, based in essence on stimulating good communication between humans and nature, as we cannot treat with love and respect, creatures and things that we do not understand |
|
| A vaccine for corona, but what about climate change? |
|
Najib Saab
December 2020
It is hoped that 2021 will enter history as the year that witnessed victory over the most grave health calamity of our times |
|
| Biden Resets Climate Policy
|
|
Najib Saab
November 2020
When President Donald Trump leaves the White House in two months, some executive orders that he issued will depart with him, especially with regard to climate change and the environment. In a column published four years ago, I described Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement as a transient act, whereas climate change is a continuing reality and established scientific fact. Even though Trump's arrogance has delayed international action to deal with climate change, his actions were not supported by other major players, none of which withdrew from the agreement. On the contrary, other partners consolidated their commitments.
|
|
| Health and environment in the time of corona |
|
Najib Saab
November 2020
Although the environment has always impacted human health and wellbeing, the interconnectedness between the two is especially highlighted now, with the world in the grip of the corona virus pandemic, which like many other viruses, is of animal origins. Given this context, the topic of the 13th annual 2020 report of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED), Health and the Environment in Arab Countries, is particularly timely and relevant, addressing the most prominent health challenges facing humanity.
|
|
| Urban forests for a moderate climate |
|
Najib Saab
September 2020
Heat waves sweeping across the globe have bigger effect in cities. Buildings of concrete and steel trap hot air and block circulation, while dark asphalt streets and stone pavements retain heat and cover natural soil, wiping trees and plant cover. Car engines also contribute to rising temperatures, alongside air conditioners, which cool on the inside while expelling hot air outside. All this causes hot air to be retained and "thermal islands" to develop in specific spots within cities. The temperature in these areas may exceed 10 degrees of what it is outside the city limits, or even in open and green spaces inside the city itself. |
|
| We got the money, where to invest it?
|
|
Najib Saab
September 2020
Contrary to what was expected, governments, central banks, international finance institutions and development funds have succeeded in attracting a surplus of liquidity to face the economic repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic. The money collected from markets, at historically low rates, exceeded all estimates. Worldwide, economic investments in national recovery plans are expected to exceed $20 trillion for the next 18 months.
|
|
| Save the earth before your beautiful hair |
|
Najib Saab
September 2020
Less than a week after the publication of figures on the unprecedented rise in global temperatures, a thermometer in Southern California's Death Valley soared to almost 55 degrees Celsius, according to the U.S. National Weather Service, the highest temperature recorded anywhere in the world in the past 100 years. Temperatures in Europe were also at their highest for several consecutive days, not only in the south of the continent, but also in the center and north of it. In parts of Europe, the temperature exceeded 37 degrees for a full week, and last year the Netherlands witnessed a temperature of over 40 degrees for the first time in history. While the temperature in Baghdad exceeded 51 degrees, in some areas of the Arctic the temperature even reached 38 degrees last June, leading to acceleration in the melting of ice. The detailed figures, published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US, showed that every decade in the past sixty years has witnessed a higher average temperature compared to the previous decade. |
|
| Do we need a new pact for the environment? |
|
Najib Saab
July 2020
Since the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment released its Stockholm Declaration in 1972, more than a thousand international agreements dealing with specific environmental issues have emerged. The question is: To what extent have these agreements led to environmental action, and do we need more of them? |
|
| How will the pandemic influence development goals? |
|
Najib Saab
June 2020
Can the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) still be achieved on time by the 2030 deadline?
The apparent answer is no, not only because priorities have shifted and resources will be diverted towards addressing other urgent matters, but also because achieving the SDGs successfully now requires new rules and methods. |
|
| The age of bicycles and internet |
|
Najib Saab
June 2020
When people went back to work in Geneva recently, breaking weeks of lockdown, they were surprised by unusually crowded roads. They first attributed that to an increase in the use of private cars, to avoid catching viruses due to close contact in public transport. However, they soon discovered that the congestion was actually due to allocating a lane of the road for bicycles. |
|
| Earth Resurrection Day |
|
Najib Saab
22 April 2020
On 22 April half a century ago, 20 million Americans took to the streets, demanding serious action to protect the environment and preserve nature. This uprising, which remains the largest mass event in the world, triggered changes far beyond the United States borders. Earth Day, as it has been named, became an annual event across 192 countries. |
|
| Trump is transient coincidence, climate change is lasting reality |
|
Najib Saab
June 2019
When I first met him 20 years ago, I did not notice that the veteran international banker had a particular interest in environment and climate change. |
|
 |
| | Saudi Arabia embraces green growth |
|
Najib Saab
27 May 2019
While the notion of green economy was met with resistance a few years ago, it is now a vibrant item on the Saudi agenda. Some members of the "old guard" considered embracing green economy principles as a Trojan horse to disguise certain climate change commitments, which they considered a threat to the oil economy. |
|
| Timid Arab response to climate crisis |
|
Najib Saab
May 2019
The global youth climate movement, which stormed the world over the last months, did not resonate in Arab countries. School strikes or public vigils didn't happen, and the response was limited to general support statements, issued by individuals and associations largely representing an older generation. Although they likely acted with good intentions, those environmental activists behaved as if they just wanted to join the trend by jumping on board a popular wagon. |
|
 |
| | Electricity is a prerequisite for electric cars |
|
Najib Saab
April 2019
In an attempt to reduce pollution caused by the transport sector, the Lebanese government recently announced incentives to promote electric and hybrid cars. The measures comprised full tax and tariff exemption for vehicles fully running on electric motors, and a slightly lower reduction in fees on hybrid cars running on both electricity and fuel. |
|
 |
| | Environment action urgent, stop being complacent |
|
Najib Saab
March 2019
Stop being complacent, show some urgency, and get real about implementing the goals you set in 2015 for achieving sustainable development. This unvarnished message is what Jock Martin of the European Environment Agency thought should be conveyed to world leaders, based on the findings of the sixth edition of Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6). |
|
 |
| | Climate between oil and meat, nations join the fight |
|
Najib Saab
February 2019
While oil-producing countries did not object, this time, to reducing carbon emissions by enhancing efficiency and introducing renewable and clean sources as a key element in the energy mix, beef-producing countries on the other hand resisted the slightest reference to the impact of their production and consumption on the environment and human health. |
|
 |
| | Why the Poland climate summit succeeded |
|
Najib Saab
January 2019
Despite all the hype and doomsday scenarios, the climate summit (COP 24) in Poland reaffirmed the commitment of countries to confront together a global dilemma that threatens everyone. The summit unanimously concluded with an arrangement that set practical steps to implement the Paris Agreement, in order to keep the global temperature rise “well below 2 degrees C.” True that they did not specifically commit to below 1.5 degrees as called for in the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which reflected scientific consensus; however, there was no fallback on the Paris commitments, and the process is moving toward 2020, the actual starting date for the implementation. This is also the time set for countries to make additional new commitments to reduce emissions. |
|
 |
| | Financing development based on human dignity |
|
Najib Saab
November 2018
Over the past 10 years, the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) reports have identified the state of Arab environment in all its aspects and proposed solutions that have contributed to endorsing numerous environmental policies in the region. |
|
 |
| | Silent Death |
|
Najib Saab
September 2013
As hundreds of tons of radioactive water were leaking from the wrecked Japanese Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant hit by the tsunami in 2011, thousands of people were being killed by chemical weapons on the outskirts of Damascus. |
|
 |
| | The nuclear power option in Arab countries |
|
Najib Saab
May 2013
The earthquake that struck the Iranian Bushehr province in April 2013 reminded us of the nuclear reactor at Bushehr, and raised concerns about possible radioactive leakages. Such fears were to be expected, just two years after the nuclear disaster caused by the tsunami in Fukushima. |
|
 |
| | Let's not plunder the future |
|
Najib Saab
December 2012
Demand for life-supporting goods and services in the Arab countries is twice the potential renewable resources that their ecosystem scan provide. This imbalance between domestic supply and demand for resources is a threat to future growth opportunities and quality of life. |
|
 |
|
