Report guardian (UK): Smart businesses will act now to reduce their environmental impact

He said that the drinking water and sanitation sector suffered severe shortage due to the economic blockade imposed on Syria, affirming that cooperation with these organizations participated in obtaining a lot of operating and maintenance equipment.

Head of Organizations Management Department in the Ministry of Expatriates and Foreign Affairs, Abdul Moneim Annan pointed out that the current crisis in Syria has produced negative impacts on the Water Sector because the armed terrorist groups prevented the employees of the Water Resources and Health Ministries from reaching their work place, which caused some service centers to stop.

For his part, UNICEF representative in Syria Mark Ose hailed the work of the Water sector employees under the supervision of the Ministry of Water Resources and the participation of `Local Administration Ministry and Syrian Arab Red Crescent, affirming the commitment of UNICEF to support water sector in Syria.

The volunteers participating in the campaign planted 600 saplings of pine, palm, oak, jasmine and roses in the squares near a temporary housing center in the area.

The campaign also included an exhibition of paintings done by children staying in the center.

State Minister for Environmental Affairs Nazira Serkis said the State Ministry will work to improve environmental conditions in areas affected by terrorism.

In turn, Damascus Countryside Governor Hussein Khalloud said that the Governorate and the State Ministry are organizing a program on occasion of World Environment Day to check up on families in housing centers and involve them in environmental activities.

The 2013 theme for World Environment Day is "Think.Eat.Save." This theme aims to encourage individuals to limit wastage and losses in food and decrease the amount of food waste. In this framework, the State Ministry for Environmental Affairs is organizing campaigns and lectures and producing TV, radio and press material to raise awareness.

The developing countries, including Syria, spare no effort to take active measures to protect the environment being a collective responsibility regardless of the industrial countries' violations of the environment.

Syria's commitment to protecting the environment was marked through several achievements, including the establishment of the Ministry of State for Environment Affairs and signing various international laws and protocols related to the protection of the environment.

However, the western colonialist states have been supporting and arming their mercenaries who attacked the economic and environmental capabilities of Syria as they set fire to tens of oil wells in Syria to waste of the fortunes of the Syrian people in addition to inflicting harmful effects on the environment and biodiversity in Syria.

The Syrian Federation of Agriculture Chambers stressed that 26 kinds of local animals and plants have died out because of the practices of the mercenaries of the western countries.

A recent study issued by the Ministry of State for Environment Affairs revealed that in 2013 air contained higher rates of sulfur atoms and carbon dioxide which pose threats to the biodiversity and the ecological system of Syria due to the practices of the armed terrorist groups.

The green building code as set by Dubai Municipality has 79 regulations, out of which Al Fahidi Market has adopted 67 and applies each of them to their full capacity.

Eng Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality, announced that 210 shops have already been leased out at a cost of over Dh100 million.

The market was built at a cost of Dh50.5 million across an area of 27,000 square metres, and is located at Al Souk Al Kabeer area in Bur Dubai. Officials noted that it resembles Souq Naif in Deira in terms of its traditional architecture, with a combination of the traditional and modern.

The Ministerial Conference will focus on uses of water for agricultural purposes, food crops and food security, to address climate change and drought through the ITPGR. “Water and drought are increasingly critical issues for plant genetic resources and food production in numerous regions, so we hope that the Ministerial Conference in Oman will allow ministers to discuss concrete actions on how to sustain food security and crop production under drought conditions and under the impact of climate change on smallholder farmers," said ITPGR Secretary Shakeel Bhatti. GB Chair Javad Mozafari (Iran) indicated that the Ministerial Conference is an important opportunity to draw attention to the major issues directly concerning the Near East region.

GB 5 will address a range of issues including implementation of the Treaty's Multilateral System (MLS) of access and benefit-sharing (ABS), the funding strategy and farmers' rights.
http://biodiversity-l.iisd.org/news/oman-to-host-ministerial-conference-on-water-and-the-itpgr/
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26 sep (Yemen)

منظمة حماة البيئة تدعو لاستقبال رمضان بدون اطارات مشتعلة وتحذر من خطورتها

دعت منظمة حماة البيئة والتنمية المستدامة المواطنين إلى استقبال شهر رمضان لهذا العام بدون حرق الإطارات.

واكد رئيس المنظمة الدكتور اسماعيل محرم أن أعمال حرق الإطارات ظاهرة دخيله على المجتمع اليمني , وتؤثر على البيئة وعلى صحة المواطن.

موضحا أن الأدخنة الناتجة من الإطارات المشتعلة تحتوي على العديد من الغازات السامة التي تؤدي إلى الكثير من الأمراض وتؤثر على البيئة المحيطة.

وأشار الدكتور محرم الى أن التجارب العلمية أثبتت أن حرق إطار واحد ينتج عنه ملوثات تعادل أضعاف ما ينفث ويخرج من مداخن المصانع , وان تلك الادخنة تحتوي على أكسيد النتروجين إضافة إلى نسبة كبيرة من العناصر الثقيلة والسامة كالرصاص والزرنيخ وغيرها من المواد السامة التي تؤثر على الصحة العامة والبيئة.
http://www.26sep.net/news_details.php?sid=92946
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ENVIRONMENT NEWS FROM THE

25 June 2013

25 June 2013