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Continuing Mideast Conflict takes “terrible toll” on MENA economies
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The World Bank Group said its October 2024 edition of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Economic Update came out at a pivotal time for the region where continuing conflict is causing profound suffering.
“The conflict is taking a terrible toll on human lives, societies, and economies, and has repercussions that go well beyond those areas directly affected,” according to the report titled Growth in the Middle East and North Africa.
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Water diplomacy: A strategic imperative for the Middle East
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With limited natural water resources, changing climate and a growing population, the Kingdom faces a challenge in securing its water needs.
And while some governments, even in the water-scarce MENA region, continue to treat water as a technical matter, sidelining the necessary political discussions that are crucial to addressing the underlying tensions, there is a growing recognition in Jordan that water must be treated as a strategic issue, not just a technical one.
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World fails first review of COP renewable energy goal
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That’s the stark warning the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) delivered Friday at the final ministerial meeting ahead of next month’s United Nations climate summit in Azerbaijan, known as COP29, where financing for climate action will take center stage.
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Completion of world’s first 1-km skyscraper in sight
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The JEC Tower in Saudi Arabia will become the first building in the world to reach a height of 1 km (0.62 miles)
We now have a completion date for what will be the world’s tallest skyscraper – and it’s coming sooner than you might think. The amazing structure is expected to be finished by 2028 and will rise to a mind-boggling height of 1,007 m (3,303 ft) in Saudi Arabia.
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Modular renewables can reduce the costs of relying on carbon capture
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.The most important international climate conference is around the corner. COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan will be especially important because next year countries will submit their five-yearly national climate plans – or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – as set out under the Paris Agreement.
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Is sustainable development possible?
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Striking a balance between resource extraction and environmental sustainability is essential for the continued existence of human societies and the risks of biodiversity loss must be accounted for in all resource extraction activities. At the same time, the need to protect the rights of all people — including Indigenous rights — remains paramount.
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Turkey’s plan to recycle more has made life hard for its informal waste pickers
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Turkey’s 500,000 or so informal waste pickers carry out around 80% of the recycling in the country. These workers, who are also known as çekçekçi, are essential for separating out waste in a country where this is rarely done at source.
But their lives are precarious. Most of them are unregistered, lack social security, and have no access to basic services such as healthcare. And now they find themselves affected by efforts that formalise Turkey’s waste management system.
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Rising Calls For Just Climate Finance to the MENA Region
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In this article, Earth.Org explores climate injustice in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), particularly in light of the inequality of climate finance flows to the region. This inequality aggravates the debt distress and stymies national efforts to phase out fossil fuel and accelerate low carbon development.
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The Future of Construction Technology
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The construction industry is going through a rapid transformation fueled by technological advances that promise to reshape how projects are planned, designed, and executed. From AI-driven project management tools to 3D printing and drone-assisted surveys, the next decade will see a wave of innovation aimed at increasing efficiency, decreasing costs, and enhancing the overall quality of construction.
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