Green Environment Consultants – About Us

GREEN is a professional partnership providing diverse specialised consulting and management services in environmentand sustainable development. Its clientele include governments,local and regional authorities, donor agencies, international organizations, civil and non-governmental bodies, multi-national corporations and the business/private sector community.
GREEN, initially formed by the grouping of a number of firms and consulting houses, and today comprising several specialised entities, brings together a team of experts and professionals that have been working together throughout the world for over twenty years with in-depth expertise in all aspects related to environment and sustainable development. GREEN’s experts, consultants and full-time staff number more than three hundred people, utilizing state-of-the-art methodologies, technologies and equipment and adapting them to local needs, conditions and resources wherever they work. The diversity and experience of GREEN and its staff has enabled it to act as a channel of technology, expertise and solutions between various countries and cultures, allowing it to positively and effectively contribute to development.
GREEN is closely affiliated with several reputable companies and firms in most regions of the world that together offer cuttingedge services, technologies and solutions. In addition, GREEN is closely linked to the academic and research community, as well as several universities around the globe, expanding its valuable research and development resources. Coupled with GREEN’s well-equipped mobile facilities, this adds up to enable GREEN to provide its clientele with the optimum solutions, both technically and financially, efficiently and effectively, on-time anywhere around the globe.

 

This piece is taken from the website of the Green Environment Consultants.

See on-line at: https://muslimenvironment.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php

Arab Water Council – The Arab Water Council Is Launched

May 12,2004

April 14, 2004 is a key day in the history of water in the Arab World . It marked the meeting of

great gathering of experts, scientists, practitioners, politicians, decision makers and the public

who are having interest in water issues. One decision stood out from all the debates and

discussions is the establishment of the

society organization.

The Arab Water Council primary tasks are to deal with the water challenges facing the Arab

world in the 21

efficiently for the benefits of the inhabitants of the twenty countries in the Arab States region.

The Arab States Region is facing the most critical water related challenges emanating from

intrinsic and internal causes, which are manifested in:

Arab Water Council as a voluntary, not -for-profit, civilst century and develop ways and means to deal with them effectively and•

resources in the region.

Continuously rising water scarcity due to the shortages of natural renewable water•

Dependencies on river and ground waters shared with countries outside the region.•

reduced rates of rural employment and agriculture development opportunities.

Erosion of capacity to provide food and secure it for future generations and continual•

pollution control and lack of wastewater treatment standards and facilities.

Deterioration of quality of surface and ground waters at alarming levels due to weak•

population, thus affecting their health, quality of life, and their standards of living.

Lack of access to clean drinking water and adequate sanitation for the majority of the•

technology, modern management, and contemporary know-how.

Low level of indigenous water technology and reliance on imported equipment,•

local water policies and programs.

Absence of regional approach, common vision, and coherence in regional, national, and•

to fill in the gap.

Globalization of issues in trade, economics, and political aspects are not necessarily protecting

the vulnerable. The asymmetry is manifesting itself in many facets affecting water resources

management, access, uses, and security for present and future generation of population in the

region. The Region finds itself invariably always at the disadvantaged position with respect of

the following factors:

Inability of the public sector to cope with the challenges and failure of the private sector•

Food trade and agricultural subsides;•

The growth of virtual water concept;•

and growing concerns on trans-boundary water conflicts;

2

Non-ratification of the United Nations convention on non-navigational use of water•

Privatization of water and role of multinational firms;•

agencies;

Declining financial resources for water development from IFI and external support•

Global tendencies towards coordinated water and agricultural policies;•

The

The Arab Water Council endeavors to promote better understanding and

management of the water resources in the Arab States in a multi-disciplinary,

non-political, professional and scientific manner; to disseminate knowledge,

enhance sharing of experience and information for the rational and comprehensive

water resources development of the region for the benefits of its inhabitants.

The Arab Water Council is being formed based on the following

Potential disputes on shared and transboundary waters.mission of the Arab Water Council is:guiding principles:•

Inclusivity to cover the broadest range of stakeholder as members and driving forces.•

members and the society it serves.

Openness and transparency to ensure accountability and responsiveness to the needs of•

adequate checks and balances for the majority and minorities.

Democratic governance to ensure fair representation and equity of power sharing with•

organization reflect solely those of the region without undue influence from other sources.

The common public good must rein very high.

Independence from centralized powers at the global level so that the interests of the•

sectors, users and country borders without compromising the national integrity and

sovereignty of any country.

Applying the integrated approach to water management that transcends the boundaries of•

region.

The

1. Influence decision-making process, policy formulation, and strategic

orientation for better water management in the region.

2. Represent the regional views at international and global fora dealing with

issues of political, institutional, legal, and financial nature, transfer of

knowledge, conceptual development of policies, strategies and plans of

actions related to water resources and its uses.

3. Advocate the rational and comprehensive water management to ensure

efficient, effective, and equitable utilization of available water resources and

technologies for the benefits of the inhabitants of the region.

4. Advise the public, private, and voluntary sectors on undertakings,

development, planning, design, operation, and maintenance of water systems

at regional, national, and local levels.

5. Assure the appropriate participation of the stakeholders in decision-making

processes and equitable sharing of the benefits of water development.

“ The time has come for the Arab World to take on the initiative and the full responsibility

for its vital water resources. The time has gone when such matters were relegated to

3

international institutions and foreign organizations “declared Dr Mahmoud Abu-Zeid the

President of the Arab Water Council. Dr. Abu-Zeid concluded that ” The lessons learned

from the era of rapid global changes are that the best position is self-reliance and the best

decisions are those made from within the region by its people to the benefits of its

inhabitants. We do not lack the will or the good intentions nor we lack the ability,

knowledge or the justification to for the creation of the Arab Water Council “. He noted that

experience of other regions and organizations will be given careful considerations in the

formative stages of the Arab Water Council.

An interim Secretariat has been established in Cairo and can be contacted at :

Respect for global conventions, national laws, and traditional and cultural heritage of themain objectives of the Arab Water Council are to:secretariat@arabwatercouncil.org

For more update information visit our web site, under construction, at :

http://www.arabwatercouncil.org

This piece is taken from the website of the Arab Water Council.

See on-line at: http://www.arabwatercouncil.org/administrator/Modules/CMS/AWCLaunched-Eng.pdf

The Arab Water Academy (AWA)

The Arab Water Academy is a specialized institute established to articulate, design and implement new training initiatives to enhance capacity building in the water sector. The Academy is a significant investment in the human capital of decision makers, professionals and scientists working in the water sector and associated fields.

By providing a venue for the implementation of world-class training programs in an atmosphere of academic excellence, the Academy builds the capacity of the water management and planning sectors throughout the Arab region and beyond.

How was the Academy established?

The Academy is the brainchild of the Cairo-based Arab Water Council (AWC). Recognizing the need for new approaches in learning and knowledge sharing within the water sector of the Arab region, the Council’s governing body and specialized committees worked hard and long to set up the Academy.

Assisting the Council in this strategic endeavour were the two institutions selected to host the Academy. One of these was the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), which made a successful bid to AWC to host the Academy with support from the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), an agency of the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ICBA, which helps water-scarce countries improve the productivity, social equity and environmental sustainability of water use, places special emphasis on saline and marginal quality water within the context of integrated water resource management (IWRM).

In order to establish an innovative program in water management training and field application, another important partner was needed. This was Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), an arm of the government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. EAD’s expertise in water and environmental issues was an important consideration when selecting a suitable venue for the Academy, which is located in Abu Dhabi.

The Academy, formally created in December 2007 during the third meeting of the AWC in Dubai, UAE, became operational in 2008. Initial financial support for the Academy was provided by both EAD and the World Bank. However, it is expected that many regional and international donors will provide additional support in the years to come.

 

What is the Academy mission?

The Academy addresses the daunting challenges posed by the deteriorating water supply throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with a two-pronged approach:

• Enhance human capacity for water strategies and policies related to integrated water resource management beyond conventional education and training provided by other institutions.
• Support active implementation of the learning process so that water management in the Arab world can better meet the needs of societies.

Where does the Academy work?

The Academy is hosted by EAD at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Logistical and technical support are available from ICBA, which maintains an office in Abu Dhabi as well as its headquarters in Dubai. Importantly, many of the Academy’s training modules are conducted in various Arab countries in addition to the UAE. Although the Academy focuses on delivering its products and services to the Arab region first and foremost, it may gradually expand its scope to include other regions of the world.

How is the Aacademy work organized?

 

The work program of the Academy consists of intensive professional and innovative learning modules of 1- or 2-week duration with follow-up in the form of continuous learning modules through virtual knowledge communities. More specifically, the learning program includes eight options to meet a range of learning needs.

: learn-by-doing mode working with scientists (2-6 months).

• Intensive, short-term professional courses using the business school model. This approach will allow for in-depth analysis of salient institutional and technical issues within the case study framework.
• Internships
• Affiliations with universities provide opportunities for students to conduct graduate field research on strategic issues. These include studies leading to an MBA degree in water management, understanding the political economy of water management and sharing findings of case studies with university faculties and students.
• Real-time interactive knowledge-sharing events using modern IT and e-tools.
• Virtual knowledge communities that address strategic issues affecting the sector, including regional concern and cross-boundary water management.
• On-demand change management and coaching services.
• A virtual marketplace for new knowledge and expertise through an internet-based system and strong links with regional and national water centres.
• Partnerships with regional radio and television to use unutilized broadcasting channels for the transmission of knowledge to broader audiences in societies through ‘edu-training’ programs (ie, talk shows, games, competitions and the like).

 

The Academy’s learning program is decentralized according to topics, facilities, training expertise, logistics and interests through strong partnerships with universities and specialized national water programs in coordination with national and regional research and training institutes. A networking approach will facilitate this decentralization and promote regional interchanges of knowledge and expertise.

What are the challenges the Academy faces?

Despite significant diversity of landscape and climate, few of the region’s countries can meet current water demand. Thus, as both the region’s economies and its population structures undergo change over the next few decades, demand for water supply and irrigation services will change accordingly, as will the need to address industrial and urban use.

Additionally, some 60% of the region’s water flows across international borders, necessitating careful cross-border policy analysis.

These challenges facing the water sector necessitate the establishment of modern, interdisciplinary learning programs aimed at building human capacity in the region. The Arab Water Academy has become a reality in order to effectively deal with these issues.

These challenges include understanding the changing trends in water supply (both quality and quantity), dealing with growing urban populations, meeting the need for increased accountability, protecting the environment and monitoring the shifting roles of agriculture and rural development in national economies.

 

Who does the Academy work with?

 

The Academy works in close partnership with professionals from various Arab countries. The implementation of the learning program will be the responsibility of the executive management of AWA.

 

An Executive Committee and the Board of the AWA will oversee the activities of the Academy.

This piece is taken from the website of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture.

See on-line at: http://www.biosaline.org/Default.aspx?NewsId=13