Adventures

  • Evapotranspiration a measure of vegetation cooling?

    According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), evaporation is when liquid water is converted to water vapour (vaporisation) and removed from the evaporating surface (vapour removal). Water evaporates from various surfaces, such as lakes, rivers, pavements, soils and wet vegetation. Simultaneously, transpiration is the vaporisation of liquid water in plant tissues and the vapour

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  • Nexus Thinking: Innovative Tools for Addressing Global Environmental Challenges

    The complexity and interdependency of today’s global development challenges demand an integrated framework for achieving a resilient, sustainable future. Building on systems thinking, the Nexus Approach goes beyond isolated problem-solving by acknowledging the inherent linkages between natural and human systems. This perspective not only clarifies trade-offs among sectors—such as water, energy, and food—but also highlights

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  • COP29: towards tangible financing

    The effects of climate change are increasingly evident in extreme weather events, melting ice caps, and unprecedented temperature spikes. Climate change is no longer a distant concept. During COP29, the urgent need for real, reliable financing has taken centre stage in the climate conversation. Governments and industries are under mounting pressure to mobilise resources that

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  • Smart Cities: Top Trends and Data Insights for 2024

    The personification of urban spaces seems to be a current trend. Today, we read about cities that are smart, resilient, inclusive, creative, and even learning. Zooming into the concept of smart cities, a first impression indicated that it initially revolves around advanced technology. How true is that? 

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  • Cloud Seeding and Transboundary Sky Waters: Navigating the Complexities of Atmospheric Resource Management in the Middle East

    The Middle East faces escalating water scarcity, prompting nations to adopt cloud seeding as a means to enhance precipitation. This practice, while potentially beneficial, introduces complex challenges, particularly concerning the transboundary nature of atmospheric water resources. This article examines the implications of cloud seeding within the framework of “Transboundary Sky Waters,” as proposed by Dezfuli…

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  • Adapting the Nature Repair Market for Saudi Arabia

    The concept of assigning and trading environmental protection and restauration efforts (Nature Repair Market) offers a unique opportunity to accelerate its sustainability and greening goals aligned with Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI). By tailoring the market’s framework to the Kingdom’s priorities, this innovative approach can deliver transformative results for biodiversity, environmental restoration,

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  • Biodiversity Financing: Insights from COP16 Conference

    Concerns around biodiversity are growing in a world where climate change is not a distant threat anymore but a reality. The international community is increasing its focus on biodiversity conservation. Convention on Biological Diversity The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), ratified by 196 countries, is one of three conventions established at the UN Rio Earth

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  • Greening Arabia 2024: Saudi Arabia’s Environmental Commitment

    Saudi Arabia’s “Greening Arabia 2024” Forum and Exhibition, scheduled from 2 to 13 December 2024 in Riyadh, aims to showcase the Kingdom’s commitment to environmental sustainability. This event aligns with the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) and the nation’s pledges made during COP16. However, a critical examination reveals challenges in these sustainability efforts. The “Greening Arabia

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  • How liveable is your city?

    The Global Liveability Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) publishes annual reports on liveability rankings to evaluate the living standards of various cities (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2012). This ranking is based on five categories, namely, stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. The Index uses 30 indicators to measure those five categories of…

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  • Understanding Geospatial ESG: Environmental, Social, and Governance Impacts

    Data poses a significant constraint across numerous fields of study, particularly those concerning environmental issues. Within the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework, the challenge of data availability, especially geospatial data, is particularly pronounced. This challenge served as a primary motivation behind the development of Geospatial ESG, a proposed enhancement that holds the potential to…

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