Category: opinion

Tunisian scientists alert on degradation of Posidonia, Mediterranean Sea lungs

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Tunisian specialists are sending an alarm about the damaging effects of the reduction of Posidonia in the Mediterranean Sea. Over the years scientists have proven that seagrass meadows have a strong carbon absorption capacity. And according to this marine ecologist in Tunis, Posidonia could also produce up to 20 litres of oxygen per square meter. ” Forests store carbon on land, and this is called green carbon. Underwater, is referred to as blue carbon. So these ecosystems and especially Posidonia, capture large quantities of carbon over thousands of years, what’s…

Global leaders unite in urgent call for international pandemic treaty

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25 heads of government and international agencies come together in extraordinary joint call New treaty would signal high-level political action needed to protect the world from future health crises The international community should work together “towards a new international treaty for pandemic preparedness and response” to build a more robust global health architecture that will protect future generations, world leaders said in a commentary published today in several newspapers around the world. “There will be other pandemics and other major health emergencies. No single government or multilateral agency can address this threat…

Soon, Misrata opens marine terminal for passenger cruising

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Misrata city is near to opening a new marine station in partnership between the public sector represented by the Iron and Steel Company, and the private sector represented by the “Kevalay” Tourism Services Company, the Libya Observer reported. After years of suspension, travelers from Libya will be able to sail to their destination allowing them to save money and enjoy the scenery and landscapes of the blue sea. According to informed sources, the first trips will leave Misrata towards Tunisia and Turkey, while other destinations would be added, respectively. The…

Libya: Tobruk Parliament Overcomes Disagreements During Tangier Meeting

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The consultative meeting of Libya’s House of Representatives, known as the Tobruk Parliament, has led the legislative body to overcome its internal disagreements. The meeting took place in Tangier, northern Morocco, from November 23-28. During the session’s closing ceremony, members of the Libyan House of Representatives made seven pledges that seek to bring the war-torn country closer to overcoming its political crisis. The deputies first agreed that the House of Representatives should be located in Benghazi, Libya’s second-most populous city. The legislative institution has been headquartered in Tobruk, northeastern Libya,…

Africa’s renewable energy capacity is set for consecutive years of growth, exceeding 50 GW in 2025

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Africa’s installed capacity of renewable energy, which stood at 12.6 gigawatts (GW) in 2019, is set for consecutive years of growth, a Rystad Energy analysis shows. The continent’s capacity is forecast to reach 16.8 GW in 2020, add another 5.5 GW in 2021, and a further climb to 51.2 GW in 2025, led by growth in solar and wind projects in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Ethiopia. At present, South Africa leads the continent in terms of installed renewable energy capacity with 3.5 GW of wind, 2.4 GW of utility…

Small-scale agriculture must first of all be a national priority (FTDES)

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 “Small-scale agriculture must first of all be a national priority and its development should be the responsibility and duty of the State”. This development “can only take place within the framework of an overall strategy for the country and the involvement of all stakeholders”, reveals a study by the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) on small farms in Tunisia. This report – integrated in the project “Reducing inequalities in the olive oil value chain” implemented by the NGO Oxfam in partnership with AFTD (Tunisian Association of Democratic…

Chinese grown Tunisian soft-seed pomegranates flood the market

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Tunisian soft-seed pomegranates can be consumed directly without spitting out the seeds. They can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 months and in cold storage for up to 5 months. It is a variety that currently has the softest seeds in the world and is also the best variety grown in China. The pomegranates grown in Sichuan are famous for their fast growth, early fruit-bearing, high yield, and early ripening. Sichuan, as a region with ample sunshine, a large difference in temperatures between day and night, and…

Monastir to fine anyone catching sea turtles

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Monastir is Tunisia’s first municipality to set a 1,000-dinar fine in an attempt to protect sea turtles, which are an endangered species in the Mediterranean. ”Anyone who captures, sells, or transports a sea turtle in the territory of the City of Monastir will be punished with a fine of 1,000 dinars,” the regulation states. The news was reported in a statement by the environmental association Notre Grand Bleu, which welcomed the decision and noted that that this was the first decision by a local Tunisian authority to protect biodiversity. Despite…

Tunisia’s lagoon farms and hanging gardens recognized as world heritage sites

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Tunisia’s traditional Ramli agricultural systems in the lagoons of Ghar El Melh (above) and its hanging gardens from Djebba El Olia, have been recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), a designation managed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It is the second time Tunisian sites have won the GIAHS recognition, after Gafsa Oases in 2011. Both sites reflect profound bonds between the cultivated crops and the natural ecosystem, local fauna and flora, while promoting the preservation of traditional knowledge and biodiversity conservation. Their recognition as GIAHS sites will encourage…

How Europe’s post-COVID-19 economy and environment can both prosper

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Amid the upheaval, there might be a silver lining – an opportunity for Europe to come closer to achieving global sustainability goals.Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, good news has been in short supply. The enormous social and economic consequences of the pandemic are becoming clearer by the day, and we’ll be feeling the effects on our lives and livelihoods for decades to come. Yet amid the immense human and economic toll, something else is also becoming clearer: our skies. Life without car or air travel has allowed nature…