by Ehsan Bayat | Jun 27, 2018 | Afghanistan, Agriculture, Conservation, Construction, Crops, Farm, Infrastructure, Middle East, Water, Weather
The soil and climate of Afghanistan are especially well-suited for pistachio trees, which grow wild in the region. However, many pistachio trees have died due to neglect, war, and drought, while many others have been cut down for firewood. Deforestation is another...
by Ehsan Bayat | Jun 13, 2018 | Construction, Infrastructure, Middle East, Technology, Transportation, Travel, UAE, Water
A new cruise terminal in Dubai should significantly boost cruise traffic and tourism in the Middle East. Dubai already has a cruise terminal that regularly receives cruise ships, but the Emirate recently announced plans for a new terminal, expected to open in late...
by Ehsan Bayat | May 30, 2018 | Construction, Infrastructure, Middle East, Technology, Tourism, Travel
As Middle Eastern cities rise from the desert and economic growth facilitates new and innovative building design, architecture is becoming a means for the region to express its identity, culture, and relationship with history. Building design and urban growth in the...
by Ehsan Bayat | May 17, 2018 | Agriculture, Infrastructure, Middle East, Technology, Tourism, Travel
Developing a healthy tourism industry has been a longtime priority in the Middle East, and area leaders have called for strengthening infrastructure to better accommodate visitors. In 2007, the research group Global Futures and Foresight released a study looking at...
by Ehsan Bayat | Apr 19, 2018 | Conservation, Construction, Energy, Infrastructure, Middle East, Technology
While the Middle East has long been known as a major exporter of fossil fuels thanks to rich oil reserves, the region is also embracing renewable energy to provide cheaper, more efficient power to its people. As the population—and energy consumption—grows in the...
by Ehsan Bayat | Apr 3, 2018 | Conservation, Construction, Energy, Infrastructure, Middle East, Technology
Unreliable electricity was once a long-standing problem in the Middle East, particularly in the 1990s when random power outages were frequent, and customers never knew if or when they would have electricity. The GCC Interconnection Authority, which was established by...
by Ehsan Bayat | Mar 27, 2018 | Conservation, Construction, History, Infrastructure, Iraq, Middle East, Technology
While war has subsided in northern Iraq, officials say a new battle is beginning: that to rebuild the country. At a recent three-day donor conference in Kuwait, leaders met to discuss aid for Iraq, which officials believe needs about $88 billion to reconstruct...
by Ehsan Bayat | Mar 13, 2018 | Afghanistan, Construction, Energy, Infrastructure, Middle East, Technology
A long-delayed pipeline that will cross four Asian countries broke ground in Afghanistan in late February 2018, signaling a significant development in regional cooperation and the economic future of Central Asia. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline,...
by Ehsan Bayat | Feb 27, 2018 | Afghanistan, Conservation, Infrastructure
In February 2017, European Union and Afghan officials signed the Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development (CAPD), another step in solidifying a partnership to improve Afghanistan’s infrastructure, economy, and quality of life. This agreement comes as...
by Ehsan Bayat | Feb 13, 2018 | Agriculture, Conservation, Construction, Crops, Farm, Infrastructure, Middle East, Water
Supplying food to desert regions where populations are increasing and water is scarce has become a significant challenge. Desert conditions, which can be extremely hot, windy, and bug-ridden, make growing most plants impossible. Greenhouses have long been a solution...
