Category: Uncategorized

Egypt and The Boom of Renewables in the MENA Region

Egypt is in on its feet again after years of turmoil. On the top of Egypt’s long-term renaissance strategy is providing energy, housing, education and work for its growing population, in particular young people.

The MENA region as whole is investing heavily in renewable energy, unlike Iran with much investment in nuclear solutions. It is the particular geographical situation of the MENA region by being rich with solar resources and the long-term needs for desalination, water treatment and wastewater treatment, all of which are much power dependent. The region as whole still needs appropriate policies and sustainable long-term solutions for affordable and accessible water resources because of the arid and semi-arid nature of the region. Also, the negative impacts of climate change, in particular Egyptian Nile-delta, accelerating pressures not only of groundwater resources but also surface waters of the Jordan River, the Tigris-Euphrates River Basin, and the Nile River and their catchments with huge populations. Sound and sustainable large-scale and long-term policies for protection and conservation of the natural resources in the MENA region against waste and pollution are, also, important emerging necessities.

http://www.utilities-me.com/article-3326-mena-renewable-energy-zeal-spreads-to-egypt/#.VQv6kYp86nN

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Terrorist – Looking For A Way to Belong and Not Finding It

No one is born to be “terrorist” and there are reasons why “terrorism” is becoming a global threat hidering security, stability and safety on different levels and scales. There are many basic and fundamental questions: what is “terrorism” and how people become terrorists.
Anders Behring Breivik, Norway, who murdered 77 people in the 2011 is a key case, that gives some clues on the phenomena, but in one of the most socially stable and peaceful societies on Earth. Anders Behring Breivik hated most humans, but women and Muslims above all. Seierstad, an extraordinary researcher, writes calmly and draws few conclusions. One of Us, which is as much about the victims as the killer, is a book “about belonging, a book about community,” she says, “about looking for a way to belong and not finding it.” “Our answer,” Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg told Norwegians after the attack, “is more democracy, more openness and more humanity. But never naivety.” It seems that Breivik was, above all, a product of social isolation. He was a typical extremist, or more correctly “gradually turned to a permanent outsider”: friendless, unemployed, unmarried, living life online. Like every mass killer, he selected his victims. There are plenty of Breiviks around us but this one was handed luck. But who is Anders Breivik, what turned him to be a “terrorist” and what was the micro-social condition around him.

Read the story written by a high quality global journalist, Åsne Seierstad – author of the bestselling “The Bookseller of Kabul” (2002), a book on the nature of Afghan family life.
One of the most serious social defects and mental disorder is extreme and continual social isolation. It is, indeed, the very root of modern global threats “terrorism” that can turn people, rich and poor, or groups of people, to time-bombs. It is the cause of many instabilities in the MENA region and Africa, see the effects and details here: https://jl10ll.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/the-effects-of-extreme-and-continual-social-isolation/

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Global View of Past and Modern Slavery.

Slavery is not only daily pain for humans but it is a national socio-economic defect that cause pile-up of different threats on several national and international levels. Such threats can and do cause long-term and large-scale barriers in secio-economic and socio-political structures. This is evident from the historical evolution of slavery (http://youtu.be/nHk-WceZeFg). It is interesting to see how developing countries suffered and still suffer from severe socio-economic disparities, and also mental health problems, from slavery. Slavery of yesterday still affect our ability to be successful today. There are interesting statistics, e.g. from the USA, that need to be taken into account (http://thyblackman.com/2015/02/15/the-slavery-card-fact-or-just-the-ultimate-excuse/).

Among  important features of modern slavery are acceleration of different forms of gender and age discrimination and abuse of children (http://youtu.be/nNY2Vl8jUjU).

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MENA – Climate Chellenges Of Groundwater Resources

Water management is becoming IMPERATIVE with the increasing concern about the effects and impacts of global warming. Many ancient civilizations, if not all, evolved and sustained around water resources by using intensive water-demanding irrigation techniques.

The MENA region which helped birth of earliest agricultural civilizations is now signaling one of the strongest warnings of its mortality. It lost huge amount of its water resources mostly because the groundwater pumped up and out of the region’s fragile aquifers for irrigation. Groundwater is/was being over-pumped, some massively so, at rates much higher than ability to recharge. Ongoing global warming poses further threats for additiknal severe decline in groundwater resources unless counter measures and mitigation actions can be done.

http://ensia.com/features/groundwater-wake-up/

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Egypt is heading Towards A New future – The New Cairo

Among the new plans for the socio-economic developments of Egypt a new capital “New Cairo” is planned to be established in region of the Red Sea so the pressure on the existing capital can be mitigated. Interesting enough the Red Sea region and Sinai, including the Suez Canal are becoming among the major changes and reforms in “Egypt the Future”. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=941998875850439

To know more visit also, http://m.bbc.com/news/business-31874886

 

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Over 19 billions US dollars – The Road To A New Egypt

After long period with political ups and downs with associated challenges for stability and hopes for better future, the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi outlined Cairo’s long-term development strategy in his address to the Egypt Economic Development Conference on Friday as media reports confirmed that Egypt had secured more than 19 billion US dollars in investment pledges on the first day of the summit “Egypt the Future” at Sharm El-Sheikh.

http://www.aawsat.net/2015/03/article55342321/egypt-bags-over-19-billion-in-investments-on-summit-opening-day



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Democratic Capitalism – Work Versus Family Needs

Generally speaking there are two global systems characterising world economy with all ranges of sub-systems and combinations in between: Main Street Markets and Wall Street Capita (http://www.neweconomyworkinggroup.org/visions/new-economy-vision/real-markets-and-real-democracy/main-street-markets-vs-wall-street-capita).

The balance between Capitalism and Democracy, however, has been a central global issue in human history. It went through a long journey with different acts. In this context, Democratic Capitalism is a system of political economy of three more or less independent systems: free economy, free polity and free morals and cultures. Democratic Capitalism has attractive features with many different kinds of capitalism and varieties of democracies: France is not the United States; Sweden is not Italy; the United Kingdom is not South Korea; Japan is not Singapore, …….. and so on.

The prosperity of free societies depends on certain moral and cultural practices and in the long run, democracy is a necessity for the success of capitalism. Historically, the last act of Democratic Capitalism is the moral and cultural component: granted that people has gained economic liberty from poverty and political liberty from tyranny, what is the moral and cultural ecology for the survival of free people. A corrupt, lazy, dishonest and decadent society cannot preserve human liberty. It will breed a nation of serfs and slaves, who do not want to carry the responsibilities of free persons, but want only to have others take care of their needs.

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/359306/democratic-capitalism-michael-novak



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Poverty-Waste Nexus has Impacts on the Global Quality of Life.

Poverty is not only a scarcity or dearth, or the the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty). It is a complex and multifaceted concept, which includes social and economic political elements as well as environmental and health threats. As a dynamic concept, poverty is changing and adapting due to consumption patterns, social dynamics, technological change and urbanization. 

Sustain-earth.com discusses and debates the complex issues of poverty-waste nexus and its impacts on the global quality of life.



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Why “sustain-earth.com”?

The concepts, knowledge and technologies to build sustainable societies and to foster sustainable thinking involve creating links and bridges on several scales. Internal group interactions, i.e. between individuals, and external communication between sectors, stakeholders and organizations on the larger scale needs to be coherently nested in sustainable framework and infra-structures to better conserve and protect the natural resources on planet.

The learn about the objectives and goals of http://sustain-earth.com go to “ABOUT”.



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Is Iran’s Science and Technology a Global Threat?

Nuclear technology in Iran is part of Iran’s major development in other disciplines in science and technology, e.g. space science http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safir_(rocket)

There are claims that the global community is judging Iran on “speculations” without valid proves that Iran is seeking a hidden agenda that threats the world peace. Meanwhile, as long as Iran has no prove that their nuclear technology is for peaceful and safe use we can not take for guarantee that this will not lead to nuclear weapons. Several other countries around the world have developed and even used destructive weapons that pose and still pose considerable threats for peace and stability. So, we need to safeguard future populations from further expansion of non peaceful and destructive technologies.

To know more about Iran’s challenges and on-going struggle for advances and development in science and technology, we invite you to visit http://sustain-earth.com.

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Iran’s Revive Of The Golden Age And Its Path To High-Tech Society

Iran is emerging as high-tech society, it has also a rich scientific heritage. In spite of its complicated political historical evolution to shape its identity as a nation it kept strong, coherent and systematic focus on education.

Though the political instabilities after WW-II, the war with Iraq and international sanctions, Iran made considerable advances in science and technology in almost all research aspects during the past decades. Iran’s scientific and technical progress, including aerospace, nuclear science, medical development, stem cell and cloning research, is among the fastest in the world. It has high university population with 70% women in science and technology (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_and_technology_in_Iran). Iran, for example, is the 9th country to put a domestically-built satellite into orbit using its own launcher and the sixth to send animals in space http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safir_(rocket)

This indeed, didn’t develop and emerge from thin air but has its roots in rich scientific and cultural heritage throughout long periods. Percia was a cradle of science, e.g. medicine, mathematics, science, and philosophy. Trying to revive the golden time (http://www.great-iran.com/Iranology-video.htm) of Persian science, Iran’s scientists now are cautiously reaching out to the world.


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Iran’s Nuclear Program – Luanched with Support from US and Europe

Iran’ nuclear Program is an old story and goes back to 1950s when it was launched with help from the USA. Also, the participation of the USA and Europe continued until 1979 Iranian Revolution that changed the political course of Iran, i.e. after the Shah of Iran was toppled (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_program_of_Iran).

Later on, in 1990s, Iran shifted to China and Russia for further development of their nuclear programs. As by today, Iran made considerable progress what regards developing it’s nuclear energy program (http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Country-Profiles/Countries-G-N/Iran/). Iran has a major project developing uranium enrichment capability. However, the IAEA report on 23 May 2014 said that Iran had not enriched any uranium above 5% at any declared facility, had downblended 100 kg of near 20% enriched UF6 and converted the rest to oxide, it had not installed any further centrifuges, it had not progressed further work for fuel production and provided access to the Arak heavy water plant. The 20 July 2014 IAEA report confirmed these data for 

the near 20% enriched material, and that 1505 kg of ca. 5% enriched UF6 had been converted to UO2.

As November 24 in 2014 approached, the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) said, “In order to avoid a bad deal, the P5+1 must hold strong on achieving an agreement that limits Iran’s nuclear program to a reasonable civilian capability, significantly increases the timelines for breakout to nuclear weapons, and introduces enhanced verification that goes beyond the IAEA’s Additional Protocol. A sound deal will also require Iran to verifiably address the IAEA’s concerns about its past and possibly on-going work on nuclear weapons, which means Iran must address those concerns in a concrete manner before a deal is finalized or any relief of economic or financial sanctions occurs.” 

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Integrated Education Vision – Levels And Dimensions In A Holistic Perspective.

Shifts in the education industry over the last decade have been groundbreaking, including the way students are recruited, retained and taught. Today’s education is, also, geared toward bringing education where and when it is needed, as well as considering the individual needs rather than “all-size-fits-all”. Like many of today’s advanced technology companies, educational institutions utilize everything they can to be benefit from existing integration-enhanced processes and to make use of all the technology available to them. However, risks exist the whole process can be cumbersome and confusing. With modern technology and hard-working educators, educational IT processes can be simplified with easy to use integration tools to operate more efficiently and educate more students and higher the quality. For example see the following website: http://www.jitterbit.com/blog/integration-for-education/

On several levels in the society, it is essential to understand what is meant by education, why it is needed and for what. These questions are important for individuals, communities and societies on equal foots. It is everyone’s concern to learn about the objectives and goals of education for the short and long terms developments on various levels. The increasing complexity of modern societies, the accelerating pressures on natural resources, growing world population and associated environment and climate degradation because of waste and pollution are raising continuous and intensive global debates on the educational process. Meanwhile, conventional education is reductionistic, incomplete and only taking into account the superficial aspects of what it means to be fully human. A multi-dimensional and multi-level perspective for holistic education gives an integrated model for the whole education process where the dimensions of thinking and expression in teaching and learning are being described.

The landscape of a holistic education vision, with multi-levels and multi-dimensions, has “within” and “between” interactive regions both horizontally och vertically. In these regions, all educators and thinkers with relevant expertise in two or three regions “area or field of work” move and interact horizontally and downwards to explore these regions and some more others. This “bird’s eye view” improve the education process and integrate it and makes it continuous. However, in most cases the majority are not aware of the levels above them, their complexity and integrity. Meanwhile, there are always possibilities to present the whole education vision at certain stages and occasions. 

For more information and details visit this website: http://www.hent.org/world/rgn/multilevel.htm


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Science and Society – Why Do We Need Science Festivals?

Many universities around the world need effective and continuous interaction with the society and the public both on national and international levels. Such interactions can take place in different forms and through various instruments. The society and the public needs science and technology as much as science and technology needs the society and the public. These needs are mutual and may be direct or indirect, short-term or long-term and mediation instruments are imperative for the best possible outcome for all players and stakeholders. Permanent and effective mediation instruments are not straightforward to develop especially in the developing countries.

Science festivals are important instrument for universities and research institutions to inform the society about the finding of, and needs for, research and technology, to address the value of their educational programmes in everyday life, to engagement communities in whatever takes place in the scientific laboratories, lecture halls and classrooms. Also, to stimulate coming generations and increasing the motivation of young people in schools as well as to foster modern traditions and transformation to better future. “Sustain-earth” discusses such issues for stronger coupling of science and technology to society, market and population needs.

Healthy Socio-Environments Are Essential For Sustainable Science and Technology

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UU SciFest 2015 – Om Du Inte kan Komma till Universitetet, Då Får Universitetet Komma Till Dig.

Uppsala universitet grundades 1477, Nordens äldsta universitet, och har utvecklats till ett av Europas främsta lärosäten och rankas bland världens 100 främsta inom samtliga discipliner. Uppsala universitet har en rik internationell prägel och kännetecknas av ett traditionsrikt studentliv. Bland universitetets alumner återfinns 15 nobelpristagare, åtta regenter, 14 statsministrar och över 50 ledamöter av Svenska Akademin. Mer om Uppsala universitet finns på http://sv.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uppsala_universitet, för viktiga årtal i Uppsala universitets historia besök http://www.uu.se/om-uu/historia/ 

Uppsala universitet finns också på Facebook https://m.facebook.com/uppsala.universitet/photos/a.10150651487685768.410678.54601820767/10152962920330768/?type=1&source=44&refid=17

Tack vara Uppsala universitet har Uppsala vuxit fram till Sveriges fjärde stad (http://sv.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uppsala). Den höga studenttätheten i Uppsala, dels från Uppsala universitet “UU”, dels från Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet “SLU” sätter stark prägel på det dagliga livet i Uppsala som stad.

Om du inte kan komma till universitetet, då får universitetet komma till dig. Det är en gammal sanning som säger “säg mig och jag glömmer. Lär mig och jag minns. Involvera mig och jag lär”. I mars, 19-21 mars, kan alla passa på och vara med på SciFest 2015 som Uppsala Universitet arrangerar. Temat i år är “livet och den senaste teknologin”, mer information finns på http://www.scifest.uu.se

“Sustain-earth.com” strävar efter att koppla utbildning, vetenskap och teknologi till marknadens och samhällets behov genom kunskapsöverföring och lämpliga karriärutvecklingsplaner. Bloggen “sustain-earth” är interaktiv, tvärvetenskaplig och transsektoriell plattform för framjandet av hållbarhet på alla socio-ekonomiska nivåer.

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The Price of Poverty – Modern Wars Are Poverty Wars

Throughout human history, in the evolution of many ancient civilizations and during the formation of many cultures, POVERTY has been of tremendous threats for stability, the breakdown of socio-economic structures and development of large-scale and long-term risk for wars. For several reasons these threats developed and piled up to global realities in many urban and rural regions around the world. The problem now is not only fighting POVERTY but to deal with its consequences everywhere and on all levels.

For many centuries, in particular in modern times, there have been continuous debates about how to bring about welfare socio-economic systems. Though economic models were/are primarily concerned with promotion of production and consumption, there have been no room for understanding POVERTY. It was left to expand and establish itself in a world struggling for affordable peace, security and safety under new realities of shrinking natural resources, environment and climate degradation. Above all, majority of the world growing population will still be facing less resources for food, education and health. The very question that is facing us is: how would POVERTY be solved if its roots are allowed to expand even deeper and deeper. POVERTY is not lack of food, it is rather lack of accessibility and affordability to all the modern features of civilization otherwise we are, without hesitation, heading to stone ages. Erasing POVERTY is about “serve and get served with focus on quality”.

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/ng-live/gwin-bleasdale-war-africa-nglive?utm_source=NatGeocom&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=inside_20150219&utm_campaign=Content

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