Water resources

    One million bottles of water bought every minute around the world

    One million bottles of water are bought every minute around the globe, researchers say, raising concerns about the impact of microplastics on the health of humans and the planet. Around two billion people with limited or no access to safe drinking water rely on bottled water. However, many others consider it to be convenient and even potentially safer […]

    Study shows how oceans are key to addressing global challenges

    New research shows how oceans can be used to help address major challenges such as the shortage of antimicrobial medicines, solutions for plastic pollution and novel enzymes for genome editing. In the past 20 years, scientists have greatly increased the number of microbial genomes they have collected from the ocean. However, using this information for […]

    UAE looks to bring ‘creative mind’ to bear on world’s water crisis

    The UAE vowed on Tuesday to “take forward” a push for clean water in the face of poverty, disease and climate change when it hosts the UN’s next water summit. A 2026 summit co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal will come as time runs out to hit 2030 anti-poverty goals, and with the UN warning that six billion people will live with water […]

    Scientists achieve more than 98% efficiency removing nanoplastics from water

    University of Missouri scientists are battling against an emerging enemy of human health: nanoplastics. Much smaller in size than the diameter of an average human hair, nanoplastics are invisible to the naked eye. Linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in people, nanoplastics continue to build up, largely unnoticed, in the world’s bodies of water. The […]

    Drawing water from desert air no longer a mirage

    Producing water from air is becoming an efficient and sustainable reality due to scientific advancements in the UAE. Khalifa University is among the leading institutions and companies transforming this concept into practical reality. It has developed solar-powered water generators that offer a sustainable solution to the Middle East’s lack of rain. To mark World Water Day, a day to underline the importance of fresh […]

    Thirst for peace: Effects of climate change in focus on World Water Day 2024

    Ensuring there is enough water to go around will be one of the world’s biggest challenges as temperatures rise and the population grows. By the end of this century, the global population is expected to have increased to more than 11 billion, about three billion more than now, putting greater pressure on what are likely to be increasingly scarce […]

    Marine parks bring global boost for fish and finances

    Marine Protected Areas boost fishing and tourism, with profits sometimes in the billions, according to the most comprehensive global assessment of its kind to date. MPAs, or national parks at sea, are found in many of the world’s oceans, with past research showing fully protected areas can help restore fish populations by 500 per cent on average, […]

    Drawing water from desert air no longer a mirage

    Producing water from air is becoming an efficient and sustainable reality due to scientific advancements in the UAE. Khalifa University is among the leading institutions and companies transforming this concept into practical reality. It has developed solar-powered water generators that offer a sustainable solution to the Middle East’s lack of rain. To mark World Water Day, a day to underline the importance of fresh […]

    UAE team wins $1m funding for climate-boosting corals plan
    29 Jan 2024

    UAE climate researchers have secured a $1 million funding boost to support vital efforts to protect coral reefs against the impact of surging ocean temperatures. The key investment will enable the Mubadala Arabian Centre for Climate and Environmental Sciences, based at New York University Abu Dhabi, to carry out two years of work on a marine project focused […]

    Atlas of ocean life unveiled by Saudi Arabian university

    An extensive catalogue of ocean life has been unveiled by university researchers in Saudi Arabia. The index provides a baseline for monitoring the effects of global warming, pollution and other human-induced changes to marine environments, enabling scientists to form targeted research questions about specific habitats and microbial classes. It also offers a new perspective to […]