Jordan- Better planning would protect environment, boost economy

MENAFN via the Jordan Times: Poorly designed policies and a lack of master planning are contributing to environmental pollution and waste of natural resources, incurring costs to the economy as well, an environment expert said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 6th Jordanian Environment Conference, Bahjat Odwan, president of the Jordanian Geologists Association, found fault with the "random" selection of industrial sites and poor urban planning, which they said was contaminating Jordan's dwindling aquifers.

The conference opened on Tuesday to discuss some of Jordan's "hot" environmental issues, such as nuclear energy, the impact of climate change, water security and mega-projects, the green economy, and the conflict between natural resource exploitation and the protection of ecosystems. The geologist said that more environmentally conscious policies could boost the national economy, reduce the energy bill and prevent pollution at the same time.

"Several industries are facing protests from nearby residents, which is causing them losses, such as the cement factory in Fuheis. To avoid similar cases, the government must allow construction of plants only in locations distant from residential areas," Odwan said. Ministry of Environment Secretary General Ahmad Qatarneh pointed out in addition that factories must abide by environmental laws and regulations regardless of where they are located.

The Jordan Lafarge Cement Company's plant in Fuheis, 10 kilometres west of Amman, has been facing protests from residents and environmentalists who refuse to allow the plant to use coal instead of fuel oil in order to cut costs. Odwan also criticised the government for imposing a special tax on hybrid cars in March 2010, which he said had brought sales of green vehicles to a standstill....

Hadrian's arch, the entrance to the roman city of Jerash in Jordan, shot by duimdog, Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported