RPCD Monthly Newsletter – January 2013

A recent report by the World Bank highlights the effects of climate change in the Arab World, with 50 million people affected over the last 30 years, including 500,000 hit by flash floods. Research on aggression among Palestinian youth has also been conducted, with a study examining factors that influence peer-directed aggression among Israeli-Palestinian and Gazan-Palestinian adolescents. The study found similar aggression rates among the two groups but noted differences in self-control, happiness, and need for belonging. These differences were attributed to variations in sex, culture, and life conditions. The philanthropic landscape in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia has undergone significant shifts following the sociopolitical changes produced by the uprisings in these countries. A study examining the philanthropic practices in these nations discovered areas where both institutional and informal philanthropy incurred significant changes as a result of the upheavals. Environmental histories of the Middle East and North Africa have also been explored in a recent book, "Water on Sand: Environmental Histories of the Middle East and North Africa." This book provides a holistic environmental history of the MENA region, extending from Morocco to Iran, and demonstrates the intimate connections between human communities and their environments. The Arab Water Council has postponed its General Assembly meeting, which was initially planned to take place in December in Cairo, Egypt. The new date for the meeting will be announced soon. The RPCD has been involved in various events and workshops, including a national workshop on qualitative research methods in Cairo and a seminar on translating Jihadis' writings in Rabat, Morocco. The RPCD has also been involved in the Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development (PAEGC) program, which offers funding for market-based clean energy innovations for farmers and agri-businesses. The program aims to improve access to clean energy and support economic growth in developing countries.