The Red Sea is facing a crisis that could see much of its wonderful marine life cease to exist. Continued polluting of the water, constant oil spillage from offshore rigs and a lack of awareness in Egypt and around the region about the importance of maintaining vital ecosystems all contribute to the threat.

No longer is the Red Sea a pristine location to witness the spectacle of marine life and coral reefs. One of the main causes is the constant pouring of waste from hotels along the coastal areas, but the tourism industry more generally has done further harm by pumping chemicals and other waste products into the sea.

Not only are coral reefs under threat, but other marine life, too. Offshore oil rigs have been in the Red Sea waters for decades, but little has been done to ensure the equipment is up to date. These rigs stream a constant pool of oil into the sea.

There are good people working hard to clean up the ecosystems across the region, including the Red Sea. Hepca and Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) are two of these organisations, but they come up against one major problem in their work: a lack of overall environmental consciousness.

Excerpted from an article by Joseph Mayton for guardian.co.uk

Egypt recently announced its plan to become completely carbon neutral by 2020.  The $238 million project hopes to accomplish this through the introduction of renewable energy, reduction of water use, improvement of waste management, and, in the future, the use of electric boats and hybrid buses.

The green initiatives are planned to start this month and be completed by the end of 2010.  These early initiatives include new diving restrictions to help preserve already damaged reefs at Sharm el-Sheikh, and the powering of street lights with solar energy.

Green Prophet

Marsa Alam is a popular holiday and diving destination, situated near the Tropic of Cancer attracting tourism with its diverse marine life, coral reefs, ancient mining sites, temples and Roman garrisons. Marsa Alam is also linked to Aswan via a highway, opening up the city to combined extended holiday programmes with Nile cruises.

The 370-room new-build property, scheduled to open in 2012, will be part of a large integrated mixed-use project to include a residential town, an entertainment village and a congress centre. With 1.5km of beautiful beachfront, Hilton Marsa Alam will be located approximately 20km south of Marsa Alam International Airport, and 30km from Marsa Alam town.

International Horizons

Cairo Airport Private Arrival Transfer

A shark attacked and killed a French tourist diving in a remote site off Egypt’s Red Sea coast on Tuesday, in the first fatal shark attack in the Arab country since 2004, state media and a French embassy official said.

The woman’s leg showed visible bite marks, and she likely bled to death before being lifted to the surface, Egyptian state news agency MENA quoted a medical source as saying.

Marsa Alam is a remote southern dive spot on the Red Sea coast frequented by tourists hoping to avoid the crowds at more popular sites in the Sinai peninsula, where tourists flock in large numbers for the colourful coral reefs.

Sharks are common in the area and tourists often take pictures, but attacks are rare. Egypt’s Environment Ministry is looking to set up a natural reserve for the sharks near Marsa Alam, where it already has a similar reserve for dolphins.

Reuters