Guangzhou, China Mayor Zhang Guangning isn’t the only mayor taking leaps into polluted rivers these days.

Friends of the Earth Middle East held “The Big Jump” this Sunday at the junction of the Yarmouk and Jordan rivers. Read more about it here - Hebrew or English.

Hot off the presses:

• Environment Ministry threatens to slap fines on beach polluters – This article from The Jerusalem Post discusses the Ministry of the Environment’s new campaign for clean beaches. Here’s to hoping it will make a difference!
• Global Agenda: Water way to wealth - Another Jerusalem Post article, this time discussing the world’s newfound interest in water investment and Israel’s role in the water technology sector.

And from our neighbors to the east:

• Jordan River among world’s 100 most endangered sites - The Jordan Times writes about how the world’s most esteemed river is turning into a sewage pipeline and what Friends of the Earth Middle East is trying to do about it. Some highlights…

According to Friends of the Earth Middle East, a regional environmental organisation of Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians, poor regional water management has led to the complete demise of one of the world’s most famous rivers…

According to the organisation, “90 per cent of the river’s natural flow has been diverted by Israel, Jordan and Syria for domestic and agricultural use, with sewage flowing in its place. The region’s current policies treat the river as a backyard dumping ground.” …

The environmental organisation now hopes the inclusion of the river on the World Monuments Fund’s 100 most endangered sites will spur regional states into taking action.