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AMMAN — The majority of Jordanians believe that the climate has “really changed” over the past years and that the change is “negative and annoying”, according to a new survey released on Thursday.

The opinion survey on public knowledge and perception of climate change in the Kingdom indicated that 78 per cent of Jordanians believe that the climate has really changed during the past few years and around 67.1 per cent said that this change was negative.

As 38 per cent of the surveyed population stated that they have a “very good” knowledge of climate change issues; 72.9 per cent said climate change is a man-made phenomenon caused by industries, transportation and energy activities.

In addition, 52 per cent considered that climate change is serious and should be addressed, while around 75 per cent of the study sample stated that the impacts of climate change at the national level will be mainly manifested in the form of rise in temperature.

Some 65 per cent stated that climate change will negatively affect amounts of precipitation, while 40.9 per cent said that it will lead to an increase in energy consumption and 64.4 per cent said the Kingdom has a minor contribution to climate change compared to other industrialised countries.

The survey was conducted by the Royal Scientific Society within the context of Jordan’s Third National Communication Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 

The poll was carried out in Amman, Irbid, Zarqa and Karak and covered university students, researchers, academics, public and private sector employees, journalists and media personnel, and representatives of NGOs.

No further details were provided on the polled sample.

The study measured Jordanians’ perceptions of the most important adaptation options and priorities. 

The results showed that 69 per cent believe that water conservation is a major adaptation measure; 60 per cent highlighted that the use of drought tolerant crops with minimal water requirement is important; and 50 per cent stated that conservation of biodiversity and natural ecosystems is also a priority.

On the best communication tools that can be used to increase public awareness according to the surveyed population, TV and satellite channels was the first option (78.5 per cent), followed by social media networks Facebook and Twitter (66.3 per cent), while the least popular option  was workshops and seminars (26 per cent).

The survey indicated that half of Jordanians showed a positive attitude towards being involved in action against climate change and that 53 per cent of them are willing to pay more for climate-friendly products and services.

Environment Minister Taher Shakhashir said at the launch of the survey that it aims at assessing the level of public awareness about climate change in Jordan and identifying the gaps in knowledge in order to prepare a comprehensive outreach plan to raise awareness.

“This study will form the reference for outreach and awareness programmes on climate change issues in the coming years,” Shakhshir said.

UNDP Country Director Zena Ali Ahmad said the UNDP will continue to provide technical and financial support for the implementation of mitigation and adaptation programmes, and capacity building, based on the priorities included in the National Policy on Climate Change that was prepared by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the UNDP.

She emphasised the importance of translating these studies into a number of awareness activities that target all popular and official levels, and stressed that the UNDP will take these results into account in the design of new projects on climate change.

Climate change scenarios indicate that Jordan and the Middle East could suffer from reduced agricultural productivity and water availability, among other negative impacts, according to the 2013-2020 Jordan Climate Change Policy.

The report said Jordan faces serious potential impacts on its natural ecosystems, river basins, watersheds and biodiversity, then cascading to impacts on food productivity, water resources, human health, public infrastructure and human settlements.

The report indicated that climate change projections suggest a 1-4°C increase in temperatures and a 15-60 per cent decrease in precipitation.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday met a delegation from the US House of Representatives’ subcommittee on defence (appropriations committee) and discussed means to foster bilateral ties. 

Talks also covered the US Congress’ support to Jordan to enable it to overcome challenges imposed by the regional crises, in addition to efforts to bring about peace in the Middle East and the latest developments in Syria, according to a Royal Court statement.   

The delegates, headed by Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), are currently on a visit to the Kingdom as part of a regional tour. 

Also on Thursday, President of the Senate’s Committee for Arab, International and Expatriates Affairs Samir Rifai met with the delegation and discussed the “deep” ties between Jordan and the US, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Rifai underlined the Kingdom’s stance in supporting a political solution for the Syrian crisis, Petra reported. 

Meanwhile, Minister of Interior Hussein Majali met with a delegation representing the Congress’ subcommittee on internal, defence and the environment and discussed the security, economic, political and humanitarian challenges facing Jordan as a result of the Syrian crisis, according to Petra.

AMMAN — Only 50 to 60 per cent of all cancer patients in Jordan receive palliative care, experts said on Thursday, calling for expanding programmes to provide this care for all patients.

Omar Shamieh, chairman of the palliative care department at King Hussein Cancer Centre (KHCC), said the centre treats 50 to 60 per cent of cancer patients in the country, and they receive the palliative care they need.

However, the other 40 per cent to 50 per cent cancer patients who do not have access to another programmme “need to be able to access physicians who are able to deliver palliative care”.

“We cannot just concentrate on having an extra programme at the [KHCC] and leave the community aside. We need a palliative care programme for all patients in Jordan,” Shamieh told The Jordan Times in an interview on Thursday.

“We have to professionally develop our team and improve the care we have; although we are doing very well…at the same time we have an obligation to propagate this excellent care which patients have here to the community,” he said.

Shamieh noted that he is advocating for the creation of a specialised palliative care programme, which needs the support of the ministries of health and higher education.

An international expert who is currently visiting the KHCC shares Shamieh’s views on the need to create a nationwide palliative care programme.

David Hui — an American physician board-certified in internal medicine, oncology, hospice and palliative medicine — said the creation of a fellowship programme for palliative medicine for the country will be a major step forward as “it will allow us to prepare the next generation of doctors and improve the quality of life and care for patients.”

“Patients here [at the KHCC] are getting very good care because of this amazing network, and I would say the programme in Jordan is outstanding and this is just a beginning,” Hui told The Jordan Times, adding that this model of care can be used to benefit many other patients through a home care programme.

The US expert, who is visiting the KHCC to examine the situation of its palliative care department, explained that the patients who develop advanced cancer have tremendous symptom concerns, pain and depression. 

“In order to address these issues, you need a very comprehensive team to work on it, and the team here [at KHCC] is one of the leaders in this region,” Hui said, adding that it has the potential to become one of the leaders on the international scene.

He voiced optimism over the future of palliative care in Jordan, but called for having policies to allow more patients to access opioid drugs, which are used in pain relief.

Hui noted that access to opioids in Jordan is partly limited by healthcare policy.

Shamieh agreed with the US expert, noting that having wider access to opioids under the supervision of medics should be considered.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday held talks with Atifete Jahjaga, president of the Republic of Kosovo, during which they stressed their joint commitment to boosting bilateral cooperation in various spheres. 

During the talks, the two sides expressed hope that the visit of Kosovo’s president to the Kingdom would represent an important step towards building strong relations between the two countries. 

Potential fields of cooperation include economy, commerce, investment and expertise exchange, a Royal Court statement said. 

Talks addressed current regional developments, especially those related to achieving Middle East peace and the current US-brokered negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, on the basis of UN resolutions, the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative. 

In this context, King Abdullah stressed Jordan’s consistent position calling for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on Palestinian national soil with East Jerusalem as its capital, noting that this lies at the core of the Kingdom’s higher national interests. 

Talks also addressed the repercussions of the Syrian crisis. The two leaders stressed the importance of arriving at an inclusive political solution that engages all components of the Syrian population and would preclude further repercussions of the crisis. 

King Abdullah emphasised the burdens borne by the Kingdom due to hosting the largest number of Syrian refugees, highlighting the requirements needed to provide undisrupted humanitarian services.

Jahjaga said she was looking forward to activating the various aspects of cooperation in order to build strong partnerships between the two countries.  

Potential fields of cooperation include economy, commerce, investment and expertise exchange, a Royal Court statement said. 

Talks addressed current regional developments, especially those related to achieving Middle East peace and the current US-brokered negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, on the basis of UN resolutions, the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative. 

In this context, King Abdullah stressed Jordan’s consistent position calling for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on Palestinian national soil with East Jerusalem as its capital, noting that this lies at the core of the Kingdom’s higher national interests. 

Talks also addressed the repercussions of the Syrian crisis. The two leaders stressed the importance of arriving at an inclusive political solution that engages all components of the Syrian population and would preclude further repercussions of the crisis. 

King Abdullah emphasised the burdens borne by the Kingdom due to hosting the largest number of Syrian refugees, highlighting the requirements needed to provide undisrupted humanitarian services.

Jahjaga said she was looking forward to activating the various aspects of cooperation in order to build strong partnerships between the two countries.  

She commended Jordan’s historic stand in support of the people of Kosovo and their causes, especially their active participation in the peacekeeping forces there during the past years, noting that Jordan was one of the first countries to recognise Kosovo’s independence. 

Kosovo’s president commended Jordan’s efforts, led by His Majesty, to make peace in the Middle East and assist the Syrian refugees.  She also lauded the King’s efforts in clarifying the true image of Islam as well as his initiatives in this context, especially the Amman Message and the Common Word initiatives. 

Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour also met on Thursday with the visiting president. 

At the meeting, both sides stressed Jordan’s commitment to strengthening its relations with the Republic of Kosovo and to work on further joint cooperation. 

The premier highlighted the opportunities available for cooperation in the area of therapeutic tourism, in particular, as Jordan is among the top Arab countries in this domain. 

At the meeting, attended by Water and Irrigation Minister Hazem Nasser and Mohammad Momani, minister of state for media affairs and communications, who is also acting foreign minister, Jahjaga asserted her country’s desire to develop her country’s relations with Jordan. 

Kosovo’s president extended an invitation for the premier to visit her country to further discuss means to boost joint cooperation. 

Jordanians are proud of their national dish. And rightly so: this tasty dish of rice, lamb and jameed (a kind of yoghurt) is a symbol of Jordanian tradition and an essential part of major occasions.

Mansaf is also a regular part of the visits that diplomats make to parts of the country. And of course, we have to eat it by hand, not with a spoon and fork.

So I was looking forward to a mansaf when I visited Maan a few weeks ago, invited by one of the local MPs.

Maan is interesting as a prominent town in the south of Jordan. It has significant historical importance as the town where the Hashemite Emir Abdullah based himself when he arrived in 1920.

Maan is frequently mentioned as a place with particular issues and problems, for example where four students were killed in violence at the university last year.

I hadn’t been to Maan for a while, so the invitation seemed like a good opportunity to go and listen to the local people.

We arrived at the outskirts of Maan in mid-afternoon. A local police car was waiting for us and we were asked to follow it. We drove through the streets until we came to a building that looked like a place for hosting big receptions. There were many cars parked outside and lots of police in the vicinity. With a sense of expectation, we went into the building.

As usual, we were greeted by a row of earnest-looking men who shook our hands and offered us greetings.

I did not recognise any of them. And they seemed a bit puzzled by us. We entered the room where there were over 200 men in traditional tribal dress standing around tables groaning (the tables, not the men) under the weight of numerous mansaf dishes. They welcomed us and ushered us to a vacant table.

But something did not seem right.

Usually when I accept an invitation to visit a place, we sit and talk before eating. These people had already started.

The MP was nowhere to be seen. And they did not seem to know who we were or why we were there.

It dawned on us that we had come to the wrong place. This was the wrong mansaf!

This mansaf was being hosted by local farmers for a visiting minister from Amman. Our MP host was waiting for us elsewhere.

Once we realised the mistake, we saw a new dilemma: how could we extract ourselves with dignity?

Fortunately, someone understood that we had come to the wrong place. Phone calls were made and we were led out of the room. There were a few surprised looks. But I suspect that most of the men were enjoying their mansaf and did not notice.

We went back to our cars and were led to the right house. There we had a long and fruitful discussion with the MP and his friends and companions. They talked about the situation in Maan and their perception of local and regional issues.

After the discussion we went to eat. As it happened, they offered mandi, a Yemeni dish which resembles mansaf but which has spicy rice. It is commonly served in the south. And it seems that you eat it with a fork and spoon rather than by hand.

Reflecting on the visit later, I realised that going to the wrong mansaf illustrated one of the great strengths of Jordanian society.

The tradition of welcoming guests, even unknown guests, remains strong.

The fact that we were able to gatecrash someone else’s mansaf, be warmly welcomed and offered a meal is testament to the fact that the tradition of hospitality and generosity remains deeply embedded in Jordanian culture. Long may that remain the case!

The writer is British ambassador to Jordan. He contributed this article to The Jordan Times.

AMMAN — The Jordan Health Aid Society is organising a free medical day on Saturday in Southern Shuneh between 10am and 3pm to treat Syrian refugees.

The society is a non-profit organisation specialised in providing medical support.

It employs 900 people and offers medical services to over 400,000 Syrians within and outside the Zaatari Refugee Camp.

AMMAN — A 40-year-old man died on Wednesday following a dispute with another family in the northern city of Ajloun, Public Security Department (PSD) Spokesperson Major Amer Sartawi said.

He noted that security personnel have been deployed to the area to ensure it is secure.

He did not give further details, saying an investigation was under way.

In a separate incident, a man in his seventies died in a fire that erupted at his residence in Ruseifa, Zarqa, according to the PSD.

Sartawi told The Jordan Times that the reason behind the fire is unknown, adding that an investigation has been opened.