Sue Surkes

Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter.

A color-adjusted photo of a race car kicking up a trail of dust during stage two of the Dakar Rally between Al Wajh and Neom, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, January 6, 2020. (Photo: AP/Bernat Armangue; Illustration: Joshua Davidovich/Times of Israel)

June 16, 2021, 6:23 am

As Saudis sell city of the future, investors and critics see a desert mirage

Riyadh has big plans for Neom, its ultra-high-tech, world-class business hub just miles from Eilat, but skeptics say the project is overhyped and unlikely to succeed

By Sue Surkes

The subterranean lake in the Ayalon Cave near Ramle, in central Israel. (Israel Ne'eman)

June 14, 2021, 9:18 pm

Scientists warn that flooding cave will ruin unique 5-million-year-old ecosystem

Blind, colorless arthropods make their home in Ayalon Cave in central Israel, thriving in dark, oxygen-free environment, fed by sulfurous water rising from deep in the earth

By Sue Surkes

An oil tanker docked at the Europe Asia Pipeline Company's port, close to the coral reef nature reserve of Eilat in southern Israel. (Society for the Protection of Nature)

June 14, 2021, 8:46 pm

Losing no time, green groups urge new government to stop ‘dangerous’ oil deal

Activists warn of environmental disaster, as tankers unload crude in coral-rich Eilat for transport overland to Ashkelon, on Mediterranean coast, for shipping to Europe

By Sue Surkes

Activists take part at a protest calling for the closure the oil refineries in the Haifa Bay in northern Israel, June 24, 2019. (Meir Vaknin/Flash90)

June 8, 2021, 10:22 pm

Panel reaffirms call to shut down Haifa Bay’s oil refineries within a decade

But in a sign of possible hurdles ahead, finance and energy ministries express reservations about the committee’s recommendations

By Sue Surkes

Environmental activists mark World Oceans Day on June 8, 2021, by protesting at the Knesset against an agreement to allow the transfer of Gulf oil to Europe using Israel as a landbridge. (Twitter)

June 8, 2021, 2:26 pm

On World Oceans Day, green groups go to Knesset to protest UAE oil deal

Organizations warn that massive environmental disaster may result from secretive plan by Israel state company and binational consortium to channel Gulf oil to Europe via Israel

By Sue Surkes

A herd of gazelles seen in Mitzpeh Naftoah, Jerusalem, March 26, 2016. (Yossi Zamir/Flash90)

June 3, 2021, 12:41 pm

Mass of green events mark World Environment day, World Oceans day

Eco-activities to be held across the country on Friday through next week at beaches, urban nature spots, projects and sites where preservation campaigns are being waged

By Sue Surkes

Israelis take part at a protest march to demand immediate action on climate change in Tel Aviv on March 29, 2019. The sign reads: 'What green do you see?' (Adam Shuldman/Flash90)

June 2, 2021, 5:27 am

Israeli businesses told to think sustainability or sink financially

First environment conference to be initiated by business community hears that public pressure, international regulations and likelihood of Israel climate law all point green

By Sue Surkes

A view of the Dead Sea Works on February 2, 2018. (Issac Harari/Flash90)

June 1, 2021, 11:16 pm

State allows Dead Sea Works to pump more water, even as iconic lake recedes

Water Authority greenlights extraction of 445 million cubic meters in coming year, up from 439 million cubic meters last year, to disappointment of environmentalists

By Sue Surkes

Kibbutz Nir David. (Shlomi Mishali, Pikiwiki Israel, Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5)

May 31, 2021, 11:29 pm

State sides with public over access to picturesque kibbutz stream

After years of foot-dragging, prosecution tells Haifa District Court that public access to Hassi Stream in Kibbutz Nir David should be given ‘immediately’

By Sue Surkes

Oil shale rock burns on its own once lit with a blow torch. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

May 31, 2021, 9:21 pm

Planning committee greenlights next stage of oil shale and plastic waste factory

Ignoring pleas from environmental groups to cancel plans, committee members approve Environment Ministry terms for an impact survey to include climate costs

By Sue Surkes

Empty plastic bottles lie strewn on a Dead Sea beach, November 5, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

May 31, 2021, 6:04 pm

Store won’t refund your bottle deposit? Environment Ministry urges you to snitch

Call follows raids by ministry’s Green Police on 59 businesses, triggering fines and legal proceedings

By Sue Surkes

The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, December 25, 2018. (Adam Shuldman/Flash90)

May 30, 2021, 5:43 pm

Migdal Capital Markets becomes first investment house to track new green index

Giving institutional investors an environmentally conscious option, exchange traded fund will track the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange TA-125 Fossil Free index

By Sue Surkes

Leaves of a control potato plant (L) and a genetically engineered one. (Courtesy, Shilo Rosenwasser)

May 27, 2021, 3:11 pm

Potatoes that glow when stressed: Scientists tap into tubers in trouble

Hebrew University researchers implant gene with fluorescent protein that changes color according to levels of stress indicated by quantity of potentially harmful free radicals

By Sue Surkes

A lappet-faced vulture visits the Hai Bar Nature Reserve at Yotvata in southern Israel, April 29 2021. (Noam Weiss/ International Birding and Research Center, Eilat)

May 26, 2021, 8:43 pm

Vulture thought extinct from Israel for 30 years spotted twice in a month

Israel Nature and Parks Authority hopes sightings of subspecies of ecologically important lappet-faced vulture signal its return

By Sue Surkes

A female turtle fitted with a transmitter for research returns to the Mediterranean Sea. (Yaniv Levy, INPA)

May 25, 2021, 5:26 pm

A time to lay: With turtle egg season underway, public asked to help

Upon encountering an animal or eggs, beachgoers are urged to call inspectors, keep others away until they arrive

By Sue Surkes