A comprehensive collection of contributions from the Middle East and Japan, dealing with pressing problems concerning sustainability in arid zones, this time with the accent on environmental science and engineering. The symposium brought together researchers and field engineers who discussed issues such as sulphur utilization in agriculture and construction engineering, renewable energy sources, and hazardous and waste-water treatment technologies. At a broader level, compliance with the Kyoto Protocol was on the agenda, with lively debate on global warming issues, which are of particular relevance to the ecology of arid lands.