ENG - UN CC:Learn

ARAB STATES
LEBANON
MDGs
Progress Towards Environmental Sustainability
Mediterranean
Sea
LEBANON
Lebanon’s Ministry of Environment was established in 1993 and its mandate
is continuously reviewed to strengthen decentralization in addressing environmental
sustainability issues. A framework law for the protection of the
Sidon
SYRIA
environment was promulgated in 2002 to ensure the sustainability of the
environment as a basic national entitlement and a public goal. Several protection
measures were enforced, such as preparing a draft law on protected
Tyre
areas, formulating a strategy for climate change, implementing a five-year
ISRAEL
plan for reforestation, establishing the Lebanese Environment and
Development Observatory (LEDO), and mainstreaming environmental concerns in other sectors such as education.
Forests account for 13.3% of total land area in Lebanon. Carbon dioxide is one of the most commonly emitted gases, with an estimated
emission of 13,803,000 tons in 1994. The transport sector is the main source of pollution, followed by the energy sector, with
emissions increasing by 35% between 1994 and 1999. After the ratification of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol, a
national committee and a special Ozone Office at the Ministry of Environment were established.
Access to water through public water networks covers 79% of total dwellings, with noted regional variations. The disparity is due
to seepage from deteriorated networks. Government attempts to ensure sustained access to safe water continue through installation
of networks in rural areas and plans for the constructing of dams to satisfy potable water requirements and other needs.
QUICK FACTS
CURRENT PORTFOLIO BUDGET
Total UNDP-GEF and Co-Finance: $8,982,000
Total UNDP and Co-Finance: $5,001,076
Total MPU and Bilateral: $4,368,479
Total: $18,351,555
Cumulative Total ODS Phased-Out:
393.7 ODP tonnes
Beirut
Tripoli
The pollution of water resources, especially as a result of wastewater infiltration to underground water resources, is a national problem.
Proliferation of lime constituents and cracks in soil layers allow
infiltration of liquid waste into the groundwater; haphazard digging
of artesian wells leads to the infiltration of seawater into fresh
groundwater, resulting in increased salinity; and the disposal of
domestic and industrial solid waste and waste water are polluting
factors as well.
Some important policy recommendations for increasing prospects for
environmental sustainability in Lebanon include: implementing the
provisions of the international conferences on sustainable development
and the environment and the Arab initiative for sustainable
development; strengthening public participation and public-private
partnerships through increased access to information. 1
Removing Barriers To Energy Efficient Buildings 2
SPOTLIGHT
Although Lebanon's GHG emissions are globally very marginal, Lebanon has good reason to promote
energy efficiency programs since it imports around 97% of its energy needs in the form of fossil fuels.
According to Lebanon's First National Communication to the UNFCCC, Lebanon 's 1994 energy use
resulted in the emissions of 12 million tons of CO 2 , 8% of which were the result of energy used in buildings
for space heating and cooling. As buildings play a key role in determining amounts of energy use,
establishing standards to improve the energy-saving qualities of buildings can reduce fuel-based energy
used for the provision of heating and cooling and consequently the amount of CO 2 emissions.
In 2002, as part of a regional programme, UNDP and GEF initiated a project in collaboration with the Government of Lebanon,
focused on removing barriers for the establishment, adoption, and application of thermal standards for buildings. The removal
of barriers involved the assessment of environmental and socio-economic impacts; the development of economic incentives;
information dissemination and sensitization; provision of the capacity building required and knowledge sharing among countries
in the region. Two key components were the creation of the Energy Efficiency Committee within the Order of Engineers
and Architects and the integration of concrete financial incentives to use energy efficient building materials into the recently
adopted building law.
The project has been successful in fostering an enabling policy environment, as the removal of barriers paved the way for the
CLIMATE CHANGE
future transformation of the thermal building standard into a code adopted by the Government. The project is a strong foundation
upon which to continue to generate national momentum to reduce CO 2 emissions in buildings.
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