Topic: Promoting Ecologically Sound Development Strategies
Country: Lebanon
Delegate Name: Chloe Wendlandt
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Lebanon position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
Lebanon is currently facing numerous environmental issues. Lebanon acknowledges the fact that these issues must be brought forth; several acts have been passed with intentions to mend some of the problems. However, the current crisis occurring in Syria, Lebanon’s neighbor, is causing much distress in the country. 1 in 5 people in Lebanon are Syrian refugees, and Lebanon does not have the resources to support the rapidly growing population. Given the circumstances, Lebanon would like to establish a environmental development plan, but it is not currently the top priority.
A few of the environmental issues facing Lebanon right now are water shortages, a decrease in trees and forests, rising temperatures that fuel forest fires, and water pollution in 2 pivotal Lebanese bodies of water: the Litani River and the Qaraoun Lake. Not only are these problems unappealing to tourists, but they also pose serious health and safety threats to the citizens of Lebanon. Worldwide outdoor air pollution has risen 8% in the past five years, rising cities in the Middle East being some of the most affected areas. Over the past 50 years, the forest cover in Lebanon has declined by roughly 17%. Though it is home to unique native tree species, Lebanon loses 1,500 to 2,000 hectares of forest every year to forest fires and deforestation. These natural resources can be used to advance the economy; however, they are little help if they are depleting more and more each year. A lack of natural resources and smaller amounts of tourists due to the environmental conditions of Lebanon can both factor into a weakening economy, which is less than desirable.
Lebanon would like to pursue projects and programs that will improve the conditions of the environment. Saad Hariri, the current prime minister of Lebanon, has recently stated: “We, the government, will get to work to resolve the economic, environmental, security and political issues the Lebanese face.”
In 2016 alone, Lebanon has made several commitments to improve the oceans such as building a 30 square kilometer protective marine area in Naqoura and Ras ech Chaqaa, allocating money to create restorative sea gardens, setting aside $2.2 million with the European Union ($1.1 million each) to clean the remains of a 2006 oil spill, and intent to establish an environmental police force to enforce environmental laws.
In 1994, Lebanon ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The main goal of this convention is to stabilize greenhouse gases. Recently, in April 2016, Lebanon ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Under the Kyoto Protocol, countries are legally binded to decrease the amount of greenhouse gases from 2013 to 2020 by at least 18% when compared to the levels of 1990. Also in April 2016, Lebanon ratified the Paris Agreement of the UNFCCC in which the aim is to keep the global temperature from rising more than 2°C (more comfortably below 1.5°C). The Paris Agreement will go into effect in 2020.
As aforementioned, it is clear that Lebanon has made effort to improve its ecosystems and environment. Lebanon would like to develop other ways to solve the current environmental issues. However, when considering the situation in Syria that is also affecting Lebanon, a drastic effort to restore the ecosystem and environment is a rather difficult goal to achieve. It is tough to solve this overwhelmingly large problem when the issue of Syrian refugees is more pressing.
"Negotiations | Climate Change Lebanon." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.
News, BBC. "Saad Hariri Named Lebanon's New Prime Minister." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.
"Our Ocean 2016 Commitments." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, 16 Sept. 2016. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.
"Syria's Refugee Crisis in Numbers." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.
@usaid. "Environment and Global Climate Change." U.S. Agency for International Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.
Vidal, John. "Air Pollution Rising at an 'alarming Rate' in World's Cities." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 11 May 2016. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.
