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Environment in Lebanon: Status and Way Forward

Environment in Lebanon: Status and Way Forward. Ricardo Khoury Environmental Consultant, ELARD City Café – Beirut, Lebanon April 5, 2007. Objectives. Describe key environmental concerns in Lebanon Explain how government is addressing these concerns

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Environment in Lebanon: Status and Way Forward

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  1. Environment in Lebanon:Status and Way Forward Ricardo KhouryEnvironmental Consultant, ELARD City Café – Beirut, Lebanon April 5, 2007

  2. Objectives • Describe key environmental concerns in Lebanon • Explain how government is addressing these concerns • Discuss means for civic society and scientists to push forward the environmental agenda

  3. Environmental Concerns • Solid Waste • Wastewater • Water • Air quality • Climate change • Environmental impacts from July 2006 war Sources of pollution Sinks of pollution Effect of pollution

  4. GBA National Solid Waste • MSW Generation (2001 estimate): 1.44 million tons/year • Equivalent to 0.92 kg/capita/day Source: MoE/Ecodit

  5. Solid Waste (2) Source: MoE

  6. Solid Waste (3) Tripoli Controlled Waste Disposal Areas Greater Beirut and Mount Lebanon Zahle (50%)

  7. Solid Waste (4) • Recent Initiatives • USAID Program (2003-2007) (15 mUSD) • EU / OMSAR Program (on-going) (10.5 mEURO) • Support to Unions of Municipalities and municipalities in solid waste management

  8. Solid Waste (5) • A draft Law for Integrated Solid Waste Management was prepared by MoE (2005) and is ready for adoption • Lack of long-term planning in this sector is a major hindrance to its improvement • Political interference is another major obstacle

  9. Wastewater • Lebanon generates about 250 million m3 of wastewater per year • Almost the totality of this wastewater is directly discharged in the sea, rivers, valleys or land

  10. Mediterranean Sea Source: CDR/LACECO, 2000c Wastewater (2)

  11. Wastewater (3) • The GoL initiated the construction of seven wastewater treatment plants in 2001: Saida, Chekka, Batroun, Jbeil, Chouf coastal area, Baalbeck and Nabatiyeh • None is yet operational • Several municipalities have or are finding their own solutions with support of international agencies (such as USAID)

  12. Water • Lebanon has 40 major streams and rivers with 17 perennial rivers and more than 2000 springs • Water quality data issparse and not enoughto assess severity ofwater pollution

  13. Water (2) • Of the 10 stations monitored by the National Center for Marine Sciences (NCMS) only one station was deemed fit for swimming based on concentration of fecal coliforms(SOER, 2001)

  14. Water (3) • Surface water also suffers from pollution

  15. Water (4) • Seawater intrusion

  16. Water (5) • Limited progress in solid waste and wastewater management does not help alleviate impacts on water resources • Limited control on industrial and agricultural discharges • No systematic monitoring of quality of water resources

  17. Air pollution loads (ktonnes) Air Quality & Climate Change • Main sources of air pollution: • Transport • Power plants • Industries Greenhouse Gases 13,000

  18. TSP, µg/m3 Average 166 mg/m3 Lebanese 24-hr standard USEPA 24-hr standard Air Quality & Climate Change (2) • Limited monitoring of ambient air quality • MoE developed a draft Law for the Protection of Air Quality (2005) – yet to be adopted • No strategy for air quality protection available

  19. Air Quality & Climate Change (3) • Climate change • Lebanon signed the Kyoto Protocol • Eligible to participate in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) • Is in the process of selecting a Designated National Authority (DNA)

  20. Environmental Impacts from War

  21. The Oil Spill • Up to 15,000 m3 of heavy fuel oil spilled in the Mediterranean Sea • 150 km of coast affected by the oil spill • Palm Island Nature Reserve (Protected Area) polluted

  22. Impacts from Reconstruction • 445,000 m2 of road network, 92 bridges, and 130,000 dwelling units (HRC) • 2.5 to 3 million m3 of construction and demolition wastes • Inadequate waste management affecting water courses, biodiversity and coastal zone • Demand for natural resources (sand and aggregates) has doubled to meet reconstruction needs • Average dust concentration could increase by a factor 5 in areas close to heavy construction activities

  23. Other Environmental Impacts (1)

  24. Other Environmental Impacts (2)

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