Sustainability Week LebanonJune 6-7, 2012

Lebanon’s National Report to Rio+20

Prepared by Karim El-Jisr

Baabda Presidential PalaceJune 5, 2012

National Report Launch

National Consultant

Rio+20 Follow-Up Committee

• Ministry of Environment

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• Ministry of Social Affairs

• Ministry of Economy and Trade

• Civil Society Organizations through the ANND

• United Nations Development Programme

National Report to the UNCSDSustainable Development in Lebanon: Status and Vision

1. Inception Report2. Stocktaking Report 3. Roundtable Meetings 4. Draft National Report 5. National Consultation Workshop 6. Final National Report

Rio+20 Methodology

I. Sustainable Development in LebanonII. Social Development and Poverty Alleviation III. Environmental SustainabilityIV. Green EconomyV. Environmental GovernanceVI. Aspirations for Sustainable DevelopmentVII. Recommendations to the UNCSD

National Report Outline

Cost of Environmental Degradation in Lebanon:

◦ $655 Million in 2000 (published in 2004) , %3.9 of GDP

◦ $969 Million in 2008 (published in 2011)

No agreement on Green Economy; the debate is open

Impact of a greener economy on local and global financial systems remains small

Economic growth is not related to color! Growth-led development is unsustainable no matter how green

Lebanon should establish a vision for growth that embraces Green Economy as one of its pillars.

IV. Green Economy

Cont.

1. Environmental Goods and Services

2. Sustainable Public Procurement

3. Green Financing

4. Green Jobs

Tariff review, conducted by MOET, of all environmental goods and services imported by the GOL

Total import of environmental goods and services ≈ 2.1% of total import activity

93% of them have tariff rates ≈ 5% Total reliance on imported environmental

goods and services is not sustainable GOL should promote Research &

Development in the design and manufacturing of environmental goods

Environmental Goods and Services

The purchasing power of the Government of Lebanon represents 15 to 25% of GDP; an important agent for change; can play a leading role in expanding the local market for sustainable procurement

Six priority areas for public procurement were identified by Basil Fleihan Institute of Finance in 2011:

1. Regional disparities minimization2. Renewable energy promotion3. Transport and traffic sector improvement4. Water management (production and home servicing)5. Waste management (hazardous/non hazardous)6. Coastal areas preservation

Sustainable Public Procurement

BDL Circular 7743/2001: subsidized interest loan to support investment in industry, agriculture and tourism

BDL Circular 197/2009: new policy to facilitate loans for environmentally-friendly projects (new projects as well as retrofits)

BDL Circular 236/2010: new loan incentives to finance environmental projects in energy (renewable energy, energy efficiency, and green buildings) and non-energy

Green Financing

Pipeline Projects:

€12 million EU-funded project with BDL to promote energy projects through a bonus scheme

$15 million World Bank loan to implement the Lebanon Pollution Abatement Project (LEPAP). Implemented by MOE in coordination with MOF and BDL to assist industrial enterprises in (1) conducting environmental audits and (2) set up a finance scheme to adopt pollution control measures

Kafalat Energy

Green Financing (Cont.)

“work in agricultural, manufacturing, research and development, administrative, and service activities that contribute(s) substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality. Specifically, but not exclusively, this includes jobs that help to protect ecosystems and biodiversity; reduce energy, materials, and water consumption through high efficiency strategies; de-carbonize the economy; and minimize or altogether avoid generation of all forms of waste and pollution.”

Green JobsGreen job according to UNEP

Reconciling poverty reduction and environmental sustainability goals

Green jobs are not all new ! Historically, Lebanon has offered green jobs in agriculture (bench terracing), reforestation (Green Plan) and manufacturing (handicraft)

A 2010 preliminary assessment of potential green jobs in Lebanon examined four key job sectors: energy, construction, agriculture/forestry and waste management

Green Jobs (Cont.)

Green Jobs (Cont.)Sector Projections (new green jobs)

Energy 4,000 green energy jobs by 2020 based on the 12% RE pledge and 1,050,000m2 of installed solar water heaters

Construction 900 new green jobs per year based on BDL estimate that $100M will be invested in green buildings over the next 5 years.

Waste Management

1,900-2,500 new green jobs if current plans for waste management sector Waste-to-energy systems are implemented. Closure and rehabilitation of open dumps would create an additional 640 permanent jobs and 400 temporary jobs.

Agriculture and Forestry

1,600 jobs by 2020 assuming a linear trend in organic production. 15,000 jobs in the forestry sector by 2020 if the GOL’s National Reforestation Plan (spearheaded by MOE) is fully implemented.

ILO/UNDP, 2010

Other green jobs:

1. Environmental prosecutors (Decree 7841, 23/3/2012)

2. Environmental police (pending)

3. Responsible tourism ◦ Protected Areas (Shouf Cedars, Horsh Ehden, Tannourine

Cedars, Palm Islands, Tyre Coast, etc.) (Decree 8045/2012)

◦ Private Reserves (Ammiq Wetland)

◦ Lebanon Mountain Trail (440km trail)

◦ Bouyout el Dhiafeh (Decree 6298/2011)

◦ Tour Operators (licensed firms, NGOs, Facebook)

Green Jobs (Cont.)

VII. 1 Rethinking the Global Economic Model

VII. 2 Reforming the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development

VII. 3 Establishing a Global Environmental Court

VII. 4 Reaffirming Palestinians’ Right of Return

Recommendations to the UNCSD

United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

Rio de JaneiroJune 20-22, 2012

For your comments rio_20@moe.gov.lb