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NATURE
IS NOT A PLACE TO VISIT
IT IS HOME “Gary Snyder”
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EMOTION
16 The great green wall of china China has embarked on a massive tree planting program
18 Leaf it up to nature India's plan to put two billion trees along its highways
E SSENCE 28 your advendure awaits Be an explorer through the beauty of Central Europe
50 aquatic E.T. Close encounters of a dolphin kind
H ORIZONs 80 Making water more transparent Better governance is the way forward to safeguard resources
84 Look to the hills The potential for reservoir building 88 A dam fine solution? More water storage capacity is still needed
t h e
B E Y O N D
T E A M
Owner and General Director Pascale Choueiri Saad Co-owner Ronald Saad Chief Editor Pascale Choueiri Saad Chief Environmental Consultant Edgard Chehab Environmental Consultant Bassam Kantar Copy Editor Jody Jaffe Art Director Milia Souaid Responsible Director Antoine Hajj Guest Photographers Yousra Bustros, Riad Khoury, Christine Azar Contributing Writers Alia Fawaz, Malek Hakim, Louis Parks, John Bates, Susan Fulton, Pierre Sakr, Karim Dahdah Printed by Chamas for Printing & Publishing, Mazraa, Colombia Center Advertising & Marketing FST, info@fivestarstourism.com Editorial enquiries mag.beyond@gmail.com
Published by
Five Stars Tourism s.a.r.l. Azarieh St. Azarieh Bldg. Block 01 Beirut, Lebanon Tel: +961 1 994 006 Fax: +961 1 994 007 This magazine is printed on recycled paper
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What a wonderful world… Yesterday, while driving, I was listening to Louis Armstrong’s famous song. I closed my eyes and saw trees of green, red roses too. I saw them bloom…. I saw visions of a magnificent planet, of fresh oceans and clean seas, horses galloping in wild spaces, children running in never-ending sunlit paths among green woods, wind-swept wheat fields, and meadows filled with red, blue, and yellow flowers…I could feel the warm sun, hear the singing birds, smell the sweet scent of honeysuckle carried on the smooth breeze, and I thought to myself, what a wonderful world…. It wasn’t long before the loud blast of a nearby horn woke me from my reverie, and at that very moment, the music stopped. I opened my eyes and realized that I was stuck in a huge traffic jam in the middle of dozens of cars, surrounded by huge masses of concrete buildings and atrocious noise pollution. No sight of any green, and no sight of blue. It was back to black and back to reality. I felt trapped. What have we done? It was some 66 years ago when Einstein gave a wake-up call by saying: "We are drifting toward catastrophe beyond conception. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive.” And, 66 years later, in 2015, we are still destroying our planet, and we are responsible. We humans, through the negligence that grows out of our state of denial, are destroying our planet. We spread pollution with our industry, our overpopulation, our fertilizers, and our insecticides. Our greed wreaks ecological havoc as a result of our unsustainable farming, our logging, and our exploitation of the world’s other natural resources. We are making our “home” (the Earth) unlivable, not only for ourselves but for our future generations as well. Our current consumption patterns are driving our natural resources toward irreversible tipping points. We must learn to say NO to the latent, innate terror of consumerism. We need to consume less and carefully save what remains of this “wonderful world” before it becomes a lost paradise that we shall forever mourn.
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AM
M a in Cont r i b u to r s
Edgard Chehab
Yousra Bustros
Diana Boudargham Tannoury
Bassam Kantar
alia fawaz
alfred moussa
With 17 years of experience in the environmental field, Edgard Chehab is a renowned name in local and regional green circles. He is the assistant resident representative and manager of the Energy and Environment Program of UNDP, Lebanon. He is also the advisor to the Ministry of the Environment. Beyond is lucky to have Mr. Chehab as its environmental consultant and dear friend.
In her contributions to Beyond , Diana Boudargham Tannoury continues to push her poetic license to the next level. With a master’s degree in international communications and international relations from Boston University, Mrs. Boudargham Tannoury enjoys writing short stories and poems in the hope that her words will help raise awareness about nature’s fragility.
Alia Fawaz is a freelance writer based in Beirut with a passion to see a greener, cleaner Lebanon. Can we influence others to be environmentally responsible? Trying to answer this question is both a challenge and the source of inspiration for her as a regular contributor to Beyond. She covers the increasing renewable energy projects and eco-initiatives in the country and shares snippets of natural wonders from around the globe‌
Yousra wanted to study medicine. She studied management, which bored her profoundly. She considers herself to be a selftaught person who learned according to her passions, which are numerous. They include reading, politics, philosophy, composing music, gardening, and hiking, when she is never without her camera. She has been the assistant to two extraordinary men: Gebran Tueini and Michel Elfteriades.
A seasoned Lebanese journalist, Bassam AlKantar is a founding member of the Lebanese Environment Party. Kantar frequently writes about environmental and human rights issues. He strongly believes that the free press can, be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad. Kantar won a fellowship from the Earth Journalism Network to cover the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change summit in Doha.
A photography artist who has captured the nature, architecture and people of 15 countries and 120 cities in five continents, Alfred Moussa has been taking his best shot since his tender years. He has contributed to Lebanon's Ministries of Tourism and Environment and LBC International, among many others. Mr Moussa's work has earned him nods from Photo Laureates, American Art Festival, Georgetown University, World Press Photo and many more. Info@alfredmoussa.com
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emotion
If we want to safeguard the future of the human race, we need bold, green initiatives. Beyond pays tribute to China, India and France, which are all setting the standards that the world should follow to survive. 15
The Great Green Wall of China The Great Green Wall (also known as the Three North Shelterbelt project) is by far the world’s largest tree-planting project. To date 66 billion trees have been planted since the project began in 1978. By the project’s end, planned for 2050, it is intended to stretch 4,500km along the edges of China’s northern deserts, cover 405m hectares (42% of its territory) and increase the world’s forest cover by more than a tenth.
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This green belt started in an attempt to stop the advance of the Gobi dessert – in particular the southern edge into China – as it is expanding at an alarming rate due to desertification (land becoming increasing arid). The Gobi Desert overtakes 3,600 km2 of grassland every year. This also means increase in dust storms, which sets back the country’s agriculture economy. Scientific studies have proved that the
total amount of carbon stored in all living biomass above the soil has increased globally by almost 4 billion tons since 2003, with China contributing in a notable way thanks to its Great Green Wall. This is good news as plants play a significant role in slowing down climate change, absorbing about a quarter of the carbon dioxide that people are putting into the air due to burning fossil fuels and other activities.
China’s unprecedented industrial and economic growth has made it the world's second-largest economy (after the USA). Of course this rapid and ambitious expansion along with the rise in population, does not come without a hefty price, as China is also the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases. China, however, has not been passive. It has embarked on the Great Green Wall program – a massive tree planting program that has helped off-set tropical deforestation and absorb some of the carbon-changing carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere… Words Alia FawaZ
According to Yi Liu, the lead author of a recent study by Australia’s University of New South Wales Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science,“carbon storage in Chinese forests increased by about 0.8 billion tons (0.72 billion tonnes) between 2003 and 2012.” But even so there are serious questions regarding the long-term sustainability of this kind of project. In contrast to attempts elsewhere to halt deforestation
or replace recently felled trees, most of China’s planting is on long-barren land. Much of it is also non-native pines and poplars. In other words planting trees where they do not grow naturally may do more harm than good; these trees will soak up large amounts of valuable groundwater and be prone to disease and pests. Some critics even question the mortality rate of trees planted there and whether these trees would negatively
affect grass and shrubs, which in general are more resistant to drought and more effective at erosion control. Clearly the ecological issues are very complex, and the long-term impact is still not clear for such a large-scale manmade forestation project. More greenness certainly means more absorption of carbon dioxide, but the only sure way to diminish the impacts of global warming is to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
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Leaf it up to nature Driving along highways that are lined with trees is always a pleasant experience. Miles of leafy roads add beauty and much shade to the pleasure of driving. However, aesthetics alone was not the motive for Indian leaders when they recently announced their plans to plant a record number of trees on their country’s highways. Words Alia Fawaz
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Reducing unemployment and air pollution were the two main reasons for India’s ambitious project. The Ministry of Rural Development has announced that it will hire 300,000 youths to plant two billion trees along India’s 62,137 miles of highway. India, the country with the world‘s second largest population, is actually home to six of the World Health Organization’s 10 cities with the worst air pollution. Deforestation continues to be a major challenge as well. Clearly, the extra foliage will make a significant difference towards producing cleaner air. Trees capture particulate matter In fact, a recent U.K.-led study has proven that tree leaves can capture a substantial amount of particulate pollution–the air pollutants that most commonly affect people’s health. Scientists in this study performed an experiment to measure how much air pollution ends up in a certain number of homes in the same neighborhood by using dust-monitoring devices; first by swiping surfaces and then analyzing what was collected by means of magnetic remanence (residual magnetism), a technique that provides information on concentrations of ironbearing particles. The scientists then placed a screen of 30 young silver birch trees in wooden planters in front of several of the houses for 13 days, while the same number of houses did not have the planters. Wipes from all the houses showed that the ones with the tree screens in front of them had between 52 percent and 65 percent less concentration of metallic particles. The houses with the trees in front of them also showed a 50 percent reduction in PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 (PM1= particulate matter with a diameter of one micrometer or less; PM 2.5 = particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less; and PM 10 = particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less). The researchers examined the silver birch leaves with a scanning electron microscope. They confirmed that the hairy surfaces of the leaves trapped the toxic metallic particles. These particles came primarily from combustion and brake wear from passing vehicles.
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Aloha renewables! Hawaii’s natural beauty is world-renowned. Its pristine beaches, stunning landscapes, and biodiversity have made it one of the most desirable destinations for holidaymakers, surfers, biologists, and volcanologists. In a few decades this archipelago in the Pacific Ocean will also make a name for itself as the first state in the United States to run entirely on renewable energy. Words Alia Fawaz
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An important bill has been passed by the Hawaiian state legislature. It provides that 100 percent of the state’s electricity will come from renewable sources by 2045. While this may sound quite far-fetched today, officials in Hawaii seem to be confident that they can realize this goal, as long as they can put the infrastructure in place. Natural resources help Fortunately, Hawaii is blessed with abundant natural resources. These can help the state to develop more renewable energy, of various types: solar, wind,
and geothermal. Mark Glick, from the Hawaii State Energy Office, said, "This is a significant step in our effort toward reducing Hawaii’s dependence on expensive imported oil and putting the state on the path toward greater energy, environmental and economic security." As soon as the bill is approved, Hawaii will have to start generating its electricity from a combination of sources–hydroelectric, biomass, geothermal, hydrogen fuel cells, ocean wave, tidal action, wind, solar, etc.– which will replace oil as the major source of its electricity.
Zero imports of fuel According to the new bill, Hawaii’s goal is to completely stop importing fuel. The state currently imports around 93 percent of its energy, making its residential electric power rates among the most expensive in the United States (around 175 percent of the U.S. average). Hawaii now obtains around 22 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, mostly wind and solar. If Hawaii does succeed in making the switch from dependency on fossil fuels to all clean energy, it will set a good example for the rest of the world to follow.
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Words susan fulton
SacrĂŠ vert!
France’s skyline is about to turn green According to a recent French law, all new buildings that are constructed in commercial areas must now be partially covered by either solar panels or green roofs. This law will certainly change the French skyline, and help the country to accelerate the development of solar power, a field in which it currently lags behind other major European countries, such as Italy, Germany, and Spain. Words Alia Fawaz
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French environmental activists had initially called for a stricter law that would have required all new buildings to be completely covered with either solar panels or plants. The government, however, restricted the new law to commercial buildings. Even so, this will make a significant contribution to a greener France. The solar electricity that is produced on a roof can partially or entirely cover your power needs. Of course, solar panels are not as pretty to look at as a lush rooftop garden, but the panels help us to conserve our nonrenewable energy sources as well as to reduce our carbon footprint. In 2014, solar energy production reduced global carbon dioxide emissions by around 110 million tons. In addition, green roofs serve to insulate the buildings and thereby substantially reduce the need for both heating and air conditioning. Green roofs also help to reduce runoff by retaining rainwater, and they improve air quality by absorbing pollutants. The installation and maintenance of green roofs still cost significantly more than that of solar panels, and their price and complexity puts off many homeowners and developers. However, new studies are demonstrating that the benefits and longterm savings from green roofs more than offset the extra up-front investment. French builders may initially opt to place more solar panels than gardens on the new rooftops. Nevertheless, this would still mean progress towards a greener France. The new French law provides a good example of green legislation for other countries to follow.
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essen c e
Beyond takes you far away from your routine and out into the big, wide world where glorious nature, less traveled paths and even extra-terrestrial experiences are waiting to be discovered.
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budapest, hungary
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Many of us tend to play it safe when it comes to vacations by going to the most popular destinations. Perhaps it’s time to be more adventurous and trek the road less traveled. If you are ready to explore new territory, we highly recommend a trip that includes Slovenia, southern Austria, and Hungary. These least discovered regions of Central Europe offer unparalleled Alpine beauty and a wealth of places to explore. The best way to discover this enchanting region, where World War I battles once raged, is to do it on foot. Here is a rough guide to take you through the best parts in around ten days. Words Alia Fawaz
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lake balaton, hungary
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bled lake
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Begin in Budapest, Hungary and tour this vibrant, modern city that is adorned with grandiose, imperial architecture. Then head southwest to Lake Batalon, the region’s largest lake, and hike through Balaton Uplands National Park. Make sure to stop at one of its many wineries. The following day you can head to Prekmurje, in northern Slovenia, and hike the floodplain of the Mura River. Then cross over to Austria’s breathtaking Styria region, which is rich with vineyards and rolling hills. Spend the next two days across the border in the Slovenian Alps. The walk in the Logarska Dolina
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in northern Slovenia is second to none, with spectacular views of green glacial valleys against a background of snowcovered peaks. Continue on to Okreselj and view the sparkling Rinka Waterfall. On day six, head to Velika Planina and explore the herding lifestyle (make sure that you taste the local cheese). Later on, travel west to the pristine Lake Bohinj and hike along the Mostnica River. There you can discover charming gorges, waterfalls, and secluded beaches. End the day in lively Bled, where its famous medieval castle offers a magnificent panoramic view at sunset. On your
eighth day, cross through the scenic Vršič Pass in the Julian Alps and follow the trail to Sleme. On day nine, trek through the picturesque Soda River Valley and then follow the scenic wine route of the Goriška Brda. End the day in the Venetian-style town of Piran, which is elegantly perched on the Adriatic coast. Finally, head to Slovenia’s Kras region. It is famous for its eroded limestone formations. Discover the otherworldly Skocjan Caves (a World Heritage site). End your walking adventure in Ljubljana, the delightful capital of Slovenia, where a dynamic mix of cultures comes together.
lake balaton, hungary
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southern alps
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Logarska Dolina
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Berchtesgadener Land, Bavaria
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Lake Bohinj
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lake bohinj
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ljubljana, slovenia
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piran, slovenia
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Aquatic E.T.? Dolphins are some of the most remarkable animals on the planet, and pioneering research into their communication patterns just might enable us to understand this complex creature. Words Louis Parks
With years of experience of training dolphins to jump, dive and twist on command, we like to think that we've gained a solid understanding of the animal, but in reality, while we know that they're intelligent, we don't know how intelligent they are. Before the rise of the human, dolphins were probably the animal with the biggest brains on the planet. Pound for pound their brains are certainly among the largest in the animal kingdom, for example, their brain are larger than those of chimpanzees. 51
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While their brains are certainly large, they're also very different from ours. They don't have large frontal lobes, so their decision making skills aren't particularly impressive, but, they are exceptional problem solvers. Also, they seem to be able to plan for the future, an important ability in a social animal. Intelligent, almost alien, dolphins are creatures that, for all intents and purposes, might as well come from a different planet. 55
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These wonderfully expressive creatures appear to have a large vocabulary and their brains are geared toward social interaction. We've recently discovered that dolphins have unique names that they create for themselves when calves and they have a distinctive, signature whistle to communicate with their family groups. We know that they talk a lot, they constantly vocalize, they whistle, they click, they chirp, they discipline their young, they chase away sharks. But, we don't understand more than a few "words". 59
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This social mindset has been under study and, remarkably, two dolphins in the early 2000's were able to learn an entirely new language, one presented to them by their trainers. The gestural language meant that the two animals could communicate not only with their human observers, but also between themselves. Adaptive, alien and expressive, the dolphin's natural communicative talent sets it apart from every other animal. 61
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These big-brained creatures clearly have a flair for communication and a love of "talking". It remains to be seen what more we can discover, but it's clear that this remarkable mammal is perhaps the most intriguing social animal on the planet. Its ability to learn, partake in social interactions, form groups and engage in crossspecies communication points to a neural make-up that is leaps and bounds ahead of anything else we've ever encountered. We're looking at the stars for our close encounter, perhaps we're already having it. 63
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Flying the flag for excellence The winners of the latest Blue Flag awards for the best-kept beaches in the world have recently been announced. This program includes beaches in Europe, South Africa, North Africa, New Zealand, Brazil, and the Caribbean. Words louis parks
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The Blue Flag is perhaps the clearest indication of the environmental health of a beach. It is a source of pride for any winner. Since 1987, the program’s strict criteria have ranked beaches according to a set of guidelines that include water quality, cleanliness, organization, visitor safety, and environmental awareness. An entirely voluntary program, the awards are handed out on an annual basis with the aim of improving the sustainability of beaches all over the world. Covering 63 countries and spanning the globe, the Blue Flag award is the clearest indicator of a world-class beach and coastal environment. The Blue Flag is awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), a non-governmental, non-profit organization. FEE is a fully independent organization that liaises with environmental agencies all over the world to promote the best beaches on the planet.
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A commercial incentive The competition for nominations is often fierce. In view of the vast income from tourism that many countries enjoy, a healthy beachfront can be worth a considerable amount of money. As a result, governments and NGOs the world over are often willing to invest in the improvement of their beaches in order to qualify for a Blue Flag. While the interests are often commercial in nature, the environment does benefit demonstrably, and this is something to be lauded. This year, Spain had the most Blue Flag certified beaches, followed by Turkey. Greece came in third place. Spain and Turkey have long ranked first and second, but Greece has recently captured third place, owing to its sustained effort to improve the quality of the country's coastline and touristic amenities, with a focus on eco-friendly development.
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list of blue flagged beaches around the world
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Bahamas Belgium Brazil Bulgaria Canada Croatia Cyprus Denmark
Dominican Republic England Estonia France French Departments and Territories Germany Greece
Iceland Ireland Italy Jordan Latvia Lithuania Malta Mexico
Montenegro Morocco
Netherlands New Zealand Northern Ireland Norway Poland Portugal
Puerto Rico Romania
Scotland Serbia Sint Maarten Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden TrinidadAndTobago Tunisia Turkey Ukraine United Arab Emirates US Virgin Islands Wales
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Join more than 1,500 institutions in Lebanon and get your free recyclables collection now. Our service covers the awareness, presentation, events bin distribution, recyclables collection and follow up. 72
NATURE
IS NOT A PLACE TO VISIT
IT IS HOME “Gary Snyder”
To know more about the service, please contact our recycling project team on the following:
73
h o r izons
Known as "blue gold", water is so vital to life, and yet in Lebanon it’s a resource that is sorely mismanaged. With a growing refugee population compounding the crisis, Beyond looks to the hills, forests and deep beneath the earth for streams of future hope. 77
Barking up the right tree Reforestation in Lebanon is a major undertaking and one that might seem to be a hopeless task. However, according to Garo Haroutian, an expert on reforestation, recent work might just be yielding encouraging results. Haroutian was a project manager whose team oversaw the writing of a recent report, "Safeguarding and Restoring Lebanon's Woodland Resources", which explored reforestation challenges and potential throughout the country. the project started in 2009 and ended in 2014. Words louis parks
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Tell us about the report. Thanks to the input of a stakeholder committee, we discovered that in Lebanon the cost was very high, it used to c ost 7000$ per hectare. We compared that to the general average in the US and Europe, where it didn't go beyond around 2000$ - 1500$. Also, our survival rates were much lower. What did you do? In the report, we aimed to dramatically reduce costs. Reforestation in Europe and America was done without irrigation, that's the modern concept. Also, in the States the hole they dig is about -15 20 centimeters, here we dig a large hole using backhoes. Finally, we accepted a seedling as a potential plant if it had been raised at the nursery for 1.5 years at least, in the States, they reject seedlings that are older than 8 months, the younger the seedling, the higher root growth potential it has. With help, we hired experts from the US and Canada to visit, what we were doing was out of date, we took their experience and we jumped 30 years of trial and error with their help. Honestly, they were so excited that many
of them returned on their own to follow up. What practical steps did you take next? We implemented seven pilot sites and tested 42 different combinations of reforestation methods. The trials were very successful. We correlated the cost of the method against the survival rate and found 10 viable methods, and got the cost down to around 1,360$ per hectare. We took a few sites and implemented the successful methods, there's one in Wadi Karam that's been running for two years and the results are amazing. Are you optimistic about the future? The momentum is there, we need funding, but it's good to see that the ministries are becoming aware of their role. In general, we hope to get more funding, we've done our part, we've decreased the cost, it's now up to the donors to get on board. There are challenges, and they relate to budgetary concerns and the fact that many municipalities find it difficult to commit to long term plans, but the outlook is good.
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According to a newly published report titled The Way Forward to Safeguard Water in Lebanon: National Water Integrity Risk Assessment, “Lebanon’s water resources are under stress from a growing population, rapid urbanization, economic growth, mismanagement of water, pollution, climate change, and ineffective water governance.” The report was issued by the Climate Change and Environment in the Arab World Program at the American University of Beirut’s Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs. The report provides an overview of the challenges to water integrity in Lebanon and recommends several initiatives to achieve it. Words bassam alkantar
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Making water more transparent Better governance is the way forward to safeguard resources
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AUB's “Climate Change and Environment in the Arab World Program” aims to understand the climate change and environment policy process in the region and define the most appropriate policy recommendations, by linking developments in applied sciences on issues related to climate change and environment to the social sciences. The objective of the program is to develop the capacities of various water sector stakeholder groups at different governance levels in order to improve transparency, accountability, and participatory practices in water management in the MENA region. Sufficient water supply until 2035 An average year in Lebanon yields about 2,700 million cubic meters of water, whereas annual demand ranges between 1,473 and 1,530 million cubic meters per year. Therefore, theoretically the available water should exceed the needs of Lebanon until the year 2035. In 2010, the Ministry of Energy and Water estimated Lebanon’s annual available water supply per
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capita from renewable sources at 926 cubic meters, which is less than the widely used international benchmark of 1,000 cubic meters. The Ministry also projected that by 2015, the individual share will drop to 839 cubic meters, after accounting for population growth, but not the influx of refugees. Mismanagement and lack of integrity The water problem in Lebanon is not so much one of the availability of water, as much as it is related to the mismanagement and lack of integrity in the sector’s practices. The above-mentioned report is a unique assessment of the level of integrity within the water sector and its management apparatuses in Lebanon. The report begins by identifying the stakeholders and institutions of the water sector in Lebanon, as well as the existing integrity processes in the country, before examining the state of good governance practices. The assessment then delves into identifying risks to water integrity in the country based on information collected from
more than 60 semi-structured interviews with the majority of stakeholders. The assessment concludes by proposing some policy recommendations. Key conclusions from the report - The current regulatory system is in need of improvement, and political will is necessary for tackling these integrity risks. - Anti-corruption measures are lagging behind, and there is a need for an anti-corruption strategy that would help in developing clear accountability mechanisms and transparent procedures. - It is crucial to implement anticorruption measures together with any kind of legislative reform. The central effort and goal should be to rebuild the trust that has been lost between the public institutions and the Lebanese citizens. - Other recommendations: reviewing the Illicit Enrichment Law, creating an E-government, and ensuring transparency through an online tracking system relating to the procurement procedures and recruitment in public institutions.
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Look to the hills Words malek hakim
Since it is difficult to obtain the necessary water resources from the mountainous areas because of their karst topography, and because it is difficult to obtain groundwater by drilling wells, Lebanon has focused on the construction of hill reservoirs. The Green Plan was established in 1963 for the purpose of executing agriculture infrastructure projects. These include the building of hill reservoirs
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Before the Green Plan was inaugurated, a number of hill reservoirs had been constructed. A study was conducted to select a number of sites suitable for the construction of hill reservoirs. Despite the favorable topographic and climatic conditions, as well as the need for water, Lebanon did not significantly expand its efforts in the construction of hill reservoirs until the establishment of the Green Plan. A new technique for building hill reservoirs A new technique is being implemented in Lebanon. It is based on the construction of hill reservoirs on watercourses or cisterns, in the form of ground pits in mountainous areas, in order to collect the runoff water from melting snows. These cisterns are either concrete lined (if used for drinking water) or they are earthy (after the soil is compressed to avoid filtration). When the soil is of a nonsuitable nature, the cisterns are
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sometimes lined with plastic sheets. The three hill reservoirs that have been constructed were low-height, small dams (-10 15 meters high). Reservoirs may be constructed in natural low grounds that are made deeper and prepared for storing the water that is conveyed from the adjacent areas, as is being carried out within the framework of the Green Plan. Only a limited number of hill reservoirs have been constructed for domestic uses, because of the difficulty in guaranteeing the purity of the water for human use. The main hill reservoir that has been constructed for this purpose is Jouret El Bullout in Azzarour in the Senien area, with a storage capacity of up to 45,000 cubic meters. It is used basically to compensate for potable water losses in the Al-Matn district. The dam is constructed of reinforced concrete, with the reservoir being circular in shape and built on calcite rocks. The hill reservoir is recharged by collecting the
water from small springs and conveying it to the hill reservoir, or else collecting surface runoff waters from melting snow. In a recently conducted study on the feasibility of constructing hill reservoirs for drinking water, four new reservoirs were proposed in Al-Matn: Beir Alshaikh, Alzahereia (Alia and Ashouf), Zohour Alkesemani (the higher Matn) in Ashouf area, and Majdalia in Alia. Hill reservoirs have proven to be effective There is considerable interest in Lebanon in the construction of hill reservoirs. When the Green Plan project began, the goal was to obtain irrigation water by building water cisterns in mountainous areas that would benefit from this technique. Overall, this project has benefitted about 43,000 farmers and 931 villages. From 1965 through 1970, six-hundred fifty cisterns were constructed, with a water capacity of 1,079,640 cubic meters. They are earth
or reinforced-concrete types (Figure 57). In a 1975 study, the construction of 156 hill reservoirs was suggested. Of this total, Lebanon has approved 38 for construction, but was unable to carry out the work. Work has currently resumed on the construction of 15 of the 38 approved hill reservoirs, primarily to obtain water for irrigation and livestock watering. Hill reservoirs have proven to be beneficial in obtaining the water that is required for irrigation, livestock watering, and potable water needs. This was clearly demonstrated by the Green Plan project within five years of its execution, as 35 percent of the reclaimed lands (3,637 hectares) have been irrigated. The trend is to increase the number of hill reservoirs, and new studies indicate that there presently is the potential to construct 69 hill reservoirs. High rainfall volumes in most areas of Lebanon facilitate the further construction of hill reservoirs.
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A dam fine solution? Words bassam alkantar
Increasing water storage capacity is a very practical way to increase water security in Lebanon. A revised set of priorities, including further evaluation of risks and financing, might expedite the construction of the storage dams. More consideration of smallerscale interventions is also recommended, as they could increase storage with lower costs, and they might be easier to implement.
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Increasing water storage capacity will increase water security. The National Water Sector Strategy includes a plan for the further construction of dams. Though donor assistance appears to have decreased, the country is able to secure large loans from international financial institutions (IFIs) for its infrastructure, as illustrated by the recent 474$ million World Bank loan for the Bisri Dam project. Although IFIs have just approved the large Bisri Dam project to improve the water supply for the Beirut area, overall progress in the implementation of larger dam schemes is limited.
financing that is hampering implementation of these plans. The use of dams and reservoirs as a safe and environmentally sound solution for increasing overall water resources storage capacities is controversial in some places. Based on the recent experiences of dam projects that have been executed in Lebanon, the government can determine the suitability of such water projects for local needs, and this can be compared with other options, especially in terms of cost, duration, and environmental impact.
Environmentalists think that surface storage is a dinosaur. The fact is, it’s an inferior way Environmentalists question to store water. The construction the utility of dams of dams and reservoirs has It is not only the problem of slowed dramatically in many
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countries over the past 40 years because of stronger environmental regulations, the lack of remaining suitable sites, and growing momentum for more cost-effective methods of storing water. The pros and cons of dams However, in the face of a year of drought and growing water shortages for agriculture, Lebanese lawmakers say that there’s no better time than now to build additional above ground storage, to ensure that future droughts won’t be so severe. Supporters of dam projects say that without more reservoirs, Lebanon will lose out on capturing billions of cubic meters of water that fall, during wet years, on sections of rivers without dams and then flow
into the Mediterranean Sea. Opponents say that the argument against big, new dams boils down to economics. Water generated from big new storage projects costs substantially more than water resulting from water use efficiency, the capturing of stormwater, and groundwater cleanup projects. Building dams is not only expensive; it results in relatively low available supply for cities and farms. Hill lakes are another possible solution Less controversial than dams is the program for developing hill lakes. These are small lakes that communities themselves can construct. Sand dams, check dams, and other small-scale interventions could probably contribute to increasing storage capacity, including groundwater recharge.
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It’s their fault, and ours Words Malek Hakim
During a one-week visit to Lebanon in September 2014 to assess Lebanese water security, water experts from the Dutch Risk Reduction (DRR) team found that although suitable water strategies and institutions were in place, the overall political stagnation and lack of public awareness have strongly contributed to water scarcity in Lebanon. At the request of the Lebanese Ministry of Energy and Water, three Dutch experts visited Lebanon in 2014 with the aim of conducting meetings with the main stakeholders in the Lebanese water sector, including ministries, water establishments, IFIs, donors., and NGOs. They also visited the country’s Bekaa Valley. The DRR team detailed its findings in a comprehensive 30-page report, the final version of which was handed by H.E Hester Somsen to H.E. Artur Nazarian, the Minister of Energy and Water, in April 2015.
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Political stalemate is a major problem The main conclusion of the mission was that the overall stagnation in Lebanese politics is preventing the development of adequate responses to the needs in the water sector, including those related to water scarcity. General water sector strategies, policies, and institutions are in place, but the political steps needed for effective implementation are not being undertaken. An example is the time that it takes to adopt a new water code. There is no critical lack of expertise in the water sector and the main issues have been well analyzed and documented by the sector and by IFIs, donors, and other international partners. Regional water authorities have been established as the service providers for drinking water, wastewater treatment, and irrigation. It is important that these establishments be allowed to de-
velop further into entities that can operate autonomously, with the application of user pays principles. Raising public awareness The availability of reliable data is an issue that is seriously hampering the development and implementation of adequate policies. Initiatives such as the development of a Water Atlas by the Ministry of Energy and Water and the establishment of a Water Centre for Training and Information are steps towards addressing these issues. It is recommended to begin with annual or bi-annual reports on trends in water resources, service delivery, and progress in the implementation of strategies and investment plans. In general, increasing awareness and changing the attitude towards water as a precious public good is a prerequisite for the implementation of effective policies in the Lebanese water sector.
How the Netherlands can help Lebanon The mission looked into areas where the Dutch water sector can be of specific value to the Lebanese water sector. According to the Dutch mission, such areas include institutional strengthening of water authorities, industrial wastewater treatment technologies, artificial recharge/small-scale water storage, and agricultural precision technologies. The Dutch government has various “trade and aid” instruments to faacilitate private sector investments, infrastructure development, and public-private partnerships that are of interest to the water sector. However, many of these instruments are restricted to selected countries. Because of its income level, Lebanon is not among these countries. From the mission’s perspective, the impact of water scarcity, coupled with the impact of the Syrian crisis, could be grounds for reconsidering the possibility of offering “trade and aid” assistance to Lebanon.
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WASH for all Words alia fawaz
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Contrary to other countries in the region, Lebanon is blessed with ample water resources. However, there is a need for better management of the water supply. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and its partners are working closely with the country’s regional water authorities to identify the necessary projects and to ensure that the most vulnerable people have access to clean water and waste management facilities. Beyond speaks to UNHCR’s representative in Lebanon to understand more about the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) situation, particularly in the areas with the worst WASH conditions.
What kinds of WASH conditions exist for the most vulnerable Syrian refugees? Over 80 percent of refugees rent their accommodations in Lebanon (garages, warehouses, unfinished buildings, shelters, etc.). They live in harsh WASH conditions because of the terribly weak WASH infrastructure in those locations: Sewage networks are lacking in most refugee hosting areas, and their access to water networks is very limited. The infrastructure in these informal settlements was practically non-existent before humanitarian and developments agencies intervened. In addition, the amount of solid waste has increased greatly over the past years along with the increase in the number of residents. The number of refugees exceeds that of locals in certain villages, especially in the Bekaa valley and North Lebanon.
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Quality of water and contamination are major issues, especially in view of the influx of refugees. Quality of water and contamination of water throughout Lebanon is a persistent problem that pre-dates the Syrian crisis. According to the national wastewater strategy ratified in 2012, only eight percent of wastewater in Lebanon is treated. The remainder is discharged into the environment (rivers, water irrigation channels, etc.) According to a study carried out in 2014 by the Ministry of the Environment, the increase in Lebanon’s population has led to an increase of between eight percent and 14 percent in the amount of wastewater that is generated, and it has produced an additional 324,568 tons of solid waste per year. Water management is another big problem. Access to water is impaired by an aging and fragile water infrastructure, poor service delivery, and low awareness of conservation. Most of the water networks are over 30 years old and have made a minimal investment in maintenance. As a result, an estimated 48% of the water supply is lost through leaks and unofficial connections. This is 13% higher than the global average water loss standard. In addition the current water payment system in Lebanon is based on flat fees, regardless of water consumption. This does not encourage water conservation among consumers.
You seem to face plenty of challenges. UNHCR and its partners are facing challenges with regard to improving sites, especially informal settlements where refugees live in the hardest conditions. These challenges are mostly the result of the fact that many sites were not constructed on suitable pieces of land, but rather they were often constructed on agricultural land, where drainage is poor and site improvements/proper waste treatment infrastructure is prohibited. In collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Water and the Ministry of the Environment, UNHCR is trying to develop alternative wastewater treatment solutions to be implemented on a larger scale. These will provide the necessary improvements in Lebanon, benefiting both Lebanese and Syrian refugee communities. What are these alternative wastewater treatments? • Installing non-permanent wastewater treatment plants (which will partially treat the wastewater) at the informal settlements. Restrictions and lack of sufficient funds have so far prevented the implementation of proper wastewater management. Agencies are also looking into installing biogas digesters in order to transform excreta into gas and use the gas for power generation.
• Installing decentralized communal wastewater treatment plants, which would benefit both the host community and the Syrian refugees. • Rehabilitation of drinking water supply networks to prevent wastewater intrusion and the resulting water contamination. • Upgrading existing wastewater treatment plants to enable them to receive and treat the wastewater sludge that is generated by latrines. More funding and approval to make structural changes would help to boost and accelerate these programs. What are some of the most recent projects? In December 2014, UNHCR handed over five communal water reservoirs in the Shouf region. Over 38,000 Lebanese and 9,000 Syrian refugees have benefited from the increased water supply in Iqlim Al Kharoub. Another project is a European Union-funded water project that aims to upgrade water supply facilities for communities hosting large numbers of refugees in urban and rural areas in the Bekaa Valley and North Lebanon. This will benefit at least 61,000 Lebanese locals and 17,900 refugees in the North of Lebanon, and 81,500 Lebanese locals and 25,000 Syrian refugees in the Bekaa Valley. 99
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