Beyond Magazine Issue 22 Winter 2017

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WINTER IS COMING

Bright Prospects Deep Roots Founded in 1952 in Iraq, Al Janabi group is proud of its long legacy of innovation in the fields of agriculture, aviation, finance, insurance, construction and trading, security, manufacturing, hospitality and media.

The Group began investing in the field of agriculture back in 1952, and with a well-defined strategic vision combined with informed analysis and experienced management we succeeded to become a leading international business corporation with widely diversified investments.

Our people are our business. We employ over 5,000 people in Iraq whose activities are underpinned by our values. We have existing offices in the UAE, Jordan and Lebanon catering to various projects across the region and wide network of clients.

Al Janabi group success over many years has been built on a foundation of values of Discipline, Integrity, Success, Excellence, Performance. Across our investments, we are committed to working in ways that are true to our values. We continue to build our success today and for tomorrow.

At Al Janabi Group we believe that "Good Business Creates Good Will" and we are strongly committed to both. The different sectors of the company were thoughtfully built to form one continues circle of expertise dedicated to technical excellence and satisfaction. Our historic steady growth is attributable to our business philosophy of implementing higher levels of expertise and doing projects that are profitable and positive for all involved. An important edict of Al Janabi Group is that we want the business that we do has to be for the greatest good of all.

Using Experience & Tradition to Build Our Future Baghdad Headquarter

Beirut Office

Al Mansoor District Lane 601 St.12 House No.2 Tel: +964 780 1666601 Mr. Nazar Thanon: +9647902589158

Assurex Building, 5th Floor, Beirut Central District Tel: +961 1 992058 Fax: +961 1 992057 P.O.Box: 14 6571 Beirut

AVIATION

AGRICULTURE

CONSTRUCTION

MEDIA

SECURITY

SHIPPING

INSURANCE

MANUFACTURING REAL ESTATE

w w w. a l j a n a b i g ro u p . c o m

BANKING

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C O N T E N T S

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OWNER AND GENERAL MANAGER Pascale Choueiri Saad

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Pascale Choueiri Saad

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CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Edgard Chehab

SEE THEM BEFORE THEY DISAPPEAR

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T E A M

CO-OWNER Ronald Saad

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Bassam AlKantar COPY EDITOR Jody Jaffe

E66 SKINGS S EOFNTHECWILDEFRONTIER 76 FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS 88 OCEANS APART

ART DIRECTOR Lamia Maatouk RESPONSIBLE DIRECTOR Antoine Hajj CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tamara Batshon, Alia Fawaz, Bassam AlKantar, Sanya Shahrasbi, Nabil Michel Barbir, John Gray, Nour El Hachem, Sania El Kadi, Ingmar Strum, Teodora Cakarmis, Victoria Hamdorf, Elsa Sattout, Varouj Tenbelian, Lea Kai Aboujaoude, Malek Hakim GUEST PHOTOGRAPHERS Phillippe Khoury, Olivier Scheffer, Karim Thoumy, All Rights Reserved

H ORIZONS 110

GOODBYE DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND

112 FEELING AS RIGHT AS RAIN

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S TA B I L I T Y

RENEWABLE ENERGY LOANS

ARTISTIC PRODUCTION LOANS

E N V I R O N M E N TA L L O A N S

E D U C AT I O N A L L O A N S

HOUSING LOANS

KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

www.bdl.gov.lb

" Beyond magazine is a creative culture and

sustainable living publication that takes the time for meaningful moments of observation. We cover subjects

that matter, all of them deeply-rooted in nature and related to Mother Earth. We aim to be a source of

inspiration for those who seek a responsible lifestyle, for now and for generations to come.

As we become ever more accustomed to the polluted cities of our "developed" world, we experience less and less of the essence of this amazing planet on

which we live on. Yet, as Fyodor Dostoyevsky once said, “Beauty will save the world,� and this is

a concept in which Beyond magazine believes and aims to showcase in each and every publication.

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Potential knows no boundaries At Bank Audi, we believe that collaboration brings about the greatest success.

With banking services offered across 12 countries, we see boundless potential for partnerships and growth to provide you with even more chances of turning your ambitions into reality.

bankaudigroup.com

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LETTER FROM OUR EDITOR

Every year, around October, the land begins to glisten. We slowly slink into hibernation and slacken our summertime heated activities, so as to savor the delightful moments as we observe nature’s changing colors. We witness the dying of summer, without mourning its loss. As green fades to gold, and warmth turns to cold, we joyfully wait for and anticipate the feeling of the chilly fold of winter. Imperceptibly, the cool, sweet freshness of autumn gives us a hint of things to come and makes us thrill at the thought of inhaling the scent of snow in the air.

The Earth fills us with awe–inspiring natural beauty that never ceases to impress us. Our surroundings, the mountains, the rivers, and the landmasses… they all have amazing stories to tell.

Unfortunately, and in so many ways, the Earth is also crying out for help.

Of all the living things on this planet, there is only one kind that is a deadly threat to the well-being of nature and our environment: Mankind. It has waged war on plants, animals, forests, oceans, and mainly on other human beings– driven by its greed, its arrogance, its selfishness and neverending desire for profit.

Every day, we are experiencing the devastating effects of what human activity has done, and is still doing. Violent weather patterns, global warming, more frequent volcanoes and earthquakes, excessive rain, flooding, rising sea levels, breaks in the ozone layer, severe droughts, and melting glaciers are just some of the effects of man’s assault on nature.

It is truly a sad sight that fills us with despair.

Our minds as well as our hopes are focused on COP22, the latest global climate change meeting.

Confronting climate change is our moral obligation. We cannot afford to let all the bounties of nature just slip away.

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MAIN CONTRIBUTORS

EDGARD CHEHAB 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.

BASSAM ALKANTAR A seasoned Lebanese journalist, Bassam Al Kantar frequently writes about environment, information communication technology, and human rights. Beyond's environmental consultant, he is the managing editor for greenarea.me.

He strongly believes that the free press can, of course, be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad.

SANIA EL KADI

A French-Lebanese, has been living in France for 30 years. She holds a master's degree in International relations from AUB and a PH.D. in Public Law from La Sorbonne. She was appointed to UNESCO as deputy to the ambassador representing Palau in 2012.She works with an International team: Nabil Barbir (Luxembourg), Johanna Salem (Canada) Ali Al Rifai (Lebanon) Santa Shaharasbi (Iran) Hannah Beineke (USA). She promotes Palau and the Pacific region within UNESCO, France and also in the Gulf region (Dubai) and during Cop22 to take place in Morocco.

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MAIN CONTRIBUTORS

ALIA FAWAZ

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.

SANYA SHAHRASBI

Sanya Shahrasbi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Biology and International Area Studies from the University of California, Berkeley and has since been working at the Delegation of the Republic of Palau to UNESCO. She also contributes to the non- profit organization, Island Ark Project, which works to digitalize intangible cultural heritage in Small Island Developing States. She aspires to keep exploring and studying different parts of the world.

NOUR EL HACHEM

Nour El Hachem has been head of the Legal Department of Middle East Airlines since 2012. She is a passionate defender of the environment, believing that nature is God’s kindest gift to humanity. Having obtained a master’s degree in international and comparative law of the environment from Limoges University (France) in 2006, El Hachem argues that Lebanon’s legal system should be used to protect the country’s green spaces. She urges all Lebanese to work together to preserve the natural treasures that God has bestowed on them.

NABIL MICHAEL BARBIR He has a degree in Political Science from Concordia University (2015). Currently residing in Paris, he is working as attaché at the Permanent Delegation of Palau to UNESCO.

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SEE THEM BEFORE THEY DISAPPEAR words john gray

Shishmaref, a remote Inupiate Eskimo village with a population of 650 people, has been identified as one of Alaska’s most eroded communities. Home to generations of seal hunters and fishermen, the island has lost 3,000 feet of coastline in the past 35 years.

The severe coastal erosion has been attributed to global warming that has thawed sea ice that once shielded the island from storm surges. The village’s permafrost – the layer of permanently frozen soil on which it is built – is also melting.

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A recent vote favored relocating the village. However the cost of transferring the entire population to a nearby safer area is estimated to be $180 million.

The residents of Shishmaref have actually been considering relocation since the mid-1970s, when the village first introduced shoreline defense structures. The community even voted to leave in 2002, but was unable to because of the high cost. This time however, it seems that the move is inevitable.

This vote to move the entire village of Shishmaref follows another recent climate change relocation decision in the US. Earlier in 2016, $48 million of federal tax money was allocated for a community in Louisiana that is located on the Isle de Jean Charles, which is disappearing into the Gulf of Mexico.

This relocation will involve just 60 people, but this significant move means that these are the first official climate refugees in the U.S.

Around the world governments are facing the reality that as humaninduced climate change warms the planet, rising sea levels, stronger storms, harsher droughts and dwindling freshwater supplies could drive the world’s most vulnerable populations from their homes. According to the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security and the International Organization for Migration, by 2050 anywhere from 50 to 200 million people are expected to be displaced by climate change.

Tropical paradise destinations to visit before they vanish Like coastal cities, tropical islands are also at risk of sinking. With rising sea levels, erosion, and pollution as a result of climate change, many idyllic islands are fast approaching their expiration date. Some of the world’s most stunning islands of paradise are threatened. So if the following places are on your bucket list, hurry and start planning.

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KIRITIMATI, KIRIBATI

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THE MALDIVES

Made up of 1,190 islands in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives attracts nearly one million pleasure-seekers annually. Offering miles of endless pristine white sands, dreamy turquoise waters, thatched roofs, and the best in luxury resorts, it’s no wonder that the

Maldives is a haven for holidaymakers looking for a taste of paradise. It’s the lowest lying country in the world at an average of only 1.5 meters above sea level. If sea levels continue to rise, it could easily be under water in our lifetime.

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MARSHALL ISLANDS

A sprawling chain of volcanic islands and coral atolls in the central Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Philippines, the Marshall Islands are already being negatively impacted by sea level rise. Situated less than

a meter above sea level, the islands are pommeled by regular high tides, destroying houses along the way.

Islanders have even observed cemeteries being ravaged by severe flooding, with coffins being washed away from graves.

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THE SEYCHELLES

This destination, off the coast of Africa, is a heaven for holidaymakers. A total of 115 islands, the Seychelles are dotted with beautiful beaches, magnificent cliffs, lush jungles, crystal clear water, and five-star resorts. Unfortunately

climate change — and its resulting rising water levels — has severely damaged the coral reefs, which shelter the islands from wave erosion. Some even predict that the entire country could be engulfed in as soon as 50 years.

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THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

This volcanic archipelago off the coast of Ecuador is brimming with stunning wildlife, such as sea lions, rare penguins, marine iguanas, and giant tortoises. Sadly these creatures are threatened by several factors, including pollution, climate change,

and introduced species such as cats and dogs that are eating their young.

Like Charles Darwin, take the time to explore these charming exotic islands and see these remarkable creatures – some existing only in the Galapagos – before it’s too late.

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" Global warming has already triggered a sea level rise that could reach from

6 meters to 25 meters."

James Hansen

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THE SOLOMON ISLANDS

Earlier this year scientists discovered that five uninhabited Solomon Islands had disappeared. There are also six more that are inhabited in the same archipelago that will eventually vanish as a result of rising sea levels and coastal erosion resulting from climate change.

Made up of more than 900 islands and atolls, the country lies to the east of Papua New Guinea and attracts plenty of tourists who are drawn to its breathtaking beaches and water sports from diving, snorkeling to surfing. Act fast and plan your visit as the smaller islands are going under fast.

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THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS

Part of the Canadian province of Quebec, this archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence harbors intense winds. The winds are so frequent and severe that the island’s coast, marked by red sandstone cliffs, erodes significantly each year. While there happens to be a protective wall

of sea ice, scientists believe that it’s only approximately 75 years away from melting, leaving the islands susceptible to dangerous storms.

Visit this charming group of islands with magnificent golden beaches and fresh seafood before it becomes too hazardous for visitors.

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KIRIBATI

This island nation, famous for its firstclass fishing, bird watching, and surfing, is at risk of becoming inhabitable by 2050 and submerged by the end of the century. The 33 coral atolls and reef

islands that make up this destination are already looking at a back-up plan: The government has purchased land in Fiji, where it plans to transfer its population of 103,000 citizens.

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CARRYING GUILT? The solution is in your hands words alia fawaz

Single-use plastic bags are freely given out at supermarkets around the country. If you are a regular grocery shopper, you amass a huge batch of plastic bags at home, which either get thrown out later or may get re-used as handy liners for small waste bins around the house. Rarely do we see shoppers take these bags to the supermarkets to be used again at the till. So, if we are wasting too much of these plastic bags, who is to blame? And should we just turn a blind eye, especially in a country that is already struggling to cope with its trash?

Efforts in Europe and elsewhere The culture of re-using grocery bags has not really caught on in Lebanon, whether we are talking about the single-use or the eco-friendly ones (large supermarket chains sell their own branded reusable and sustainable shopping bags). Perhaps, as in the United Kingdom, a fee needs to be charged for each single-use plastic bag that is given out. In October 2015, the UK government issued a five-pence fee for each plastic bag that is given out, in an attempt to reduce litter and protect wildlife. The charge was introduced to try to influence consumer behavior, and clearly it is working in the UK. Before the charge was introduced, more than seven billion bags were handed out by seven main supermarket chains, and in just six months the figure decreased to nearly 500 million.

In fact, other European countries began this practice much earlier. In 1993, Denmark introduced a plastic levy, which brought about an immediate decline in plastic bag usage of 60 percent. Ireland followed suit with a successful “bag tax� in 2002, resulting in a 90 percent decrease in bag usage and a substantial reduction in litter. In 2011, Italy completely banned the distribution of lightweight plastic bags that were not derived from biodegradable sources. In fact, the European Union calls for an 80 percent reduction in plastic bags by 2019. This means that virtually every European country is now putting practices into place to meet this goal.

In the United States, there is no official national plastic bag fee or ban. However, over 100 counties and municipalities have introduced their own regulations: either a 100 percent ban (such as in the state of Hawaii) or a fee for paper or plastic bags ranging anywhere from five cents to 20 cents. In Morocco, a national law officially came into effect on July 1, 2016 to completely ban plastic bags, while in Mauritania the manufacture and importation of plastic bags is also banned to protect the environment, livestock, and marine species.

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" There is no such thing as 'away'.

When we throw anything away, it must go somewhere.”

Annie Leonard

In August 2016, Montreal, Canada passed a bylaw (in full effect starting January 2018) preventing stores from selling single-use plastic bags. This applies to all kinds of plastic bags, with the exception of small ones that are used for vegetables or medication for hygiene purposes. Individuals failing to adhere to this rule will face fines of $200 to $1,000 for the first violation, and $300 to $2,000 for any subsequent ones. Companies, on the other hand, face fines ranging between $400 and $4,000.

While the main reason for the bans is to decrease the amount of plastic that finds its way into the ocean, there are actually other reasons in some countries. In Kenya, for example it is done to stop the spread of malaria (the bags clog the sewers and drain systems, which causes malaria because of the increased population of mosquitoes living on the flooded sewers). In Bangladesh and the Philippines, the ban also helps to protect the sewage system and decrease flooding. In India, an estimated number of 20 cows die per day as a result of ingesting plastic bags, which they regard as food. A new rule has now been implemented in India banning the manufacturing of plastic bags of below 50 microns (as thinner bags currently pose a major environmental threat because of their non-disposability).

Plastic bags harm the environment The sad truth is that around eight million tons of plastic end up in the world’s oceans every year, and they take hundreds of years to break down. Experts estimate that plastic is now eaten by 31 species of marine mammals and more than 100 specials of sea birds. Plastic is not biodegradable.

The production of plastic uses up petroleum, as plastic is made from chemicals refined from crude oil. In the United States, for example, plastic manufacturing alone consumes 331 billion barrels of petroleum, equal to five percent of the national consumption of petroleum. Petroleum production and its use play a harmful role in polluting the environment, as its use contaminates the water and air.

Clearly there are plenty of problems associated with plastic bags. Perhaps next time we go food shopping we can plan ahead. If you can’t get hold of sustainable reusable bags, try using an old vinyl beach bag. Be creative! Otherwise, save these single-use plastic bags from your last shopping trip and use them over and over again. You’ll be making a difference. We can still do our share – however small – even if there is no law in Lebanon that calls for the eradication of plastic bags.

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WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS Hope hinges on watershed agreement words bassam alkantar

In December 2015, an agreement on climate change was reached in Paris, thanks to the skillfulness of French diplomacy. The Climate Agreement marked a watershed moment in taking action on climate change. Adopted by 195 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) last December in Paris, the Agreement calls on countries to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future, and to adapt to the increasing impacts of climate change.

Six years earlier, countries had bitterly walked away from global climate talks in Copenhagen without a deal. The decision to reassemble in Paris to try

again at getting almost 200 countries to sign a pact on cutting carbon emissions was a gamble: Another collapse could have ended the world’s ability to forge a common approach to dealing with climate change.

Goals of the Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement on Climate Change sets the following goals: keeping global average temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels; trying to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels; and enhancing global adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience, and reducing vulnerability to climate change.

The Agreement creates two fiveyear cycles. One cycle is for parties

to submit nationally determined contributions (NDCs), with each successive contribution representing a progression from the previous contribution, reflecting common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in the light of different national circumstances.

Parties with a 10-year intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) timeframe are requested to communicate or update these contributions. The second cycle is a global stocktaking of collective efforts, beginning in 2023, following a facilitative dialogue in 2018. All parties are to report using a common transparency framework, with support provided for developing countries to fulfill their reporting obligations.

34 Entering into force The threshold for entry into force is 55 country ratifications accounting for at least 55 percent of global GHG emissions. The Paris Agreement will enter into force 30 days after 55 countries, representing 55 percent of global emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification, acceptance or accession with the Secretary-General.

The Paris Agreement on climate change moved closer toward entering into force in 2016 as 31 more countries joined the agreement on September 21, at a special event hosted by the United Nations.

Several large emitting countries, which had not yet completed their domestic approval processes in time for the event, also announced that they were committed to joining the agreement this year.

One of the two thresholds for entry into force has now been met. There are now 60 countries that have joined the agreement—five more than the required 55 needed. These countries represent 48 percent of global emissions, just shy of the 55 percent needed for entry into force.

In addition, 14 countries, representing 12.58 percent of emissions, committed to joining the agreement in 2016, virtually assuring that the Agreement will enter into force this year.

In early September, the world’s two largest emitters, China and the United States, joined the Agreement, providing considerable impetus for other countries to quickly complete their domestic ratification or approval processes.

Thirty-one countries have deposited their instruments of ratification including: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Dominica, Ghana, Guinea, Honduras, Iceland, Kiribati, Madagascar, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Thailand, Tonga, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, and Vanuatu.

Fourteen countries announced their commitment to join the Agreement in 2016, including: Austria, Australia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, European Union, France, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Poland, and the Republic of Korea.

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WELCOME TO THE ECO-CONSCIOUS MALL

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STOP PLAYING DIRTY It's time to come clean words malek hakim

Major global insurance companies are urging G20 leaders to commit to a specific timeline for rapidly phasing out fossil fuel subsidies – something that they have repeatedly failed to do over the years despite numerous promises to end support for the industry. In a joint statement issued ahead of the G20 conference in China last August, insurers with more than 1.2 trillion in assets under management warned that support for the production of coal, oil, and gas is at odds with the countries’ commitment to dealing with climate change as they agreed to do in Paris in December 2015. The phase-out should begin by eliminating all subsidies for fossil fuel exploration and coal production.

Climate change poses a great risk – to business and to society as a whole, and that risk is magnified by the way in which fossil fuel subsidies distort the energy market. These subsidies are simply unsustainable. G20 countries have been pledging to phase out fossil fuel subsidies every year since 2009. Yet, research by the

Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and Oil Change International shows that governments spent $444 billion in 2013 and 2014 supporting the fossil fuel industry. In May 2016, G7 nations agreed to phase-out fossil fuel subsidies by 2025. However, when G20 leaders gathered the following month, they were met with criticism for failing to follow the G7 in setting a date to end the subsidies.

In December 2015, more than 190 nations adopted the Paris Agreement — a legally binding international agreement committing countries to significant reductions in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to less than 2˚C and to pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5˚C above preindustrial levels.

Ending fossil fuel subsidies is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions In Paris, the various governments and major corporations endorsed the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform Communiqué.

This Communiqué recognized that the elimination of fossil-fuel subsidies would contribute significantly to reducing

global greenhouse gas emissions and that accelerating the reform of fossil-fuel subsidies was therefore an urgent priority.

Insurance companies aren’t the only ones putting pressure on governments to set a clear phase-out timeline. The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) joined the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in calling for leaders to end support for fossil fuels by 2020.

Also, a group of 130 major institutions controlling $13 trillion in investments called on the G20 nations to ratify the Paris Agreement this year along with committing themselves to increasing investment in clean energy and disclosing climate-related financial risks.

If fossil fuel subsidies persist, they may weaken or undermine carbon pricing commitments. Policy and fiscal coherence is necessary to make the clean energy sector attractive to domestic and foreign investors, and to maximize the support for the clean energy sector.

As such, remaining subsidies for the production and consumption of oil, gas, and coal must be eliminated.

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IT'S GETTING HOT IN HERE So let's talk about sex words bassam alkantar

Climate-warming temperatures might be expected to affect the sex ratio of species if sex determination is temperature-dependent. Several studies show that indirect climate effects could also change sex ratios in species in which sex is genetically determined, and also damage reproductive fitness. Over four decades, sex ratios in populations of a dioecious alpine plant have shifted toward females as a result of the different water needs of the male and female plants. The lack of males has reduced the reproductive success and fitness of the females. Similar subtle differences between sexes with regard to environmental sensitivities could eventually lead to population declines. Humans are also seeing the effects of climate change on their sex drive. According to a study, the climate change that is causing more scorching hot days could be bringing down the birth rate in many countries.

Hot weather is killing our sex drive Researchers used historical, vital statistics and other sources to look at the number of babies born about nine months after really hot days, which they defined as above 27 degrees, based on National Climate Center Data from weather stations across the United States. The researchers found that, for every day that soared above 27 degrees -- and in many cases above 32 degrees -- between 1931 and 2010, there were 0.4 percent fewer births nine months later. The impact of one of these scorching days was that around 1,165 fewer babies were born in the United States.

Over a longer period, this could mean around 100,000 fewer births in the United States every year, based on climate change models that predict that the number of these really hot days will increase from the current number of around 30 a year to around 90.

Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) Some reptiles, such as crocodilians and some turtles, are known to display temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), whereby the ambient temperature of the developing eggs determines the hatchling's sex.

According to the study provided by the National Institutes of Natural Sciences, for the American alligator's eggs, incubation at 33 ºC produces mostly males, while incubation at 30 ºC produces mostly females. An international joint research team, consisting of members from Japan and members from the U.S., has determined that the thermosensor protein TRPV4 is associated with TSD in the American alligator. The research has been published in Scientific Reports. This is the first demonstrated report of a biomolecule associated with regulation of the very unique temperature-dependent sex determination mechanism.

Climate change's effect on valerian plant For the valerian plant, the higher elevations in the Colorado Rocky Mountains are becoming much more co-ed.

And the primary reason appears to be climate change. In a study appearing in Science, University of California environmental biologists report that a changing climate over the past four decades has significantly changed the growth patterns of male and female Valeriana edulis. Their work is the first to fully explain sex-specific species' responses to climate change.

The Valerian plant is dioecious, meaning that individual plants are either male or female. Unlike the majority of flowering plants, these plants cannot self-fertilize. Other well-known dioecious species include asparagus, ginko, papaya, holly, spinach, pistachio, willow, and aspen. In the Colorado Rockies, the sex ratio of the valerian populations traditionally changed with climate from low elevation (50 percent male), where it's hot and dry, to high elevation (only 20 percent male), where it's cool and wet. At the highest elevations, the rarity of pollenreleasing males reduces the number of seeds produced by female plants.

Reproduction patterns of sea turtles Researchers from Florida Atlantic University have published the results of a four-year study on the effects of turtle nest temperatures and sand temperatures and on the sex of hatchlings in the journal Endangered Species Research. Marine turtles deposit their eggs in underground nests where they develop unattended and without parental care. Incubation temperature varies with environmental conditions, including rainfall, sun, shade, and sand type, and affects developmental rates, hatching and emergence success, and the sex of embryos.

Although the loggerhead turtle has been around for more than 60 million years, drought, heavy rainfalls, and climatic changes are impacting hatchling sex ratios and influencing future reproduction. Because sea turtles don't have an X or Y chromosome, their sex is defined during development by the incubation environment.

Warmer conditions produce females and cooler conditions produce males.

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41 Reef fish can adjust sex ratios as oceans warm Using a multigenerational experiment, research at the University of Technology Sydney has shown for the first time that when reef fish parents develop from early life at elevated temperatures, they can adjust their offspring's sex through non-genetic and non-behavioral means. The study, published in Global Change Biology, demonstrates that the mechanisms involved in restoring offspring sex ratios across generations are switched on during early development of the parents and do not simply occur as a result of adults being exposed to higher temperatures.

The ability to compensate for the sex bias caused by rising temperatures is an important trait that could help to limit the impacts of ocean warming on reef fish populations and other species. However the research also suggests that when developmental temperature is too hot, there is a limit to this "transgenerational plasticity."

Increasingly erratic rainfall patterns The humidity of the south of the USA creates a climate conducive to amphibians. In the Southeast, more than 140 species of frogs, toads and salamanders make this a biodiversity hotspot. At night the ponds and swamps emit the sound of their symphonic noises, and it’s something that the U.S. Geological Survey’s Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative, or ARMI, is monitoring closely.

According to a study provided by the United States Geological Survey, climate change projections indicate that rainfall will increasingly come in pulses, with more flooding and longer periods of drought. Scientists have long suspected that climate change is an important factor in amphibian declines, and resource managers are asking whether conservation measures might help species to persist or adapt in a changing climate.

Shrinking goats Alpine goats appear to be shrinking in size as they react to changes in climate, according to new research from Durham University. The researchers studied the impact of changes in temperature on the body size of Alpine chamois, a species of mountain goat, over the past 30 years. To their surprise, they discovered that young chamois now weigh about 25 per cent less than animals of the same age in the 1980s. In recent years, decreases in body size have been identified in a variety of animal species, and have frequently been linked to the changing climate. However, the researchers say that the decline in size of chamois observed in this study is striking in its speed and magnitude. The research, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, was published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology.

The team delved into long-term records of chamois body weights provided by hunters in the Italian Alps. They discovered that the declines were closely linked to the warming climate in the region that was studied, which became 3-4 degrees Centigrade warmer during the 30 years of the study.

To date, most studies have found that animals are becoming smaller because the changing climate is reducing the availability or nutritional content of their food. However, this study found no evidence that the productivity of Alpine meadows grazed by chamois had been affected by the warming climate. Instead, the team believes that higher temperatures are affecting how chamois behave.

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6.2 million square miles of Northen Hemisphere ice and

snow melted in just one month between April and May 2013.

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DISAPPEARING ACT America's great scene stealers are at risk words tamara batshon

When we think of national parks, we imagine wideopen spaces, lush forests, an abundance of wildlife, and snow-capped mountains safely protected from human development. Unfortunately, nothing can protect these areas from the impact of climate change. Slowly but surely, climate change is affecting our planet in every way possible.

Already the glorious sprawling national parks and monuments throughout the United States have started to feel the scale of the threat. The U.S. National Parks Service (NPS), which manages these parks and monuments, has been documenting the loss of glaciers, the rising sea levels, and the increase in wildfires caused by rising temperatures.

According to experts, things are only going to get worse.

The scale of the threat to America’s heritage as represented in 412 national parks, archeological sites, and monuments has become too prominent to ignore. As a result of crashing waves, wildfires, and erosion triggered by warming temperatures, the landscape of this country is under threat.

Among the monuments, the iconic Statue of Liberty, proudly looming over New York harbor since 1886, is at risk from increasingly harsh storms. In fact, after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, it even closed for a whole nine months. In Maryland, a national monument dedicated to abolitionist Harriet Tubman could be eroded sooner than we imagine by rising tides.

No more glaciers?

Barak Obama pointed out to the media during his visit to Glacier National Park in June 2016 that the glacier, once a mile wide, is almost gone. He said: “Rising temperatures could mean no more glaciers in Glacier National Park, no more Joshua trees in Joshua Tree National Park. That’s not the America I want to pass on to the next generation.” Sadly the next generation of Americans may not have the privilege of enjoying these famous natural reservation sites, as we know them.

In the mid-1800s, Glacier National Park had around 150 ice sheets and today just 25 remain. Scientists predict that this park could have no more glaciers as soon as 2030. What would they call it then, one might wonder? Receding ice, extreme heat, and acidifying oceans are causing damage at a faster pace than any time in human history. Scientists even say that no matter how fast greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, the changes are inevitable.

At the Rocky Mountain National, Park the average annual temperature has increased by 3.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the last century. This rise means that winter becomes shorter and milder while summers become longer and warmer. As

snow starts to melt sooner in the spring, it means less water in the summer for plants and animals. These slight changes in the timing of seasons impact the water supply and the timing of natural events, such as when flowers bloom and when plants grow. The Yellowstone National Park is also experiencing significant changes because of warmer temperatures. Similar to Rocky Mountain National Park, snow is projected to melt increasingly earlier in the years ahead, reducing the water supply that flows downstream, which will negatively impact the animals, farmers, and other communities in the area.

Perhaps the most impact is beginning to show in the state of Alaska, as it is also part of the Arctic, the fastest warming region on Earth. The state has 24 national parks, including Denali, the largest protected park in the US at six million acres (9,400 square miles). Permafrost, which lies underneath 80% of Alaska, is beginning to melt, causing sinkholes and landslides.

Glacier loss is also an alarming consequence that can harm nearby communities, including animals and vegetation. The northwest coast is slowly eroding in places from the sea level rise and intense storms, while wildfires are spreading faster, with less snow cover to contain them.

Warmer temperatures pose dangers In other areas of the US, the fire season is also expanding dramatically and the warmer temperatures have a multitude of consequences. In Hawaii for example, invasive mosquitoes that are increasing as a result of the warmer forest temperatures are targeting the native birds. In California the iconic sequoia trees, now down to 65 groves, could be wiped out by a warmer, drier climate. Red spruce, balsam fir, Joshua and other tree species could face the same fate. These changes impact the food chain, and this has dire consequences. For example, the grizzly bears of Yellowstone Park feast on the cone seeds of the white bark pine, which are already under attack from the mountain pine beetle. If warmer winters encourage the beetle population, the bears will seek another food source, impacting other species. In rivers for example, as the water gets warmer salmon and other cold-water fish will be threatened. Less snow will also affect plenty of species. Clearly the detrimental effects of climate change will increase and become more widespread as time goes on.

For nearly a century the NPS has been preserving the natural beauty and resources within these parks throughout the United States. Unfortunately there is only so much it can do when the climate in and around the parks is drastically changing. If you are thinking of visiting any of these famous national parks one day, don’t put it off, as it may be better to go sooner rather than later, so as not to be disappointed.

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING, USA

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YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA, USA

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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, USA

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, USA

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GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MONTANA, USA

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LANDSCAPE IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA, USA

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MENDENHALL GLACIER IN ALASKA, USA

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WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER How to tackle the world's issues sustainably words ingmar strum, teodora cakarmis, victoria hamdorf and sania el kadi

The world today is in trouble. More than one-eighth of the world’s population goes to bed hungry and maternal mortality rates remain alarmingly high in Sub-Saharan Africa. News network CNN has just recently announced that five Solomon Islands have been swallowed up by the ocean within the last seventy years because of rising sea levels.

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56 We have known that we are in trouble for quite some time. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), presented by the United Nations in September of 2001, were aimed at dealing with many of the pressing issues of the century until 2015. Progress towards achieving these goals has been made, but not all of the goals have been attained everywhere, with progress varying greatly from region to region. The MDGs have therefore not been exactly a success for the international community. Some people have said that they were too ambitious, while others have argued the opposite.

They have been criticized for not being binding, for being too simplistic and elitist. Given that they were signed by 189 countries why were they so flawed?

In the words of the Secretary General of UNESCO, Ms. Irina Bokova, they lacked “inclusivity, integration, and universality.”

The Sustainable Development Goals are more on the mark The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Development Agenda, adopted in September of 2015, represent a paradigm shift, a different way of looking at problemsolving. The new understanding is that the world’s most pressing problems are not only equally important but also interdependent. For this reason, the SDGs go much further than the MDGs, addressing the root causes of poverty and the universally recognized need for development.

Protecting marine resources Let us take as an example SDG 14, which requires us to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources. Achieving the targets set out by this SDG not only calls for the development of a local and a global implementation agenda, but for a nexus approach. In order to ensure efficiency, we must use our resources in a comprehensive manner, one that recognizes that we must be responsible in our production and consumption (SDG 12), that we must prevent and reduce marine pollution, as well as limit carbon dioxide emissions (SDG 13) in order to mitigate ocean acidification. It would also help to have an appropriate legal framework as well as accountable and transparent institutions (SDG 16) to fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Finally, it is paramount to ensure that the SDGs affect the everyday lives of the world’s most vulnerable in a positive way. Therefore, it is very important to increase economic benefits to Small Island Development States (SDG 8), in order to incentivize sustainable use of marine resources, as well as to promote sustainable tourism.

Regulating fishing At the intergovernmental level, a farreaching process for the protection of endangered fish was initiated in June 2016, when the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and

Unregulated Fishing (PSMA) entered into effect. The 25 countries, including Palau, which have become parties to the agreement, which was negotiated among the delegations of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), have agreed to implement measures to detect illegal fishing, prevent unlawfully caught fish from being offloaded and sold, and participate in global information-sharing about criminal vessels. Such measures include requiring fishing vessels to request authorization before entering a port, and sending details about their activities and the kind of fish that they have onboard. Inspectors will verify whether the vessel is licensed to fish by the state whose flag it flies. If not, vessels will be denied entry and reported as violators.

The role of UNESCO Another key player in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is the UN’s cultural agency UNESCO. This organization is committed to safeguarding and promoting cultural and natural heritage, in cooperation with cultural and creative industries, as well as through joint programs with other UN Agencies and national authorities. To achieve the SDGs, UNESCO has tried to find a way forward to support countries that are trying to implement the Agenda and the SDGs through a revitalized and enhanced global partnership, mobilizing governments, civil society, the private

57 sector, the United Nations system, and other actors.

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOCUNESCO) is an organization within UNESCO that is focused on marine science and thus concerned with the SDG 14 targets, dealing especially with reducing marine pollution, addressing the impacts of ocean acidification, and restoring fish stocks. As many developing nations still lack basic scientific infrastructures, human skills, and technological advancement, the IOC-UNESCO has called for global intergovernmental cooperation to fill knowledge gaps.

The IOC-UNESCO is working on the publication of The Global Ocean Science Report, which consists of assisting local and national governments, academic and research institutions, as well as international organizations and donors, to provide an overview of various countries’ investments, resources, and scientific productivity in ocean science. The results presented in the Global Ocean Science Report will create baselines that are needed to enable future research investment and technology to reach the sustainable development targets, in particular SDG 14.

Palau shows the way One of the pioneering states in

protecting the oceans is the Republic of Palau, located in the Pacific 800 kilometers east of the Philippines, with only 18,000 inhabitants. Palau has been a pioneer in protecting the ocean over which it has jurisdiction. It has established no-entry zones such as the Ngerukewid Island Preserve (1956) and no-take zones such as the Ngerumekaol Spawning Area (1976). Today there are over 40 such sites, most of which are protected by state legislation.

The marine reserve covers an area of over 500,000 square kilometers, about the size of Spain. Because of its small size, Palau has a marine police division with only 18 members and one patrol boat. Small island states establishing marine reserves all face the challenge of enforcing the regulations that protect them.

Palau undertakes significant effort to protect its conservation areas, particularly by preventing illegal fishing.

In 2015, the Palauan coast guard caught several Vietnamese shipping vessels in its marine sanctuary. In an effort to make a deterring example, their catch and nets were confiscated and their boats burned. The fishermen were then sent back to Vietnam.

Because of the unprecedented measures taken by Palau, Palau’s president received the Peter Benchley Ocean Award in May 2016. The award acknowledges exceptional achievement in the protection of the ocean, coasts, and the communities that depend on them. The award recognizes the

interconnectedness among the SDGs, because sustainable fisheries can ensure that people will have enough to eat (SDG 2), that they consume responsibly (SDG 12), and that there are enough sharks and fish left to grow a sustainable tourism industry (SDGs 8 and 9).

A need for global cooperation The sustainable development goals require decisive, united global action.

They require action from governments, industry, and the consumers of goods and services such as tourism. Every level of social organization, from individuals to intergovernmental organizations, has to contribute to the attainment of these goals. Every individual can do his part, either by consuming responsibly, founding or participating in initiatives, asking his supermarkets about the way in which their food has been produced, and lobbying representatives at all levels of government. The ocean has been a victim of unchecked globalization.

Cooperation between different countries and cultures can help us to solve the crisis.

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BOOM BABY BOOM It's a small world, literally words tamara batshon

Over the last one hundred and fifty years, humans have drastically altered the natural environment through industrialization, intensive farming, rapid urbanization, and the development of fossil fuels. While all these contribute to climate change, the real problems that we face may stem from world population growth.

French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy recently made a controversial remark on a TV talk show downplaying manmade climate change. He stated that while climate change is a very serious challenge, the first cause of environmental degradation is the number of people on this planet. “Only man could be so arrogant as to think that it is we who are changing the climate,” said Sarkozy. He stated that the climate has been changing for four billion years – way before we even arrived, and the reason that the Sahara has become a desert is not because of industry. So let’s assume for now that too many people on Earth is a much bigger problem than climate change and take a look at world demographics.

Then and Now Around 8,000 B.C. the population of the world was approximately 5 million people. Over the 8,000-year period up to 1 A.D., it grew to 200 million people (some estimate as much as 300 million or even 600 million people), with a growth rate of under

0.05 percent per year.

The exponential growth occurred with the industrial revolution: Whereas it had taken all of human history until around 1800 A.D. for the world population to reach one billion, the second billion was achieved in only 130 years (1930), the third billion in less than 30 years (1959), the fourth billion in 15 years (1974), and the fifth billion in only 13 years (1987).

During the 20th century alone, the population in the world grew from 1.65 billion people to six billion people.

In 1970, there were roughly half as many people in the world as there are now.

Growth rate of the world population The population in the world is currently growing at a rate of around 1.13 percent per year. The current average population change is estimated at around 80 million people per year.

The annual growth rate reached its peak in the late 1960s, when it was at two percent and above. The rate of increase has therefore almost halved since its peak of 2.19 percent, which was reached in 1963.

The annual growth rate is currently declining and is projected to continue to decline in the coming years. Currently, it is estimated that it will become less than one percent by 2020 and less than 0.5 percent by 2050.

This means that the world population will continue to grow in the 21st century, but at a slower rate as compared with the recent past. The world population has doubled in 40 years from 1959 (three billion) to 1999 (six billion). It is now estimated that it will take a further 39 years to increase by another 50 percent, to become nine billion by 2038, and the latest United Nations projections indicate that the world population will reach 10 billion people in the year 2056.

All the statistics in this article were provided by Worldometers.

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Latest United Nations projections indicate that the world

population will reach

10 billion people in the year 2056.

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KINGS OF THE WILD FRONTIER The mystical majesty of wolves words elsa j. sattout

Wolves are worshiped as the spirits of nature and they are renowned for having a strong commitment to their packs. Because of their outstanding leadership abilities and intelligence, they are considered to be the symbol of the spiritual pathfinder by Native Americans. Roaming the wild with an insatiable desire for freedom, their powerful instinct and intuition make them among the strongest mammals in the wild. Many people believe that wolves have a special connection to man’s path in life, as they share the same spiritual essence.

68 Legends about wolves From ancient time to the modern era, there have been many legends about wolves as caring animals. They have raised orphans such as Mowgli in The Jungle Book, Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, and an abandoned child in an old Turkic village nursed by Asena, an old she-wolf. An old Mongolian’s narrative attributes the origin of the central Asian people to Asena, who gave birth to half-wolf half-human pups. In mythology, wolves were associated with guardians of celestial realms, warriors, or the devil. In Ancient Egypt, the wolf represented the god of war (Wepwawet) and was considered to be the “opener of the ways.” In both the Orient and the West, tales, fables, sayings and movies reflect various faces of “humanized” wolf characters.

Examples include Kalila wa Dimna, “Little Red Riding Hood”, The Fables of Jean de la Fontaine, and the famous movies Dances with Wolves, Into the Woods, and the television series Game of Thrones.

Species of wolves Endangered top-level carnivores, wolves occupy nowadays only about two-thirds of their former range worldwide because of the destruction of their habitat and persecution by herders and villagers. The animal is responsible for forest regeneration, preserving the fittest individuals in deer populations, and indirectly aligning the riverbeds with mountain foothills. The wolf belongs to family of dog-like animals (Canidae) with two main species, the grey wolf (Canis lupus L.) and the red wolf (Canis rufus L.). The Eastern timber wolf (Canis lycaon L.), a third species, is believed to be a subspecies of the grey wolf. Unlike the grey wolf, the world's most widely distributed mammal, red wolf is one of the rarest canids in the world and it was declared extinct in the wild in 1980. It is listed in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),. Captive breeding programs and reintroduction were initiated in Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s.

They are family-oriented Wolves live in packs of five to 11 per family on average, led by the alpha male and alpha female. Those monogamous and family-oriented animals, with a high sense of loyalty, tolerance, and interdependence, live bonded strongly with each other. Rudyard Kipling said, “The strength of the wolf is the pack, and the strength of the pack is the wolf.” Wolves are faithful to their mates for life. Upon the death of one mated wolf, pairs are quickly re-established. Finding unpaired females is an exception, since males often predominate in wolf population. Casanova wolves are males who have been unable to establish their territory or find a mate.

So they couple with daughters from other packs without forming pair bonds. Wolves have various ways of communication within and among the packs. Scents on paths and junctions are distributed around every 250 meters to defend their territories. Trailblazers in nature, wolves can travel up to almost 650 kilometers from their pack.

You may be bewitched by the beauty of the wolf’s wild spirit, or by his piercing eyes. Whatever may be the case, when wolves come along in your life and you have the opportunity to see them, be aware enough to grasp the message that is revealed to you. You should commemorate these moments as milestones in your life.

for the love it will never reach.

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" Maybe the wolf is in love with the moon and each month it cries

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" I guess I'm pretty much of a lone wolf.

I don't say I don't like people at all,

but, to tell you the truth, I only like it then if I have a chance to look deep into their hearts and their minds.

Bela Lugosi

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" We have doomed the wolf not

for what it is, but for what we deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be

– the mythologized epitome of a savage ruthless killer – which is, in reality, no more than a reflected image of ourself.�

Farley Mowat, Never Cry Wolf

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FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS Unlikely relationships blossom in the wild words tamara batshon

They say that a dog is a man’s best friend, but did you know that a monkey is a wolf’s best pal? At least that seems to be the case in Guassa Plateau, the alpine grasslands of eastern Africa where these two animal species appear to have an unusual agreement. A type of baboon known as geladas has no fear of the Ethiopian wolves wandering through their herds. Scientists have reported that the monkeys are aware that the wolves will not attack them, as they are not nervous in the presence of the wolves. On the other hand, they will run away from other canine species, such as feral dogs, which have been known to attack young geladas.

Instead of attacking the monkeys, the Ethiopian wolves mainly prey on rodents or young sheep and goats, which are as big as young geladas. It also appears that the wolves are more successful in capturing rodents in the presence of geladas. Scientists believe that there are several reasons for this trend. For one, the monkey herd may actually serve as a kind of camouflage for the wolves, so that the wolves can creep up on the rodents without being noticed. Secondly, the grazing monkeys may drive the rodents out into the open away from their burrows or vegetation, allowing the wolves to attack and capture their prey more skillfully.

Peace between geladas and wolves Scientists have observed that a wolf and a gelada can be within one to two meters of each other and yet practically ignore each other for up to two hours at a time. On the other hand, the geladas immediately run away to cliffs for safety when they spot the aggressive feral dogs, which are known to prey on them. The wolves seem to consciously take care and behave peacefully around a herd of geladas, as though they have figured out that their presence is an asset. The wolves move slowly and peacefully as they seek rodents and refrain from the zigzag sprint that they use elsewhere in the savannah.

While monkeys have been observed to form associations with other animals, experts have noted that these relationships are rare and often fleeting. On the other hand, the gelada relationship with the wolves is pretty stable – scientists have been observing it over the course of several years – and it doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon. With only 500 Ethiopian wolves remaining in the wild, the peaceful pact between them and geladas is certainly a good thing. Primatologists believe that other predators might also have this similar relationship with other animals and it could be a pretty common occurrence. However it’s normally difficult for scientists to study in detail and draw conclusions, as predators in the wild are usually scared off by people.

From wolves to dogs The domestication of dogs by humans many years ago also follows a similar pattern: wolves and primates hanging around each other and being tolerant of one another’s presence. Thousands of years ago researchers believe that wolves scavenged near human settlements or groups. This might have been due to the increase in human population density, advances in blade and hunting technology, and climate change, which may have altered prey densities and made scavenging crucial to the survival of some wolf populations. Adaptations to scavenging such as tameness, small body size, and a decreased age of reproduction would reduce their hunting efficiency further, eventually leading to obligatory scavenging.

The ancestors of today’s dogs learned that by hanging around man’s dwellings, they could grab a quick bite to eat every now and then—without all the effort and danger involved in actual hunting. It is also likely that humans killed or drove away the aggressive wolves that hung around for food scraps, whereas the non-aggressive wolves were probably tolerated. Having the wolves hang around may have also encouraged other carnivores to keep their distance, offering a benefit for humans, too. The non-aggressive wolves then eventually became domesticated after humans appreciated them as hunters and later on as companions.

There is also the slightly different but commonly believed idea that prehistoric humans found orphaned wolf pups and took them into their homes. These pups were fed and treated well, as we treat and care for our pets today, and the generations that followed gradually became our domestic dogs. We may not know the real reason for the domestication of wolves many thousands of years ago or if they are in fact the direct ancestors of dogs, but one thing is clear for sure: Peaceful co-existence among animals and between humans and animals is highly beneficial.

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WATCH OUT! Unmissable monuments around the world

words Varouj Tenbelian

Traveling is always associated with the pleasure of discovering new places as well as the excitement of scanning cities, especially when it includes visiting famous landmarks in the country that you are visiting. Landmarks include natural sites, beautiful landscapes, historical buildings and monuments, in addition to statues and sculptures. And who will be your best friend when you start your visit? Your camera will. The camera will be your best companion to record all the memories and the beautiful moments that you experience, especially when you stand beside the most famous statues and sculptures that portray people who have played a big role in shaping history, that portray art, or that express a universal message.

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LE POUCE OR THE THUMB

Some statues and sculptures will attract your camera because of their size and shape. Others will attract you because of their incredible architecture, and some will amaze you because of their bizarre and unusual concept and creation. The Eiffel Tower in Paris will definitely attract you because of

its structure, history and grandiosity.

While in Paris, in the La Défense district, on Place Carpeaux behind the CNIT tower, you will be amazed by Le Pouce or The Thumb. Standing over 40 feet tall and weighing more than 18 tons, Le Pouce, or The Thumb was built in 1965 by sculptor César Baldaccini.

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NON-VIOLENCE OR THE KNOTTED GUN

You and your camera will react the same way when you face the magnificent posture of the Statue of Liberty in New York or the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When you pass across the Statue of Liberty to visit the City of New York, you will be astonished by the many statues and sculptures that the city offers to its visitors. Over 300 sculptures

are found on the streets and in parks across the New York metropolitan area.

One of them is Non-Violence or The Knotted Gun, a world famous sculpture created by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd in the 1980s after the shooting of famous Beatles member John Lennon. Since then, the sculpture has become one of the most recognizable symbols of peace.

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METALMORPHOSIS

If you plan to visit the state of North Carolina in the USA, you have to stop at the Metalmorphosis, the incredible 25-foot stainless steel sculpture by David Cerny, a Czech-born artist.

It can be viewed at the American

Asset Corporation’s Whitehall Corporate Center in Charlotte. The 14-ton sculpture is made from massive stainless steel layers that rotate 360 degrees and occasionally align to create a massive head.

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SPIDER

In London, at Tate Modern, you will wish to have your picture taken in front of the Spider, a giant, bizarre sculpture of an arachnid that stands nine meters high, created by the French-born

American artist Louise Bourgeois, who worked for nearly seven decades to finish this masterpiece. The sculpture is made of bronze and granite and was first displayed in 1994.

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GOD FATHER ON THE ARCH OF HEAVEN

In Stockholm, Sweden, you can see the God Father on the Arch of Heaven, designed by Carl Milles. Milles (1875 – 1955) was a renowned Swedish sculptor best known for his fountain sculptures. Finished by Milles’s

students in 1995, this monumental sculpture stands 18 meters high. It shows a naked God balancing at the end of an arch, hanging stars in the sky, tossed his way by an angel at the base of the sculpture.

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PEOPLE OF THE RIVER

In the city of Singapore, along the Singapore River, you will certainly want to see the People of the River sculptures by local artist Chong Fah Cheong, each of which offers a freeze-frame of how life was in the past. While in

Switzerland, a picture of you in front of the Giant Tap will amaze all your friends. Located in the Techno Park, Winterthur, the Giant Tap appears to float in the sky with an endless supply of water.

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THE MONUMENT OF AN ANONYMOUS PASSERBY

The Monument of an Anonymous Passerby in Wroclaw, Poland is another famous and eye-catching statue that signifies all of the souls lost, imprisoned, or otherwise harmed by oppression. The monument is located in the busy section of Wroclaw.

While in the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava,

the Man at Work, known locally as Cumil, meaning “watcher,� is a quirky sculpture created by local painter Viktor Hulik in 1997 after he was commissioned by a local magistrate to create some modern sculptures that would add some life to the reconstruction of the old city.

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CHARLES LA TROBE STATUE

In Melbourne, Australia, the Charles La Trobe Statue is phenomenal. Sculptor Charles Robb has turned the statue on its head, saying it embodies the notion that universities should turn ideas on their heads. Actually, the statue commemorates

Lieutenant Governor Charles Joseph La Trobe who held office from 1839 to 1854, helping to establish the Royal Botanic Gardens, State Library, Museum of Victoria, National Gallery of Victoria, and the University of Melbourne.

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MAN HANGING OUT

When in Prague, Czech Republic, you cannot miss the extraordinary Man Hanging Out sculpture. Created by Czech sculptor David Cerny, the Man Hanging Out humorously depicts Sigmund Freud dangling by one hand high above a city street. The sculpture is in Cerny’s signature provocative style and is among the works that have led him to be regarded by many as one of the best sculpture artists working in the world today.

We have just had a small tour around the world to discover some of the most famous sculptures and statues.

There are thousands of art works in the hundreds of cities around the world that deserve to be visited and appreciated.

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OCEANS APART In Kiribati, this way beauty lies words sania shahrasbi

The ocean is encroaching from every angle. Everywhere you look you can see thousands of shades of blue, green, turquoise, etc. Lying on the equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is an island nation. The ocean streams and runs through the country like veins in the human body. It is almost as if the life of the island depended on the water that runs through it. This island is called Kiribati.

90 Geography and biodiversity Home to 100,000 indigenous inhabitants, this country has a remarkably unique landscape. It has a total area of 810 square kilometers, scattered over 3.5 million square kilometers of ocean. It has 33 atolls, or ring-shaped coral reefs, unlike any other country in the world. Kiribati consists of three major islands: Gilbert, Line, and Phoenix.

Gilbert and Line Island house the majority of the population, while Phoenix Island is home to the Phoenix Island Marine Protected Area— 400,000 square kilometers of protected marine and land area.

Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010 for “containing exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance” and “outstanding examples representing significant ongoing ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of coastal and marine ecosystems,” this site is unlike any other in the world.

The protected area is one of the largest oceanic coral archipelago ecosystems, home to over 200 species of coral, 500 species of fish, and 18 marine mammals. Underwater dormant volcanoes, giant clams, and mating tuna all inhabit and are protected in these vast waters. On the white sand, one can see marine turtles nesting and 44 species of wild sea birds searching for the worthiest companions.

The biodiversity of the islands attracts tourists and scientist from all over the world to witness and study the exclusive underwater and terrestrial ecosystem on this island.

Outside the protected area, novice and professional fisherman are invited to try their luck and catch the largest fish in the ocean. Kiribati is famous for many international game fishing records.

History and cultural influences Aside from the pristine biodiversity of the islands, Kiribati also has a rich history, which attracts historians, and in particular, those interested in World War II. Evidence suggests that the country itself was inhabited over 3,000 years ago by traveling Micronesians and Samoans. However, more documented history dates from 1892, when these islands were discovered by British troops and subsequently became a British colony in 1915.

During World War II, the islands were a battleground for Japanese and American troops. In 1971 they were granted self-rule by the United Kingdom and finally, complete independence in 1979 under a new name, Kiribati. Remnants of the WWII battlefields can be seen to this day. Artifacts such as tanks, ship wrecks, airplane wrecks, bunkers and defense guns symbolize the bloody war that was once fought on this beautiful island.

Influenced by their colonial history, Kiribatians have adopted English as their official language, but they still preserve their indigenous I-Kiribati. Most of the population identifies with Roman Catholicism, while passing from generation to generation Kiribatian legends such as Uekera, the tree of life.

Their culture is richly influenced by Polynesian traditions and is infused with traditions from the neighboring countries of Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji. Like many Oceanic cultures in the Pacific, daily lives depend on the rise and fall of the tide, which indicates ideal fishing conditions, while coconuts and taro are grown on land. The people rely on the ocean that surrounds them, while family and friends form the crux of their tightly- knit communities. Men and women have versatile roles in the household. Kiribatians couples share the burdens and work of everyday life, such as fishing, childcare, and harvesting crops.

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93 Communities hold weekly meetings and celebrations together, which are rarely devoid of dancing and songs. The dances often mirror the influences of the environment on their daily lives:

“The movement of the feet, hands and of course the whole body imitates the movement of the frigate

birds while walking and flf l ying. The costumes are made out of local materials. The frigate bird symbolizes many important things in the traditional living context of the I-Kiribati. It provides navigation to f ishermen while lost at sea, provides

weather information for the people and also gives a sign of peace and harmony.�

So whether you are a historian, fisherman, biologist, or simply a tourist looking to find an escape into a new world—Kiribati is a country unlike any other. With its rich culture and past, it welcomes tourists to come explore and vacation in this unique country, far off in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, away from the worries of their everyday lives.

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COLD COMFORT Winter casts its magic spell words alia fawaz What could be more relaxing than sitting on a blanket of whiteness and inhaling the fresh scent of crisp new snow? Winter’s frosty temperatures may chill our bones, but snow and ice lend a magical air to almost any landscape. Winter can be as beautiful as it is cold, especially in much of the northern hemisphere when the Earth’s northern axis tilts away from the sun. Winter is a necessary part of our life cycles, which enables plants and animals to hibernate or migrate, while seeds will only germinate after spending the winter on the frigid ground. Winter is not just enchantingly beautiful but essential. With the warmer temperature brought on by climate change, we may risk losing this breathtaking frosty season in many parts of the Earth.

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PAYING THE PRICE How climate change adds up in money words alia fawaz

The emission of greenhouse gases, which translates into an increase in temperature, is negatively impacting every living thing on the planet. It has become a race with time to slow down or reverse the damage that is being caused by the unprecedented rise in temperature. The economic impact of climate change could be severe, and we are already seeing the damage in the numbers.

108 The price paid by different sectors Only when we start thinking about what climate change is going to cost households, businesses, and communities, do we begin to see action. The effects of climate change on Lebanon’s different economic sectors are better understood through data. The data show us how each person, worker, family, business, and community in

Lebanon is incurring costs from climate change, which affects agriculture, food, water, electricity, and biodiversity.

It causes land degradation, impacts workers and migration, and promotes an increase in violence. Climate change has a very negative effect on human health, which is suffering the most from this phenomenon.

Information from ministries and research studies from the Eastern Mediterranean region show that climate change is already killing about 30,000 to 35,000 people per year in Lebanon, and that 15 percent of the population is already experiencing diseases and disabilities as a result of it. The second highest cost of climate change is paid by the agricultural sector, amounting to around 300 million dollars. In addition, global food prices are increasing and households have to pay more (almost 500 million dollars), which adds up to around a billion dollars in the foodagriculture sector alone.

The need for sustainable energy Integrated assessment models that take into account carbon dioxide from emission and the related economic cost, have found that every ton of CO2 imposes a $250 cost somewhere in the world. Lebanon’s share of that right now is about 2 billion dollars a year.

The 2oCand 1.5oC increases in global average temperature are important targets because if they’re not met, the costs of climate change are going increase further. Nonetheless, even if we

meet the 2o C target, the costs of climate change could still go out of control.

Energy is associated with higher standards of living, and as we generate more GDP, the energy per unit goes down. Nature has limits, and the ability of ecosystems to support farming and agriculture is going to collapse, leading to the collapse of the energy system, because we simply cannot continue to generate enough energy to support the growth in areas of living. Simply put, everyone must be involved in making sustainable changes that will cost everyone less in the long run.

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The impact on GDP The global average temperature is expected to be 4oC higher than it was in preindustrial times by the end of the century. Implementing a portion of the Paris Agreement (COP21) could limit the increase to 2oC or even 1.5oC. High temperatures will cause economic damage that will eventually cause a decrease in economic growth.

This means less business activity, lower incomes, a decrease in government revenues, and an increase in government costs. The impact on GDP growth is actually five times greater than the direct impact of droughts, storms, and higher temperatures. It is necessary to make people understand the economic effects of climate change, so as to motivate them to reduce greenhouse gases emissions on the one hand, and to prepare for changes in climate on the other hand.

It is only when people realize that the benefits of taking action outweigh the costs that they will take action. In other words, the cost of taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is far less than the cost of doing nothing.

Nobody on this planet

is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change."

Rajendra K. Patchauri

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GOODBYE DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND A community project that's light years ahead words lea kai aboujaoude

Global warming has become one of the main challenges that are faced by the world today. Climate change has been greatly intensified by human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels to produce energy. Perhaps it’s just about time to steer the world towards renewable energy instead, which can help mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Lebanon has not only been working with leaders and decision-makers to raise awareness about this key global issue, but it has also been working with universities and schools throughout the country.

One project with which it has been proud to be involved is “Light Up A Village” (LUV), led by Students for Sustainable Energy for All (SSEA) at the American University of Beirut (AUB). The purpose of LUV is to promote and provide renewable energy solutions to underprivileged Lebanese communities that have had limited access to electricity until today. Launched in February 2016, LUV is actually a long-term project that seeks to reach out to all villages in need and that goes along with AUB’s green initiatives.

This year’s project, LUV1, is mostly sponsored by UNDP Lebanon and AUB (in addition to the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Tripoli, Byblos Bank, Bank Med, and Deloitte) and will be the first of the yearly LUV sequence. It aims at setting up 21 photovoltaic solar light poles in Majdal village in Akkar. Majdal will be this year’s site of implementation, 60 percent of which will be illuminated by November 2016, especially since SSEA has obtained the municipality’s support for such a project. Besides being solar-powered, the street lighting for which LUV aims also provides road safety, which is essential for drivers and pedestrians at night.

Civic engagement What makes LUV unique is the civic engagement aspect, which encouraged the students to work together to provide better services to poorer communities. Students would go on site and take measurements, write down proposals, contact sponsors, implement a wide variety of fundraising strategies, and ultimately, have the chance to implement the project themselves. The change that LUV1 is bringing about has far-reaching effects. It’s lighting up skies not only at night, but also during the day, as it is mitigating CO2 emissions that almost reach the highest concentration in human history, mainly as a result of the burning of fossil fuels.

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FEELING AS RIGHT AS RAIN Farms report being showered with benefits words john gray

Mohammad Tayy, Farid Abou Merhim, and Souhail Awad had always used water pumped from artesian wells to irrigate their farms in Lebanon.

Mohammad and Farid operate coastal farms in Choueifat and Damour, while Souhail runs a farm in Kfarmashoun in the Mount Lebanon range. They use that water in their greenhouses, where they grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and strawberries year-round.

Well water no longer suffices However, climate change has made such farming more difficult. December, January and February are usually Lebanon’s wettest months, and a crucial time for farmers, since rainfall and snowfall renews the water levels of wells. But in the last few decades, these months have seen marked decreases in precipitation and snow cover. Before the 1990s, an average of 2,280 square kilometers of mountainous areas had snow cover. This figure has since decreased to 1,925 square kilometers.

The average time that the dense snow remains before it starts to melt has decreased from an average of 110 days before 1990 to an average of 90 days after 1990. Wells are not being refilled as they used to be, forcing farmers to pump deeper and deeper. This is risky, as it not only means exploiting groundwater faster than it is being renewed, but it also risks digging too deep and introducing saltwater into the wells.

Mohammed says: “Things are the worst during the dry summer season. For the past three or four years, we have been forced to purchase cisterns of freshwater for irrigation at exorbitant prices because of chronic water scarcity and salinization.”

Harvesting rainwater To counter this trend, UNDP partnered with the Lebanese Ministry of the Environment on a project to increase farmers’ climate resilience. Using

funding from the Lebanon Recovery Fund, the project implemented rainwater-harvesting systems that sit on the top of greenhouses. The installed technology is a direct pumping system, which consists of catchment half-pipe structures alongside the greenhouse tops that collect rainwater that is then held in a storage tank and pumped to the point of use when required. Water meters were also installed for monitoring water levels to track the technology’s progress.

Now Mohammad, Farid, and Souhail can collect the precipitation in large tanks and use the extra water to irrigate their crops in the dry months. During the last rainy season, the rainwater harvested from their 14 greenhouses reached 999,981.91 cubic meters. Mohammad says: “I am very satisfied. I did not need to purchase any freshwater tanks for irrigation this summer, thanks to the rainwater that I have been collecting and storing”. Mohamed plans on using the technology in another greenhouse site that he owns in southern Lebanon.

After monitoring the pilot sites during and after the rainy season, the volume of water collected at the Choueifat site was almost double the amount of water that was used to irrigate the selected greenhouses. The amount of water that is usually used to irrigate the greenhouses is 543.1 cubic meters, whereas the harvested water from the greenhouse tops amounts to 1,084.1 cubic meters.

Therefore the farmer used the rainwater for his whole farm as an alternative to the saline groundwater. As for the Kfarmshoun farm, records showed a staggering collection of 999,840 cubic meters of water from the greenhouse tops, whereas only 1,204 cubic meters was needed. This in turn made possible the irrigation of the entire farm at Kfarmashoun. Farmers stated that the increase in water availability had enabled them to produce more at a reduced cost.

Vahakn Kabakian, UNDP project manager, says: “There are so many

benefits. First, farmers are saving all the money that they used to spend on purchasing water for irrigation and for pumping. Second, the groundwater quality will be protected from pollution and salinization, since the pumping rate and depth will both decrease. Third, water quantity will be preserved, as natural recharge will be less disrupted by over-pumping. Finally, this initiative is an adaptation measure that has a great mitigation co-benefit, as CO2 emissions from energy consumed for pumping water will decrease.”

Harvesting rainwater from greenhouse roofs was one of the key adaptation technologies recommended in Lebanon’s Technology Needs Assessment. After the harvesting systems were installed, UNDP gathered the lessons learned from the installations and used them in guidelines that will provide information for similar initiatives throughout Lebanon.

Samar Malek, head of the Department of Environmental Technology at the Lebanese Ministry of the Environment, says: “We are happy and relieved to see hints of solutions to the water crisis that has been putting the livelihoods of so many Lebanese farmers at risks.

The positive feedback that we have been receiving from farmers is very reassuring.”

In order to replicate the success of the pilot project, a Rainwater Harvesting from Greenhouse Tops Manual has been prepared, based on the pilot experience, which will be distributed to local farmers. This initiative falls under the National Action Programme to Mainstream Climate Change into Lebanon’s Development Agenda. The main aim of this program is to build on the ongoing governmental projects, and the Rainwater Harvesting from Greenhouse Tops initiative fits into the Lebanese Ministry of Energy and Water’s strategy to reduce stress on groundwater resources, and the Ministry of Agriculture’s adaptation efforts.

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LEBANON GETS REAL A roadmap to tackle climate change is already in place words alia fawaz

Climate change is a leading global concern today. World leaders and climate change stakeholders regularly meet to set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The Kyoto Protocol was the first international treaty to deal with controlling and reducing GHG. It established legally binding obligations for the developed countries to reduce their GHG, recognizing that those countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of GHG in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity.

However, Kyoto, as well as the ensuing Copenhagen conference, were deemed big failures and seen by many as unfair in their “‘top-down” approach, where the burden was placed on the developed nations rather than the developing ones. The United States famously dropped out of Kyoto in 2001 and over 100 developing countries, including China and India, were exempted from the treaty.

Lebanon’s commitment at COP21 The recent COP21 in Paris, held in 2015, did things differently, perhaps learning from previous mistakes, and adopted a “bottom-up” approach. Each country was asked what it could do to reduce climate change. This more impartial approach allowed each country to assume control and decide how much it wanted to reduce its GHG, whether one, five or even 80 percent.

To prepare for COP21, Lebanon got to work and gathered all the stakeholders, the ministries, decisionmakers, including technical experts, and put together the national plan. Lea Kai Aboukhater, Climate Change Project Officer at the United Nations Development Program in Lebanon, explains: “We did not re-invent the wheel. We took all the plans and policies already in place and agreed by the Council of Ministers – those that existed but were not applied yet – and did an assessment. If they implemented them all, how would that translate to emission reduction potential in Lebanon? The answers served as the blueprint for Lebanon and were presented at the COP21.”

So what are these various plans that could be making a difference for the country? One example is the Ministry of Agriculture’s re-forestation project to plant 40 million trees in Lebanon by 2030. Another is Lebanon’s plan to derive 15 percent of national energy from renewables. “So if these all did take place, we calculated how much less GHG emission we would have,” explains Aboukhater.

After assessing the GHG reduction based on the notion that all the plans are successfully implemented, the team came up with the “realistic” and modest target of reducing Lebanon’s GHG by 15 percent by 2030. “This is not a risk as we have a budget in the respective ministries to roll out all these projects,” says Aboukhater. If however, there is more financial assistance, technical help and capacity building, the UNDP in Lebanon believes that the country could even reach a bigger reduction of 30 percent by 2030. Lebanon’s plan at COP21 was actually considered the most ambitious in the region.

116 Implementing the commitment Looking at the big picture, Lebanon is a tiny pollutant, contributing a mere 0.07 percent share of global emissions. One might ask, so why bother with an ambitious reduction plan? But of course the efforts made to reduce GHG are all beneficial for the country, enabling the strategies in place to tackle key sectors such as energy, transport, waste, wastewater and other areas that are already in dire need of reform. “With or without climate change in mind, we should tackle these issues anyway,” stresses Aboukhater.

Naturally what follows the proposal is preparing an actual road map to implement the commitment. In July 2016, UNDP Lebanon sat down with all the decision- makers and stakeholders to appoint who is responsible for what, by when, and what are the indicators of success. “We will have progress indicators so each year we will all meet in order to see where we need more help for example,” says Aboukhater. Incentives (financial mechanisms) for the private sector are also being offered to get it involved. For example UNDP cooperated with the Banque du Liban (BDL) for a successful subsidized loan mechanism known as the National Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Action (NEEREA). Basically NEEREA gives loans to anyone (private entity or individual) to invest in an energy-efficient project at 0 percent interest through the banks. Now a similar loan package through BDL is being prepared for hotels in the country, so that the green practice goes beyond energy efficiency and covers water, food waste, and so forth.

There is also an accreditation system with Lebanese schools so that they prepare an action plan that involves the students, allowing them to be part of a global network of green schools. The UNDP has even produced a teacher’s guide to climate change, which is targeted at educators in all class levels and subjects. For example a math teacher can present how to read a graph using real statistics of climate change. “We wanted to create out- of-the- box ideas for teachers and to find ways to incorporate this topic into their lessons,” explains Aboukhater. So far the guide is available in English and French and the Ministry of Education will be proofreading and issuing the first edition, which will be rolled out in some schools as a pilot. The second version will later be disseminated to all schools in Lebanon, and also have an Arabic version.

Lebanon Climate Act The private sector is also being involved through the newly launched Lebanon Climate Act, which is an alliance of all private companies and institutions committed to climate action. Whether it’s a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project, a product or service it provides, the bottom line is that it has to be climate-friendly. UNDP Lebanon provides training throughout the year to companies to show them ways by which they can contribute to this alliance, which also has the support of the BDL. For example, if a bank does not have anything in place or does not plan to start a project, it recommends that the bank adopt a project from a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). “One idea we may suggest is to partner with an NGO that is planting forests for example,” says Aboukhater. She adds: “Why not help a start-up? Now there is one just for car-pooling to reduce cars. A bank can even organize a shuttle bus for their employees.” Clearly there are many initiatives that can be done by all companies and institutions, both externally and internally.

These can also be small initiatives that allow companies of any size to contribute to reducing climate emissions.

Ultimately these green initiatives share the burden with the government. Already the Lebanon Climate Act has 200 members and as part of this initiative, each company will propose actions to reduce its environmental and carbon footprint, increase low-carbon investments, deploy more clean energy, and build more sustainable businesses and communities to tackle climate change. Along with in-house training, UNDP is now providing streaming sessions and a manual for members to give them ideas on how to get involved and to put them in contact with the right people.

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WHO YOU CALLING A POLLUTER? We're all guilty as charged words tamara batshon

In our day-to-day lives, things that we do routinely cause pollution. Have you ever wondered what pollutes the most? Is it throwing out our garbage, driving our cars to work, lighting up a campfire, or perhaps eating meat and vegetables? Well, actually it is lighting up our house (including everything that we turn on, including air conditioners and other appliances) followed by driving our cars to work. Lighting up our homes and driving constitute 75 percent of our emissions in Lebanon. The remaining 25 percent comes mainly from industrial waste, followed by agriculture and farming.

Dirty power Simply put, Lebanon has a very dirty power production sector.

We still have a 95 percent dependency on imported fossil fuels (the remaining five percent comes from hydro-energy). In addition to being very polluting, power generation in Lebanon is also highly inefficient. A great deal of produced energy is lost through poor distribution systems and technical problems; 60 percent of energy reaches households, whereas the remaining 40 percent is wasted. There are private generators (to compensate for the hours that are not provided by the national electricity company) in practically every neighborhood. These widespread generators are not maintained, nor regulated, and they use heavy diesel oil, which is highly toxic and carcinogenic, bringing air pollution directly into people’s homes.

Pollution from cars Pollution from transportation, which comes second after power production as the most polluting sector in Lebanon, is largely due to old cars. More than 70 percent of cars are more than ten years old, and 60 percent of the old fleet consists of large cars bigger than two liters. In addition, you have to consider the sheer number of cars on the country’s main motorway; 230,000 cars come from the North to Beirut and 80,000 cars come from the South to Beirut daily. Traffic jams are rampant, as most people rely on cars to commute, because of the limited and inefficient public transportation system. Seventy percent of vehicles on the road are private cars, whereas 30 percent are a combination of buses and taxis. In Lebanon, every 3.7 persons own a car while in Egypt every 22 persons own a car. In Jordan every six persons own a car and in Turkey, every four persons own a car.

Methane emissions After vehicles, waste and wastewater are the next big polluters in Lebanon. There is no adequate treatment of waste, which results in high methane emissions. In terms of global warming potential, every molecule of methane (CH4) is equal to 21 molecules of carbon dioxide (CO2). In fact about 25 percent of the manmade global warming that we’re experiencing today is caused by methane emissions. Methane basically comes from every biological degradation of organic material, such as an open dumpsite or a landfill. In technically feasible landfills where flaring (burning) occurs, the methane converts into CO2. In addition to landfill waste dumps, you have wastewater in waterways, such as riverbeds, septic tanks and the sea, all of which contribute to methane emissions.

Farming and agriculture also contributes to methane emissions worldwide, having a major impact on global warming. The countries with plenty of livestock, such as the United States and Argentina, generate lots of greenhouse emissions mainly from cattle and other farm animals (a cow generates between 70-120 kilograms of methane per year). This methane discharge occurs in two ways: 1. When cows digest their food, enteric fermentation occurs, in other words, the passing of gas. 2. The manure of cows.

This organic discharge is responsible for both nitrogen oxide (N20) and methane (1 kilogram of N20 is equivalent to 310 kilograms of CO2). These by-product gases can be reduced by treating the manure or by changing the animals’ feed. In addition, the methane emissions released can be recovered to produce energy.

The role of forests In Lebanon, we do have one huge advantage, which is our forests. Experts estimate that the green forests are absorbing ten percent of the country’s emissions. Currently Lebanon faces two big threats: urbanization (irreversible change) and forest fires (reversible change). A burned forest can always regenerate, whereas a housing complex cannot go back to being a forest.

Clearly the country needs to focus on preserving and increasing the green areas that will encourage biodiversity and reduce greenhouse emissions. The reality is that we can live without the concrete houses but we certainly cannot live without our precious and vital greenery.

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WE CARE, THEREFORE WE ACT LEBANON’S CORPORATE GREEN CONTRIBUTION

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Today companies around the world are leading the way in green initiatives, adopting a wide range of admirable, in-house sustainability practices such as ambitious recycling programs and the installation of low-energy systems, in addition to financing external green projects of which they want to be a part. In many cases, they are motivated by cost savings and of course, a desire to protect our planet by reducing their carbon footprint. In Lebanon today, many banks and leading companies are actively engaged in green corporate social responsibility programs.

Here we look at six Lebanese companies and describe their sustainability best practices with regard to climate change and the environment.

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BANQUE DU LIBAN SPECIAL COP 22

What are the energy projects BDL is engaged in? List them in order of importance and give a brief explanation of each.

At the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Summit, Lebanon voluntarily pledged to increase its renewable energy share by 12% by 2020, which means an additional production of 804 MW of clean energy.

This voluntary commitment was anchored within the “Policy Paper for the Electricity Sector” prepared by the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW) and officially adopted by the Council of Ministers in June 2010. The action steps include the adoption of the energy conservation law, the launch of the National Plan for Energy Conservation (later on named National Energy Efficiency Action Plan – NEEAP) and the launching of a national financing mechanism (the National Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Action – NEEREA).

Based on this policy background, the actual creation of NEEREA took place on 25 November 2010 when the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) issued circular No. 236. NEEREA is a national financing mechanism initiated by the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Water, the Ministry of Finance, UNDP, the European Union (EU), and the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC).

This initiative aims at financing green activities through the following mechanism: long-term financing (up to 14 years) of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green buildings projects through banks with interest ranging between 0 and 1%. In return, banks will be benefiting from exemptions from mandatory reserve requirements at BDL.

NEEREA includes many national and international players. As the national financing institution, the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) sets the framework of operation and offers benefits to banks.

The Ministry of Energy and Water sets the strategic guidance and priority in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The Ministry of Finance defines the subsidies on interest rates for the different sectors of the economy. The European Union has offered the BDL 12 million Euros to encourage SMEs in applying for NEEREA. The United Nations Development Program partnered with BDL to offer technical support, training, marketing, and awareness raising activities, and the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC) is the technical consultant to BDL, reviewing loan applications, and setting quality control criteria.

NEEREA is dedicated to supporting the financing of new and existing energy projects including energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) implementations.

It offers soft loans to eligible and feasible projects. NEEREA allows private sector entities (individuals, SMEs, or corporate bodies) to apply for subsidized loans for any type of EE and/or RE projects.

Private facilities such as households, residential buildings, hospitals, hotels, commercial offices, malls, industrial plants, farms (subsidized and nonsubsidized sectors) and existing facilities such as banks, industries, consultants, and new or under construction facilities are all qualified to the NEEREA loans.

The beneficiaries of NEEREA are divided into 3 categories: the local banks, the end-user and the national economy.

The bank gets more cash through releasing part of the Required Reserves

at the Central Bank, and this enhances the green vision of the bank and promotes corporate social responsibility (CSR). The user is provided with longterm interest free loans and is offered technical support with a guarantee to have high quality technical and financial propositions. NEEREA benefits the national economy by reducing the burden on the Lebanese institutions and industries. It has promoted the renewable energy industry and marketing in Lebanon and has created numerous jobs opportunities for engineers, energy expertise, accountants, and researchers.

Through financing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, NEEREA can reduce the burden on the energy sector since less energy will be drawn. It will also satisfy the growing energy demand of the Lebanese citizens. At the same time, this will favor decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and consequently contribute positively to the welfare of the environment and the society.

The purpose behind NEEREA is to encourage the implementation of the actions needed to achieve our national objective and to ensure the sustainability of the energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors in Lebanon. NEEREA strives to guarantee an energy secured society and it’s facilitating the transition towards a low-carbon green economy.

The latter serves to achieve the national objective of 12% of renewable energy share.

What is BDL doing in-house to limit and reduce its ecological footprint?

The Green Roof is a project that BDL pioneered, with the aim of promoting green spaces in urban areas; taking into account all the benefits that emanate

123 from it. The Central Bank dedicated an area of 834 square meters in its main headquarters in Hamra, and launched its very own “Green Roof” on the 30th of June 2014, in cooperation with UNDP’s CEDRO project. By launching such an initiative, the BDL hopes that it will inspire other public and private institutions to follow in its footsteps, and promote more green spaces.

Another project that BDL is keen on maintaining is its own recycling scheme. It has placed at the level of each department dedicated recycled bins. By doing so, the Central Bank strives to instill a green culture in its staff, encouraging them to be more vigilant vis-à-vis recycling at the source at the workplace and at home. On another hand, it hopes to act, yet again, as a model for other public and private institutions; and to lead by example for any institution willing to take the recycling scheme as part of its green loans.

Moreover, the Central Bank has also started with the initiative of replacing its current lighting system with LED lights, in order to reduce ecological footprints as much as possible, and to reduce its energy bill.

Tell us about the eco loan (the subsidized environmental loans and the financing unit of green energy). Explain the type of loans and value of loans to date, what type of customers etc.

The BDL has been keen, over the past few years, on fostering sustainable growth. It has, in this regard, launched a series of initiatives and stimulus packages to boost private sector investments in vital sectors; with the aim of contributing to economic, social, and environmental development and ultimately more job creation.

Through its loan incentive packages, the BDL has been promoting environmentally friendly initiatives.

Whether promoting energy related projects such as energy saving, renewable energy, and green buildings, or nonenergy related projects such as pollution abatement, solid waste and wastewater treatment, recycling, eco-tourism, and organic farming among others, the BDL

has been striving to turn the Lebanese economy greener.

One of those initiatives is the National Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Action NEEREA, a national financing mechanism that the BDL developed in 2010 in collaboration with the UNDP, EU, and the Ministries of Finance, Energy and Environment.

In 2013, the BDL pushed the environmental agenda even further by including environmentally friendly loans within its first stimulus package.

This stimulus consisted of providing low cost incentives to the private sector through banks to encourage investments in vital economic sectors such as tourism, agriculture, industry, IT, housing, education, and environment, including NEEREA. Given its concrete benefits on the national economy, the package has been renewed for three consecutive years.

Today, the BDL in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, is striving to support the green economy further, and thus foster sustainable growth, by providing more financial mechanisms to the environment sector, as it did with the energy sector through NEEREA. The BDL is also encouraging pollution abatement projects, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, through bank loans with very low cost (around zero percent), and for periods ranging between 7 and 10 years.

Type and value of loans that benefit from BDL environmentally friendly initiatives: 1) Agriculture - Number of projects: 23 - Total loan amount: $ 6,780,364 - Type of loans: Solar PV for irrigation, Biomass gasification, solar water pump, LED lighting for farm.

2) Commercial - Number of projects: 52 - Total loan amount: $ 114,344,561 - Type of loans: LED lighting, Hybrid three phase Solar Photovoltaic System, EE-RE solutions, on-grid solar PV system, Semi-hermetic Reciprocating Compressors, PV Diesel Grid Connected System, LEED-silver & gold.

- Beneficiaries: malls, pharmacies, commercial centers, gas stations etc…

3) Education - Number of projects: 18 - Total loan amount: $ 50,131,719 - Type of loans: EE-RE solutions, Solar PV system & LED lights & isolation, On-Grid Solar PV System, LEED-silver & gold.

- Beneficiaries: universities & schools.

4) Health - Number of projects: 9 - Total loan amount: $ 13,721,965 - Type of loans: On-Grid Solar PV System, EE-RE solutions, LEED-silver & gold.

- Beneficiaries: hospitals & health centers.

5) Industry - Number of projects: 39 - Total loan amount: $ 55,374,230 - Type of loans: On-grid Solar PV System, Absorption Chiller Solution, Biogreenpyrolsis plan, LED Applications, PV-diesel Grid Connected System.

6) Non-profit organization - Number of projects: 13 - Total loan amount: $ 18,147,146 - Type of loans: Solar PV SystemThermal, Biomass Heating and On-Grid PV, LED lights, LEED-silver & gold.

- Beneficiaries: sanctuary, orphan welfare, congregation.

7) Residential - Number of projects: 74 - Total loan amount: $ 104,134,365 - Type of loans: Grid Interactive Solar System, LED lights, Boiler, double glazing, Off-grid PV system, LEED- silver & gold.

8) Tourism - Number of projects: 18 - Total loan amount: $ 24,175,424 - Type of loans: EE-RE solutions, Solar Water Heating System, LED- lights.

- Beneficiaries: hotels, restaurants.

Total number of projects: 246 Total loan amount: $ 386,809,774

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MEA’S COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

Mohamad El-Hout was appointed Chairman of Middle East Airlines, the national flag-carrier of Lebanon in 1998.

Since then, the company has been on a steady path of success, putting an end to two decades of losses, restoring its airline profitability, and undergoing a rigorous restructuring and developmental phase.

MEA currently retains one of the world’s youngest fleets and aims to fly profitably and invest wisely. Besides having done a great job as far as turning the company around, El-Hout is committed to the notion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He says, “We are committed to the principles of social responsibility, recognizing our obligation to give back in multiple ways to the society in which we are embedded.” He adds: “The airline is equally committed to giving back to society in various forms and guises. Building on MEA’s profound history and legacy, and its existing CSR and philanthropic activities, we have managed to craft and propose a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Strategy.” El-Hout regards protecting the environment as a key element of CSR. “Middle East Airlines will always be ready to launch new initiatives to support the environment and every sector that brightens the image of our beautiful country,” he says.

Preserving the environment El-Hout says: “We are committed to designing and implementing innovative programs and initiatives to reduce our impact on the environment and ultimately

contributing to a more sustainable future for the next generations. We view this investment in environmental stewardship as a tremendous opportunity to meet our strategic objectives of flying profitably and investing wisely. Over the past few years, we have saved millions of dollars and avoided significant amounts of emissions and waste, in addition to utilities and waste reduction initiatives.”

Fuel efficiency El-Hout says: “We are dedicated to balancing between aviation and our external environment and ensuring fuel efficiency. Mitigating the environmental impact of aviation is achieved through an ongoing investment in fleet modernization using new engine options, which aim to reduce fuel consumption through flight operations by optimizing our flight profiles, including speed and altitude.”

Since 2010, MEA has implemented a program with operational procedures to reduce emissions. These operational procedures directly reduce the amount of fuel consumed and include initiatives such as: • Using external power units instead of APU or using single-engine taxis • Optimizing the routes to all destinations and flying the shortest paths • Reducing unnecessary weight on board • Introducing paperless cockpit, engine washing, and installing comfortable lowprofile seats that weigh less Recent additions to MEA’s fleet consist of the Airbus A320neo family of aircraft,

125 considered as the world’s most fuelefficient aircraft. The A320neo family of aircraft delivers up to 15 percent in fuel savings, which is equivalent to 1.4 million liters of fuel, saving 3,600 tons of C02 per aircraft per year. The engines that MEA has recently selected – Rolls- Royce Trent 700 – deliver the best performance in terms of fuel burn, emissions and noise compliance.

Waste reduction The cabin uses durable and environmentally responsible products to reduce waste and create weight savings on board aircraft, while enhancing onboard comfort.

Reforestation In an effort to preserve the environment and increase green areas, and in celebration of its 70th anniversary, MEA launched an initiative to plant 70 cedar trees in the reserves of the Shouf, Tannourine, Ehden, Becharri, and Jej. The newly planted area within the Shouf Cedar Reserve was named “MEA’s Cedar Forest.” MEA also aims to continue this initiative by planting 7,000 cedars and 7,000 local trees during the fall of 2016.

Green building MEA is in the process of developing its first green building for MEA’s head office. This building is going to be built while taking sustainability issues into consideration, including waste minimization, and water and energy conservation. Some of the main features

of this building include water efficiency, energy conservation, materials recycling and resource efficiency, and indoor environmental quality.

Blue Gold project El Hout says: “In line with our environmental responsibility, we are the main sponsor of the Blue Gold project – a national five-year water plan optimizing the Lebanese government’s water strategy. Through this project, we aim to achieve various environmental, economic, and developmental goals including: increasing water availability and quality throughout Lebanon, providing job opportunities, boosting the economy, and sustaining Lebanon’s natural resources.”

Future plans regarding the environment - Developing a recycling initiative to be implemented both in the air and on the ground: - Involving the crew in on-board waste segregation.

- Measuring carbon emissions (CO2) and highlighting fuel optimization.

- Developing a fuel savings plan in collaboration with the environmental consultant and also in line with the new flight-planning scheme.

- Introducing new sustainable products on board.

- Providing customers with the option of offsetting their carbon emissions through CO2 emissions calculators available on the website.

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BANKMED

What are the green projects Bankmed is engaged in?

Bankmed has been among the first banks in the country to recognize the importance of adopting an ecofriendly approach that helps in reducing its environmental footprint, paving the way for a cleaner and healthier environment. Promoting sustainability through Green Finance, reducing its environmental impact, and embracing ecofriendly initiatives are among the Bank’s main green goals.

In 2009, Bankmed launched its environmental program, the “Happy Planet” program whose aim is to raise awareness about important environmental issues for a healthy and clean planet. The green initiatives, embodied within this program, reflect the Bank’s responsibility toward the greater Lebanese community. The completion of several green projects such as cleaning rivers and beaches has been made possible by engaging the Bank’s staff and clients in the process.

Moreover, the Bank partnered with the Lebanese Government, international organizations, and NGOs in an aim to enhance the program and spread awareness about environmental priorities. Bankmed has also been undertaking several projects aimed at protecting the environment such as cleaning beaches and rivers as well as actively engaging in protecting natural reserves.

In 2015, Bankmed collaborated with Bahr Loubnan Association (a nongovernmental organization whose mission is to protect Lebanon’s coastline from pollution) and sponsored the renovation of AlNaqoura Public Middle School in

south Lebanon. The school is the first of its kind in Lebanon and the Middle East to be recognized as an eco-school with zero carbon dioxide emission. The premises fall within the grounds of a model village, where alternative energy is preserved keeping it free of toxic wastes. In addition, the school is powered by solar energy, while its design has taken into account environmental and agricultural aspects; as such, no chemicals were used to plant the trees around the school. Employing environmental solutions helps dramatically in reducing atmospheric concentration within the school’s environment. As such, with all these environmental attributes, the school serves as a model to students, so they can impart environmental knowledge to their parents and grown-ups around them.

It equally serves as an example for all schools in Lebanon to follow.

What is Bankmed doing in-house to limit and reduce its ecological footprint?

Bankmed enhances its internal practices in an aim to reveal its serious intention toward reducing its direct and indirect environmental impact. In this regard, the Bank measures its total paper usage as well as its overall energy consumption.

Through these practices, Bankmed quantifies its overall consumption in order to devise the necessary measures to contain its environmental footprint.

In order to measure energy consumption, the caretakers at the Bank assess the overall fuel usage by measuring our electricity consumption.

With respect to internal fuel consumption, Bankmed takes two main measures in order to ensure

127 reduction.

First, the generators at the branches are switched off from 12:00 midnight until 7:00 a.m. in an aim to reduce consumption. Nonetheless, to keep servers and ATMs operational, the Bank ensures that they are supplied through long autonomy UPS systems.

Only in case the UPS signals a low battery, the generators will automatically start after midnight to recharge the UPS. Second, the Bank has appointed specific members from the staff maintenance team to make rounds in the Head Office building in order to ensure that all lights are switched off during non-work hours.

In terms of recycling, Bankmed has put in place a recycling policy to encourage employees in facilitating the recycling process. The Bank has also been encouraging its customers to adopt an environmental attitude in their dayto-day banking operations. As such, Bankmed places numerous options for customers to check their accounts and carry out their transactions through their computers or mobiles.

In brief, digitizing clients’ statements and optimizing paper usage within the branches and the Bank’s headquarters have enabled Bankmed to take an active step in protecting the environment.

Tell us about your eco loans to customers. Explain the type of loans and value of loans to date.

In compliance with BDL incentives, Bankmed grants environmental loans aimed at financing eco-friendly projects. Over the last five years, Green Financing loans witnessed a significant

surge, recording a cumulative growth of 90%. The value of Green Loans stood at USD 12.3 million as at end of 2015.

The granted environmental loans are aimed at financing new eco-friendly projects or developing old projects, in an attempt to make them sustainable, such as Renewable Energy projects, Ecotourism, and Recycling.

Any other environmental activities to mention?

In addition to energy conservation initiatives, Bankmed has been adopting several initiatives that are aimed at restoring the beautiful image of Lebanon. In this regard, the Bank continued with the forestation initiative, which it started in 2013 in addition to implementing projects aimed at supporting green events and raising awareness, chief among these initiatives is the Bank’s annual Greenest School and Green Student Competition.

For the past six years, Bankmed has been organizing the “Greenest School and Green Student Competition” which has been witnessing a growing success year after year. In its latest edition, the competition featured more than 120 schools, from both public and private institutions, as well as 15,000 students, who exhibited serious effort in displaying talent and awareness. These students creatively produced a wide range of drawings, which highlighted the importance of the ocean under the theme, “The Ocean is the Cradle of Life.”

Through this step, Bankmed asserts its commitment to the environment as well as to creating a greener country for tomorrow’s generations.

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BANK AUDI

Listing of energy projects (by order of importance): a. “Grow Green” recycling program b. Carbon footprint measurement and assessment and third-party engagement c. Environmental loans d. Reducing consumption e. Environmental awareness – workshops and presentations f. Participating in Earth Hour and Earth Day. Bank Audi’s initiative to limit and reduce its ecological footprint: - Solid waste: our “Grow Green” program encourages employees to recycle paper, metal, batteries, plastic caps, PET bottles, books and e-waste, both at the workplace and at home.

There are currently 3 collection hubs designed for this purpose.

The paper is sold to a recycling company in order to be converted into pulp and hence paper again. Over the span of 4 years, we have saved over 6800 trees.

The plastic caps are donated to arcenciel who recycle it into wheelchairs for the disabled. To date, we have donated 467 kg of plastic.

Books collected from employees are given to Assabil Friends of Public Libraries. e-waste is refurbished and donated to various needy NGOs. The remaining collected materials are donated to Association de l’Ecoute.

We also donate furniture which is no longer used to various needy NGOs. - Environmental awareness through

internal communications includes regular messages and intranet aimed at encouraging employees to recycle and sort their waste.

- A presentation entitled “Waste in Our Society”, given by a leading expert in environmental and industrial engineering, provided 90 employees with recycling solutions and a projection of what could be done.

- In partnership with a certified expert and as acknowledged by the Ministry of Environment, we annually conduct comprehensive audits of our carbon footprint by monitoring all our premises (branches, offices and warehouses).

This process was launched in 2012, hereafter considered as base year, with a view to comply with the GRI G4 guidelines on environmental impact.

With a 22,199.8 tCO2e in 2012, we have managed to decrease to 21,738.2 tCO2e as measured in 2015; hence a drop of 2.1% even with an expansion of 7.86% in area occupied and 11.40% of additional employees. GHG emissions per employee decreased from 8.0 tCO2e in 2012 to 6.9 tCO2e by 2015 and per square meter from 0.230 tCO2e in 2012 to 0.225 tCO2e by 2015.

- To promote energy savings in 2015, Bank Audi established a micro-site intended for school students and designed to help them input their household energy consumption. With the data collected, the students were able to decrease their household energy consumption. The top 3 students were

129 offered a reward for their efforts. This is a continuing project: our aim for 2016 is to widen the scope of schools in order to spread more awareness among students and encourage their participation, while providing them with the necessary tools for energy consumption and effects on the environment.

- Since 2015, we reduced our paper consumption by 18.5% due to the active steps taken in all our branches: all printers which have the option of printing on both sides were set to print on duplex mode by default.

- Annual celebrations of Earth Hour in March, where we voluntarily join the global initiative and turn off the lights in our headquarters during a whole hour.

- As for our own consumption reduction efforts, the below was already installed: o BMS system for monitoring the Bank’s buildings o LED lights in the Head Office o Motion detectors in the low occupancy areas o Chillers with heat recovery systems o LED for signage.

- With the same objective, we are planning to implement the following in 2017: o LED lights in branches o BMS system for branches o Energy efficiency audit for branches.

Eco loans to customers. Type and value of loans to date, type of customers etc.

- To date, we have extended over USD 97 million of environmental loans subsidized by the Central Bank

of Lebanon at preferential interest rates. These loans cover a spectrum of environment-friendly modifications, from renovated lighting systems to the acquisition of photovoltaic panels, to landscaping implementations granted to a wide range of customers from different sectors and applied in residential, commercial and retail buildings, as well as in schools and in various industries (for production and energy saving purposes). We also extended more than USD 253,000 in sponsorships to various environmental and animal rights projects recommended by our different branches.

- Bank Audi contributed to reducing the nation’s carbon footprint through facilitating environmental loans granted by the Central Bank (Circular 236) in coordination with the Lebanese Centre for Energy Conservation (LCEC), as observed for 2013, 2014 and 2015. These loans helped various residential, commercial and industrial projects emerge with reduced carbon emissions. Hence an overall saving of 12,771 tCO2e in carbon footprint using energy efficient, solar or photovoltaic solutions.

The eco loans that Bank Audi provides include: - EE solutions - Solar PV (off-grid and on-grid) - LED lighting - LEED – Gold - LEED – Silver - BREEAM – Pass

130

FRANSABANK

Adnan Kassar, Chairman of Fransabank Group, was one of the initiators and signatory of the UN Global Compact, back in 1999 when he headed the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). To mirror this engagement, at Fransabank we strongly believe that, through our commitment, we have a real opportunity to affect the climate agenda by the investments we make and the Eco-Business loans we grant.

• We strive to incorporate concern for the climate and environment in our products and seek to conduct our business in a way that minimizes our environmental footprint • We work to create general awareness and transmit this commitment to our clients so, in turn, they become responsible towards the environment • With our Go green strategy implemented since 2013 including Sustainable Energy Finance (SEF) in the core activities of the Bank as a separate business line, we have built capacity to become the SEF banker in Lebanon What are the energy projects Fransabank is engaged in? List them in order of importance and give a brief explanation of each.

Fransabank finances SEF projects in all sectors of the economy including but not limited to petrol stations, agriculture, bakeries, restaurants, hospitals, universities, real estate, malls,

steel factories, cement factories, etc. whether for Large Corporations or Small and Medium Enterprises.

When it comes to individuals, the Retail section at Fransabank has worked on several projects including eco-home loans, eco-friendly loans, solar water heater loans, as well as environmental loans to help customers reduce their energy consumption and energy bills.

In addition, Fransabank has partnered with the municipalities of Rachaya and Bkassine (Jezzine) to finance all types of energy projects in these regions.

Fransabank, was acknowledged for its engagement in SEF initiatives and was invited by its partners “Bpifrance” to participate in the annual Conference of Parties (COP21) that took place in Paris on November 2015.

Mr. Nadim Kassar, General Manager of Fransabank, participated in the side event: “Partout dans le monde, financiers et entrepreneurs agissent pour le climat” or “All around the world, financiers and contractors act for the climate”. The side event aimed at introducing several initiatives launched by financial institutions as well as private sector. The session was interactive with participants sharing their experience of launching and managing Energy projects on one hand and financing these projects on the other hand.

131 What is Fransabank doing in-house to limit and reduce its ecological footprint?

Fransabank has been working on several projects in-house to limit and reduce its ecological footprint.

An energy audit was undertaken and aimed at optimizing the energy consumption at Fransabank’s headquarters as well as in its branches.

Many projects have been implemented and finalized including, and not limited to, enhanced parking lighting and ventilation, night consumption control, lighting control, HVAC demand control, Solar radiant hear barriers for windows, LED lighting retrofit, monitoring and targeting program, etc.

The expected yearly savings in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Savings, when all measures are taken, range around 1500 Tons of CO2 equivalent.

Fransabank also launched the Paper Recycling initiative, aiming at reducing the use of paper at its headquarters and branches by encouraging the use of electronic communication, minimizing the use of printed paper, adopting double-sided printing, among others.

This initiative has been a success with over 244.31 tons of paper recycled in the years 2014 and 2015.

For the past two consecutive years, and in cooperation with arcenciel,

Fransabank launched the Bouchons Roulants initiative, with the objective, on one hand, to educate Fransabank’s employees on the importance of sorting and recycling plastic caps and bottles in order to preserve the environment, and on the other hand, to provide the bestowment of wheelchairs to a person with special needs. With over two and half tons collected and sent for recycling, this initiative resulted in the acquisition of two wheelchairs.

Moreover, Fransabank’s management matched the number of wheelchairs donated through an equal contribution to employees’ efforts. As a result, four wheelchairs were donated to people with special needs since 2014.

Finally, the Bank has recently placed at selected branches, open-topped recycling bins to promote waste sorting and to spread environmental awareness to the customers.

Tell us about your eco loans to customers. Explain the type of loans and value of loans to date, what type of customers etc.

So far we have financed more than 150 projects in this field. 35% of the projects are green buildings. 15% of projects are renewable energy and 50% of projects are energy efficiency projects in all sectors of the economy, concentrated mainly in the industrial sector.

132

ABC

What are the energy projects ABC is engaged in?

ABC, the Lebanese retail pioneer, launched an unprecedented sustainable eco-friendly project in Lebanon that employs photovoltaic energy to generate electricity. ABC launched the very first Photovoltaic power plant, which is designed to convert solar energy into direct current electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. This large scale project that occupies 4000 m2 spread over ABC Achrafieh’s landmark dome and flat surfaces above the food court and cinema space, constitutes one of the biggest green initiatives undertaken by a Lebanese corporation. Upon its implementation, this project was anticipated to provide a capacity of 0.45 MW that is enough to power ABC department store. The Photovoltaic power plant has made all the difference. In 2015, ABC succeeded in generating 31% of the needed electricity at ABC Ashrafieh department store, which is enough power supply for 300 homes. We are extremely proud of the results it has shown so far, and we are confident that they will reflect positively on us in the long run.

What is ABC doing in-house to limit and reduce its ecological footprint?

In collaboration with Zero Waste ACT, a Contra International initiative, ABC has been both sorting, recycling and compressing its waste, thus reducing its volume. This waste

management campaign aims to minimize the mall’s waste, including those of its employees, tenants and customers. With its slogan “Join the cycle”, ABC’s campaign is promoting good waste practices among the Lebanese by implementing a series of procedures within its malls.

These include: introducing recycle bins, distributing educational materials, conducting educational games for children as well as setting up promotional platforms on the importance of recycling. The company has also distributed waste sorting tote bags to its customers in order to elicit sorting as a habit, thus individually contributing to the dissolution of the waste crisis. By the end of 2015 ABC had recycled more than 100,000 kg of recyclable materials, which is equivalent to eight times those recycled in a Lebanese municipality of 800 people if taken within that same time frame.

ABC also held a series of scientific awareness workshops within its branches in Achrafieh and Dbayeh in the presence of ABC’s CSR ambassador Nadine Labaki. These workshops benefited a total of 1500 school students and many customers from all age groups. This came as part of ABC’s efforts to spread environmental awareness and a culture of waste sorting and recycling, especially among children who are the future of our country.

ABC was also a pioneer in promoting a smoke free environment on its premises.

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WE ACT SUSTAINABLY, FORWARD-LOOKING AND RESPONSIBLY TOWARDS FUTURE GENERATIONS.

The next major piece of the west antarctic that breaks off the ocean, should be reserved as an island for climate deniers.

"

CLIMATE CHANGE IS

A TERRIBLE PROBLEM AND IT ABSOLUTELY NEEDS

TO BE SOLVED. IT DESERVES TO BE A HUGE PRIORITY.

Global warming

is not real because it

was cold today! Also freat news: world hunger is

Bill Gates

over bevause I just ate.

Stephen Colbert

Climate change is happening, humans are

causing it, and I think this is perhaps the

most serious environmental issue facing us.

Bill Nye

WE HAVE TO FACE THE

REALITY OF CLIMATE

CHANGE. IT IS ARGUABLY THE BIGGEST THREAT

WE ARE FACING TODAY.

"

"

134

"

Senator Ed Markey, Massachusetts

WILLIAM HAGUE

There is no question that climate change is happening; the only arguable point

is what part humans are playing in it.

David Attenborough

G lobal

warming

isn ' t a prediction .

It

is happening .

J ames H ansen

Climate change is

a problem which can no longer be left

to a future generation.

When it comes to our

"common home", we are living in a critical moment of history.

Pope Francis

135

A Bank To Rely On‌

Gulf Commercial Bank is Iraq's premier bank, offering a wide variety of banking solutions for retail and wholesale customers. We have one of the largest networks in Iraq consisting of 23 branches scattered across different areas in Iraq, with future plans to expand outside of Iraq.

At Gulf Commercial Bank we strive for offering cutting-edge banking services that make banking with us an enjoyable and confinement experience.

We continue to grow steadily to accomplish our vision of becoming The leading bank in the Iraqi banking sector through providing outstanding sophisticated modern and comprehensive banking services delivered by simple means, in a timely manner and at the highest levels of transparency, credibility and efficiency to wide segments of society in order to contribute to a sustainable economic development.

Together We Grow‌

Building 27- 99 Al Sadoon Street - East Karada Area - Section 903 - Baghdad, Iraq Tel.: +964 1-719-0167 www.gcb.iq

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