Resident Coordinator's Remarks at the launch of the “Reducing Marine Litter in the Mediterranean Through Waste Wise Cities Lebanon” project

Your Excellencies, Minister of Environment Dr. Nasser Yassine, 

Minister of Interior and Municipalities Dr. Bassam Mawlawi, 

and Ambassadors,

Esteemed members of the media, partners, and colleagues, 

Good morning to all, 

I am delighted to be here today, as we jointly launch the project “Reducing Marine Litter in the Mediterranean Through Waste Wise Cities Lebanon,” also known as, “ReMaL” – an innovative project, led by UN-Habitat, to protect Lebanon’s environment and rich marine biodiversity. 

In the complex multi-faceted crisis facing Lebanon, which continues to challenge and further exacerbate the country’s humanitarian and development trajectory – it is very important that coordinated steps and measures are taken to prevent further deterioration of an already fragile natural ecosystem. Protecting the marine environment along the Lebanese coast is critical as it provides climate regulation, food, jobs, livelihoods, and socio-economic progress. 

While concerted efforts have been made to organize the solid waste sector in Lebanon, the country is still suffering from the long-lasting impact of the 2015–2016 solid waste crisis, and its extensive structural weaknesses pre-dating this crisis. The role of the Ministry of Environment in tandem with other line ministries is paramount to ensure the effective roll-out and implementation of solid waste management plans nationwide.

Most of Lebanon’s population is concentrated along urban coastal localities. The cities of Tyre, Saida, Beirut, Jounieh, Byblos and Tripoli are major contributors to both solid waste production and collection. They also provide an opportunity to implement and promote tangible actions at the local level to reduce and manage solid waste directly at the source. 

The ReMaL project will work with 13 coastal unions of municipalities and aims to collect data and establish a national waste observatory and implement needs-based projects and raise awareness at the local level on improving solid waste management across different levels. It also aims at formulating policy recommendations for national institutions on waste management and marine litter, among other goals.

This decentralized approach strives to give Lebanon’s local authorities the capacity to make a transformative change that will hopefully see their shorelines and seas better able to prevent and reduce plastic pollution. Concurrently, the project is fully aligned to the Ministry of Environment’s recently launched Solid Waste Management Roadmap, and its 2018 Integrated Solid Waste Management Law. 

This project puts community engagement at its core: Communities across the 13 unions of municipalities will be involved in all the project's phases, from design to implementation to ensure that their needs are properly addressed. The project also focuses on circularity and individual responsibility at the household and commercial levels to encourage a shift in consumer behavior and to have waste mindfulness top of mind. 

As we impatiently await an end to the current political vacuum and serious reforms by the Government, I wish to convey my sincere appreciation to UN-Habitat, for continuing to spearhead tangible efforts focused on Lebanese cities – noting the critical importance and opportunity that good and inclusive urbanization holds for the future of Lebanon’s sustainable development. 

Excellencies and partners, 

The new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Lebanon clearly prioritizes, under its Planet Pillar, the restored rich nature and ecosystem of Lebanon for an inclusive and green recovery. The UN-led humanitarian and development frameworks predating the Cooperation Framework have also prioritized solid waste management and its associated environmental issues in Lebanon. 

By bringing together multiple partners, from national to local authorities, international to local organizations, academia, private sector institutions, and local communities – using a bottom-up localized and area-based approach, the ‘ReMaL project’ provides an important opportunity for the United Nations to reaffirm its commitment to help steer Lebanon back onto the path of sustainable development. 

In closing, I wish to thank Germany warmly, represented here by H.E. Ambassador Andreas Kindl, for its significant and steadfast support to Lebanon across multiple humanitarian and development needs – including this project. I would also like to recognize and thank their Excellencies, the ministers of Environment and Interior and Municipalities for their firm commitment and support in ensuring the success of the ‘ReMaL project’. 

Thank you.