UNCG Lebanon organizes webinar on Lebanon's Climate Commitment and Sustainable Recovery

As part of its communication plan on climate action, the UNCG in Lebanon organized a webinar on October 26 on how Lebanon’s climate commitment can contribute to its sustainable recovery from the multiple financial and socio-economic crises it is currently reeling under.

The webinar, held ahead of the COP26, grouped a number of UN and Lebanese officials, including the minister of environment, policy makers, academia, youth and media personnel in a lively discussion on Lebanon’s NDC mitigation targets for 2030, the green recovery co-benefits of climate action in Lebanon, as well as the benefits of renewable energy as an economic reform and the importance of the financial climate and measures in ensuring a green recovery in Lebanon.

All participants agreed that environmental protection must be at the heart of the country’s recovery plan.

UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon, Celine Moyroud, said that at this stage the country needs an integrated agenda. “We all need to be climate champions and take a step to achieve our agenda. As UNDP, we will be collaborating with the Environment Ministry to update its NDC agenda.”

UNEP Director and Regional Representative for West, Sami Dimassi, assured that UNEP stands ready to support Lebanon meet its climate commitments. “We work with global funds to put in place adaptation projects that help countries achieve their climate goals.”

Saroj Kumar Jha, World Bank Regional Director for the Middle East warned that “there's an immense deficit in trust”, urging the government to work imminently with international organizations on re-building trust. “We need to focus on people's actions, we need to engage them in this conversation, and we need to include all their aspirations in the climate goals,” he said.

The webinar was one element of a comprehensive communication plan that has been running since June 2021, beginning with a PR stunt on the importance of recycling, followed by an Op-Ed by RC/HC Najat Rochdi on how climate change in Lebanon is a threat multiplier, and a social media package on climate action in Lebanon.