In the densely forested region of Akkar in northern Lebanon, the scarcity of water, rising temperatures, and recurring forest fires compound the hardships faced by residents already struggling under the weight of economic collapse, which dominates the climate change discourse.
Abdallah Hammoud, a 60-year-old farmer, describes this year's high heatwaves, saying, "The heatwaves were intense this year; I've never witnessed weather like this, to the extent that it affected some of our crops."
On his land, nestled amid lush hills near Al-Qoubaiyat on the Syrian border, Hammoud, who has spent his entire life in the region, grows various vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and cabbages. He also pays special attention to his fig trees.
However, the water shortage is now impacting his beloved profession. In the Akkar region, which lacks essential services, Hammoud has long relied on a nearby spring to irrigate his crops. But the spring's water has gradually dwindled over the years to the point where more is needed to cultivate his entire land.
Lebanon has experienced below-average rainfall in the current season, according to Mohammad Kanj, head of the surface estimations department at the Meteorological Service.
He points out that the heatwave that hit Lebanon for 13 days in August was "the most severe in terms of the number of days, the coverage of areas, and the exceptional temperatures recorded on the coast, mountains, and inland."
Akkar is considered the poorest region in Lebanon, and its residents have long complained of marginalization, government neglect, and the absence of essential services. The economic collapse, devastating Lebanon since 2019, has worsened living conditions.
Furthermore, a report by the American University of Beirut last year revealed that Akkar's ability to adapt to climate change is weak to moderate, making it susceptible to further deterioration due to changes in rainfall patterns and temperatures.
In 2021, wildfires spread over large areas around Al-Qoubaiyat, where houses perch on its hillsides. A 15-year-old boy lost his life while attempting to extinguish the fire.
Antoine Daher from the "Council for the Environment" attributes the water shortage in Akkar to reduced rainfall and increased demand for water, leading authorities to encourage residents to reduce their consumption, fearing drought threatening the forest's future.
He warns, "It's a global issue, but today we are a part of climate change. In Lebanon's current circumstances, we cannot ignore the environment."
In Al-Qoubaiyat, Khaled Talib from the "Dareb Akkar" association trains residents in forest firefighting procedures. After the fires of 2020, his association decided to get involved in firefighting operations and now has 15 volunteers.
Talib tells AFP, "We are currently at the peak of the fire season," noting that the fires in 2021 "affected over 1,800 hectares." In Akkar, he says, 200 square kilometers of forests, equivalent to one-third of the region's area, contain 73 out of 76 tree species found in Lebanon.
He warns that Lebanon "lacks the logistical capabilities to deal with large fires," the country has witnessed several such fires in recent years, including those in 2019 that consumed vast forested areas and trapped civilians in their homes in various regions.
These fires exacerbated the anger of the Lebanese people just before unprecedented protests swept the country against the political class and all its parties, accusing them of corruption and negligence.
Rather than relying on the state, Talib expresses confidence in local communities that have become more capable of dealing with such crises. He says, "We were not born firefighters, and we had no idea how to extinguish fires, but our primary goal today is to protect these forests."
AFP