Addressing the impacts of climate change: Lebanon threatened amid projected rise in temperatures

Report by Lea Fayad, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

Lebanon is among the least prepared Arab countries to confront climate change, second only to Yemen.

In Lebanon, it is expected that the average temperature will increase by two degrees by 2040 due to climate change. 

This means facing more droughts, more wildfires, and a 50 percent decrease in water availability during the spring and summer seasons. 

Even the number of snow days on higher altitudes will decrease by more than 38 days. 

This will result in significant losses in vital sectors, especially agriculture (with annual losses of $250 million) and tourism (with annual losses of $75 million), along with increased poverty, unemployment, and economic decline, exacerbating the existing financial difficulties.

This reality was highlighted in the World Bank's "Country Climate and Development Report," which focused on four key sectors that Lebanon needs to invest in to reduce emissions and mitigate the economic impact of climate change: energy, water, transport, and solid waste.

The report outlines how to address each sector and what the outcomes would be. According to the World Bank report, these four sectors require investments totaling $7.6 billion between 2024 and 2030. Where will Lebanon secure this funding from?
 
Time is not in Lebanon's favor. Will it succeed in attracting these investments that alleviate the impacts of climate change and contribute to improving the economy and citizens' lives?