Lebanon emissions greatly disproportionate to population

BEIRUT: As a small country, Lebanon punches above its weight in several fields. Its banking sector is resilient; its graduates some of the best qualified in the world. But when Prime Minister Saad Hariri leads his country’s delegation at the COP15 climate change summit in Copenhagen next week, he will bring with him an unwanted Lebanese surfeit: carbon emissions. 

According to Beirut-based NGO Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) Lebanon produces 0.07 percent of global, man-made CO2 – a large proportion given its relatively low population. 

“If you take 6 billion people in the world, Lebanon’s share [of emissions] is very high actually,” said Najib Saab, AFED’s secretary general. “Many countries in the world are still underdeveloped,” and so produce less CO2, he added. “But it is not true that Lebanon’s [emissions] are low.” 

Environment Minister Mohammad Rahhal announced Monday that Hariri will head the Lebanese delegation at Copenhagen. He is likely to be joined by global leaders in what is being billed as the world’s last chance to agree on regulations limiting climate change. 

Environmental analysts told The Daily Star that Hariri’s delegation must both seek domestic action and international cooperation on climate change. 

“Lebanon has a part to play in this critical summit,” said Raefah Makki, spokesperson for Greenpeace in Lebanon. “The Mediterranean Peninsula is one of the regions that will be affected most by climate change and Lebanon will suffer from the climate impacts such as water shortages and desertification.” 

As well as Lebanese environmental concerns, Hariri’s visit on December 7 should take into account international incentives, according to Saab. 

“You don’t take to Copenhagen national environment issues. Copenhagen is about climate change,” he said. “Lebanon can’t go with its regular environment problems. The best thing Lebanon can do at Copenhagen … is to show leadership in the region and in the third world.” 

Saab added that Lebanon could take its own action in the fight to lower carbon emissions. 

“Regardless of climate change, Arab countries, including Lebanon, should take basic measures which have been taken by industrialized countries [to reduce emissions],” he said. 

“There are no regulations on the use of electrical water heaters, for example. You pay more tax on a hybrid car than you pay on a conventional car. This is crazy. 

“Our calculations show that we can cut emissions by 40 percent by still using conventional fuels but in a more efficient way. Regardless of climate change, this should be done.” 

Wael Hmaidan, head of climate campaign at IndyACT, urged Hariri’s delegation to arrive at Copenhagen armed with concrete statistics on climate change. 

“Lebanon needs to strengthen its position radically,” he said. “The negotiations go into technical details and so far the Lebanese position hasn’t gone into the required details. 

“In Copenhagen they are going to talk about numbers. If Lebanon lacks numbers we are not going to be able to have a strong position.” 

Local initiatives have been launched in the run up to Copenhagen. Rahhal has been busy, discussing pollution with Norwegian envoys and announcing a hotline for environmental complaints in recent days. Agriculture Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan announced Tuesday a nationwide initiative to plant more trees. 

Saab said that domestic efforts – including increasing energy efficiency – would benefit Lebanon irrespective of climate change targets. 

“Economically, energy efficiently can already guarantee a reduction in emissions. We would lose nothing if we did it,” he said. 

Makki stressed that the incentive to reduce energy waste was two-fold. 

“If the Lebanese government demonstrates its will for a strong Copenhagen agreement, this action might be beneficial in both ways for our society; first in preventing the worst climate impacts on our society, secondly in getting financial aid for the technology transfer of clean energies,” said Makki. 

Hariri is a founding member of AFED and recently received a list of recommendations drawn up at the organization’s second annual conference, held last month in Beirut. 

These included committing to regional carbon emission cuts and also considering the environmental impact of any future developments. 

Saab said that Lebanon’s negotiating position should be based on these recommendations. However, Hmaidan said that Copenhagen’s objectives would differ from AFED’s. 

“AFED’s recommendations are directed towards national action and they are very good for the Arab world,” he said. “But these are not something that Lebanon should take to the negotiations. 

“Our position is mainly about domestic action – about what Lebanon is ready to do – but this is not enough. You are not going to see a treaty with Lebanon’s internal affairs on it.” 

In terms of global goals, Makki said Lebanon must push for heavy cuts on emissions from all countries. 

“The government should be active and brave in demanding from the industrial nations to agree on deep emissions cuts and to commit for enough financial aids to the developing countries who want to deploy clean energies in their homeland,” she said.