The environment is the only casualty of the war which has not stopped
bleeding. Except for South Lebanon, the fighting has stopped, internal
security has been restored, the economy is growing again, and the whole
society is trying to recover from the damages of the war. But the destruction
of the environment continues unchecked.
The poor state of the environment should be a cause of grave concern
to all those interested in improving the quality of life in Lebanon. Damage
to the environment and inadequate provision of basic environmental services
such as water supply, waste-water treatment, and solid waste management,
are likely to cause major health hazards. They will also have an adverse
effect on the Lebanese economy because a poor environment stifles the growth
of tourism and related sectors. In other words, there can be no reconstruction
of the economy if we continue the destruction of our natural resources.
It is therefore fitting that the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies places
the environment at the top of its research agenda and contributes to the
development of ideas for environmental policies.
LCPS, like policy research centers around the world, is an "idea-broker:"
It brings expertise and ideas from academic circles and the private sector
and introduces them to the policy-making arena. LCPS researchers engage
in policy-relevant research and contribute to the public debate on key
policy issues. In the project which resulted in the present monograph,
LCPS has contributed to the policy debate through three distinct channels.
In the course of the study, LCPS held two seminars attended by environmental
experts from the private sector, by representatives of environmental NGOs,
as well as some senior Lebanese and international public servants. LCPS
thus provided a forum for an informed public debate of environmental issues.
Second, LCPS research associates working on the project had an opportunity
to read, examine, and address reports on the environment produced by various
international organizations (World Bank, METAP, etc.). For lack of a formal
mechanism of consultation between the Ministry of the Environment, on one
hand, and experts and activists from civil society, on the other, LCPS
provided a forum for the discussion of those reports. Finally, and more
importantly, LCPS researchers have reached policy recommendations which,
if they are translated into policy, will make a significant contribution
to the cause of environmental protection.
The most radical idea in the present manuscript is the recommendation
to create an autonomous, specialized agency to protect the environment.
The idea is simple, yet powerful: take politics, politicians, political
and bureaucratic infighting, and political intrigue out of the environment.
The proposed Lebanese Environmental Protection Agency (LEPA) is not such
a radical idea. There are precedents for the creation of an autonomous
state institution, the Banque du Liban, Lebanon's Central Bank. Just as
the BDL manages and oversees Lebanon's most important financial resource,
the Lebanese Pound, LEPA will oversee and manage Lebanon's natural resources.
There are many other ideas in this report which are worth translating
into reality. These ideas are not only for government policy, but for civil
society and the private sector as well. The authors suggest, for example,
that environmental NGOs monitor the voting of legislators and public officials
in environmental and related matters and rate these officials. The rating
will be published in a "Green Book" which will become a reference
on how environment-friendly the public official is. By making this information
available to citizens, NGOs would be rendering a very valuable service
to the democratic process in Lebanon. Voters can then hold public officials
accountable through the ballot box.
LCPS wishes to thank the two authors, Drs. Naji Chamieh and Jihad Issa,
for taking the time to write this report in spite of the heavy demand on
their schedule as private consultants. Their desire to make a contribution
to the policy debate on the environment and their commitment to this project
have to be commended. LCPS also wishes to thank all those who participated
in the various conferences and workshops held in the context of this project:
NGO leaders, academics, and international and Lebanese civil servants.
In particular, I would like to mention those who spent long hours going
over and debating the content of this report: Ambassador Georges Aboujaoude,
Dr. Salpi Djoundourian, Dr. Lamia Mansour, Mr. Amine Moukheiber, and Mr.
Fadi Riachi, and Mr. Souheil Srour for his written comments on earlier
drafts of this report.
LCPS wishes to thank the Netherlands Organisation for International
Development Cooperation (NOVIB) for funding this project. LCPS also acknowledges
gratefully the Issam Fares Foundation's partial funding of the conference
which launched this report and allowed us to gather such an impressive
list of NGOs. Warm thanks to Mrs. Catherine Essoyan of NOVIB for realizing
the importance of this issue to the reconstruction of Lebanon and its society.
Finally, I wish to thank all the LCPS staff members who saw to it that
each step of this project was carried out in the most professional manner.
Ms. Rosie Nasser, the LCPS Project Manager, spared no effort to bring this
project to a successful conclusion.
While this project ends with the publication of the report, the efforts
to translate this report's recommendations into reality have barely begun.
Kamal S. Shehadi, Ph.D.
Director of Research, LCPS