Lebanon’s Nationally Determined Contribution - Updated 2020 Version.

This Nationally Determined Contribution is a nationwide sectoral document that updates the previous NDC of 2015 and aims at confirming the commitment of Lebanon to fighting the climate crisis by (i) promoting policy and fiscal reforms to enable the improvement of the energy and transport sectors through energy efficiency; (ii) the sustainable use of land and water resources; (iii) the reduction of polluting practices in agriculture, waste, and industry; and (iv) enhancing the resilience of communities and infrastructure. This NDC update is therefore aligned with the economic recovery effort while providing complementary sustainable solutions to Lebanon’s challenges due to the economic, financial, monetary, and banking crises, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the explosion that occurred at the port of Beirut which damaged the Port infrastructure, and surrounding area. The most notable updates of this 2020 NDC are (i) increase in mitigation ambition and transparency; (ii) increase in adaptation action clarity; (iii) enhance synchronization with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; (iv) improve integration and inclusiveness by prioritizing vulnerable groups in climate action. and adopting a gender-responsive approach. As per the 2015 document, this NDC includes both unconditional and conditional targets.
Regarding hunger and malnutrition, the document aims to achieve food security through the sustainable management of resources.
To make agriculture and forestry more productive and sustainable main adaptation interventions are (i) strengthen the agricultural sector’s resilience to enhance Lebanon’s agricultural output in a climate-smart manner; (ii) enhance the efficient use of irrigation water and expand the supply of surface water sources for irrigation; (iii) increase Lebanon’s forest cover; (iv) manage pest and disease outbreaks to protect forests and forest resources; (v) reduce the risk of intense and frequent forest fires through the development of fire prevention measures and early warning systems.
More efficient and inclusive agricultural and food systems shall be enhanced by (i) enhancing efficiency and competitiveness of agri-food value chains including fisheries; (ii) encouraging private investment along the agri-food value chain including innovative technical solutions and improved access to climate finance; (iii) establishing sites with improved production capacity linking with the development of wood and non-wood forest product processing industry and with the people’s needs in terms of goods and services and improved employment opportunities. Acknowledging that vulnerable groups, especially women, are disproportionately impacted by climatic events, Lebanon will commit to render climate adaptation action gender responsive insurance.
To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the INDC sets out (i) Unconditional targets including (1) a GHG emission reduction of 20% compared to the Business-As-Usual (BAU) scenario; (2) 18% of the power demand (i.e. electricity demand) and 11% of the heat demand (in the building sector) is generated by renewable energy sources; (3) a 3% reduction in power demand through energy-efficiency measures; and (ii) Conditional targets including (1) a GHG emission reduction of 31%; (2) 30% of the power demand (i.e. electricity demand) and 16.5% of the heat demand (in the building sector) is generated by renewable energy sources; (3) a 10% reduction in power demand through energy-efficiency. The INDC also envisages the following (i) adapt forest systems to climate change by halting land degradation, controlling erosion of topsoil, improving water quality and soil productivity; (ii) structure and develop sustainable water services; (iii) value and sustainably manage terrestrial and marine biodiversity for the preservation and conservation of its ecosystems and habitats and the species; (iv) control the introduction and diffusion of nonindigenous biodiversity into the environment; (v) reduce the vulnerability of climate change impacts on coastal zones, especially in cities; (vi) ensure overall public health and safety through climate-resilient health systems; (vii) reduce disaster risk and minimize damages by mitigating and adapting to climate-related natural hazards and extreme weather.
As for Governance, Lebanon prioritizes interventions as the enabling of institutions to plan, prepare and react to climate change. Building the needed institutional capacities to reform, analyze, coordinate and regulate climate and sustainable development action is essential.