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Dresden, 05.12.2006 Slide 9

“Polluter pays” principle

What is the major environmental threat of the country ?

Does the principle apply for the country ?

Does the principle pay off ?

Locally ?

Nationally ?

Globally ?

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Average rain and air

temperature at different sites

Tal Amara (1953-1974)

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Average rain and air

temperature at different sites

Abdé (1961-1974)

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Topography

The short distance over which the topography changesThe short distance over which the topography changes(>3000m elevation within 60Km horizontal distance)(>3000m elevation within 60Km horizontal distance) makes the general character of the terrain quite makes the general character of the terrain quite

steep and prone to instabilitysteep and prone to instability

Land form

The abundance of mountainousThe abundance of mountainous

rocky lands with shallow soils rocky lands with shallow soils

and bare rocks points to and bare rocks points to

processes of severe erosion processes of severe erosion

and land degradation.and land degradation.

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Terrestrial flora

! Lebanese forests have been the suppliers ofhigh quality timber to the Mediterranean people.

! The intensive woodcutting over severalmillennia, followed by the expansion of agro-pastoral activities and subsequent urbanizationresulted in only relic forest patches and scrubvegetation remaining. Today, Lebanon's forestcover is estimated at 70.000 ha

Land cover / use

Due to cartographic procedureDue to cartographic procedurethis number shows a differencethis number shows a differencewith the official onewith the official onewhich is 10450 sqKmwhich is 10450 sqKm 1001017000Total area

327000Urban and constructed areas

52515000Rocky, non-cultivated lands,degraded range lands

770000Abandoned lands, mostly oldterraces

665000Forest, sparse (less than10% cover)

770000Forest, with cover of at least10%

25260000Arable land

PercentageHectaresLand use / Cover

Principle Land Use

(%)

100100100100100Total

5671721South Lebanon

31612223Nabatieh

7111516Mount Lebanon

2815234023North Lebanon

576257637Bekaa

VegetablesIndustrialCrops

CerealsOlivesFruit Trees

Source: MOA/FAO Agricultural Census Project, 1998

Socio-economic Situation

Lebanon is divided into 6 Mouhafazats or governorates:

Beirut, North-Lebanon, South-Lebanon, Nabatieh,Mount-Lebanon and Bekaa

! The economy of Bekaa is predominatelyagricultural, as are those of the North and South.

! The coastal cities Beirut, Tripoli (North), Saida(South) have large ports and mostly engaged incommerce and other services (tourism).

! The bulk of industry is concentrated in MountLebanon, the suburbs of Beirut and the coastal area ofthe North.

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Urbanization

The 1999 data is based on aThe 1999 data is based on a census whereas the 1990 data census whereas the 1990 datais based on remote sensingis based on remote sensingapplications. This makes it difficultapplications. This makes it difficultto compare the data sets directly.to compare the data sets directly.

However some trends are clear:However some trends are clear:••a further decline in forest covera further decline in forest cover••a dramatic increase in the area ofa dramatic increase in the area ofabandoned lands andabandoned lands and••a further increase of urbanization.a further increase of urbanization.

Regional Population Distribution and

Population Density, 1997

40010,2171004 005 025Total Lebanon

129.6416313.6539 448Bekaa

249.911026.9275 372Nabatieh

502.893911.8472 105South Lebanon

402.0200820.1807 204North Lebanon

759.1198615.1607 767Mount-Lebanon

22.5899 792Beirut Suburbs

21228.31910.0403 337Beirut

Population densityperson/km2

Area1

(km2)%NumberMouhafazat

Source: CAS, 1997

UNCCD

! Lebanon signed and ratified the UNCCD (1995)

! UNCCD convention(1994) powerful instrumentfor sustainable natural resource management inaffected regions

! > 190 countries are involved

! In 2003 the elaboration of National ActionProgramme (NAP) to combat desertification inLebanon

Ministry of Agriculture/ UNDP/ GTZ

National Action Programme

The Lebanese government is making efforts tokeep combating desertification as a priority taskwithin the framework of sustainabledevelopment of the country (?).

Identification of the factors contributing todesertification in the relevant socio-economic,biological and geographic context; and definingpractical measures for combatingdesertification.

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Lebanon

Desertification prone areasSuperficial processes

Direct & indirect naturalIntensive rainfall:

floods(64% of Lebaneseterritory has complexlandform: steep lands).

Land sliding is another processmodifying landscape and ismainly due to restrictednatural drainage.

Human induced- Deforestation & urban

expansion

- Soil Salinization (Sea waterintrusion, bad irrigationpractices & fertilizerapplication)

- Dumping of solid & liquidwastes in open inland waterbodies & reservoirs resultingin water contamination

- Monoculture and unsustainablerotation

Inappropriate practices leading to land

degradation

! Intensification of cropping systems (monoculture andmultiple cropping, cultivation under greenhouses,plantation of high yielding cash crops)

! Intensive agricultural production requiring more inputs:water, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides

! Poor management and insufficient technical know-how! Excessive and uncontrolled pumping of groundwater for

agriculture, especially in dry years, resulting in thelowering of the groundwater table in many places and insaline water intrusion along coastal areas.

! Inadequate use of drip irrigation and fertigation systemsresulting in salinity

! Excessive fertilizer use resulting in a higher level ofnitrates in groundwater

Impact of Land degradation

!Water erosion

! Soil salinization

! Soil pollution: In the absence of proper land usezoning, industry, manufacturing and agriculturalactivities resulted in soil contamination with Ni,Cr, Cd and Pb in some limited areas of CentralBekaa (Darwish et al., 1999)

! Urban expansion

! Soil related stresses

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Estimates of major land resources

stresses

10010452Total

33.1Coastal and highland plains.Halba and Nabatiyeh plateau.Depressions.

3452Other soil constraints*

3Central Bekaa, intermountain andcoastal Plains

313.5Water stagnation

11.5Belt from Baalbeck-Hermel toRachaya

1200Long moisture deficit

28.7Sandy and rocky lands of theCentral Mountains and Coastalarea

3000Low nutrient and waterholding capacity

14.2Central and Western Bekaa,Coastal Plains Southern plateau

1486.5Seasonal moisture deficit

9.5Baalbeck-Hermel area1000Salinity/ alkalinity

% of totalarea

Major LocationsAreaSq. Km

Kind of stress

*Soil compaction, cracking, sealing, stone and gravel content, CaCO3 content, reduced productivity.

Erosion

The study of erosion risk assessment usingremote sensing and GIS in the centralLebanese mountains showed:

∀6% very high

∀88% moderate

∀6% low

Lebanon / UNCCD

The Lebanese government is committed tocombating desertification:

- It has initiated a large scale Reforestationprogram and has allocated approx. $16 millionto this end.

- It is active in fighting the root causes behindland degradation by promoting the Developmentof rural areas and reducing regional disparities(financed through a mix of budgetary resourcesand donor agencies).> than 15 NGOs are active.

Stone bunds along contours

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Stone bunds along contours People care the land

People care the land

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Water harvestResources mobilization

to move forward

! Lebanon’s remarkable decade of reconstructionfollowing a devastating 15 year war saw strongeconomic growth gradually slide to a halt by 1999.

! The cost of rebuilding highways, schools, airports,seaports, housing, power stations, and governmentbuildings pushed public debt to about 180% of GDP(2001) and led to chronic budgetary problems

! A second challenge is to tackle poverty and incomedisparities. The UN estimates that one third of Lebaneselack basic needs.

! Lebanon would therefore be seeking for assistance fromthe international community.

Moving backward Moving backward

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Moving backward Moving backward

Moving backward Moving backward

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NATIONAL SOIL MAP

Soils

• Mostly arenosols

• Covers 72.2% of country

• Sand deposits, deep, low water holdingcapacity, fertility low

• Commonly known as Kalahari sands

Land Tenure Categories

• 1998-Tribal-411 349 km2 constitute 70.9%

State-144 588 km2 constitute 24.9%

Freehold- 24 527 km2 constitute 4.2%

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Crop Sector

• Small scale subsistence farmerscultivated 0.5-5 ha parcels, mostlymarginal soils

• Commercial farmers 2,000-5,000ha,mostly in vertisols plains

Economy

• Botswana considered middle income, percapita GNP US$ 3 300 (1997)

• GDP grew US$ 266 (1966)-1, 546(2001/2)

• Employment 25 000 (1966)-274 413(2001/2)

• GDP-mining contributes 36.5%

Poverty

• Mining main contributor of GDP but employs 5%workforce

• Slow development labour-intensive industries,labour market rigidities coupled low skill levelscontribute high unemployment and skeweddistribution income. Gini coefficient 0.57(2002/3)

• Poverty fallen over past 3 decades, still highabout 1/3 population living under US$ 1 a day.

cont.

• Unemployment 24% of labour force

• Poverty high female headed household50% compared 36.7% for the wholepopulation, Western region poorest

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Governance

• Democratic, multi-party system sinceindependence from Britain 1966, enjoyed4 decades stable governance

• Stable economic governance, and strongjudicial system

• Least corrupt ranked 37th world

Social

• 95 % access to safe drinking water

• Adult literacy 80% (2003)

• Medical care

• Electricity is available in most villages.

• Infrastructure characteristic of low-middleincome economy

Health

• HIV/AIDS prevalence concern-270 000HIV+, has negative impact economyabout 1% country budget directed toAIDS

Eco-tourism

• Stability and vast wildlife attracts tourists

• National parks and game reserves

• Forest reserves

• Camping parks

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Environmental

• Diverse ecosystem supporting agriculturaldevelopment especially livestock

• N &NW- sufficient water resourcessustain wildlife population-touristdestination

• W frequent droughts, while overgrazingcontributes mostly soil erosion

• E urbanized high demand fuel woodleading deforestation

• Air pollution concern.Land degradation at its worst

When late is too late!

Grass strip

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Vetiver grass as a conservation tool

Well managed stubble retained

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WELCOME

Bay of Bengal

Arabian Sea

PAKISTAN

NEPAL

CHINA

BHUTAN

BANGLADESH

SRILANKA

MYANMAR

INDIA

•Area: 328 million ha

(3.3 mil l ion sq. km)

•Population: 1.1. billion

(Country Report)

V Padmakumar

•Official languages: 18

•Schools teach: 58

•Newspapers: 87

•Radio programs: 71

•Films: 15

•Largest democracy

•Federal system

•Constitutional head

•States: 28

Indian Parliament

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•Environment

•Forest land-69 million Ha (<20%)

•Degraded land-175 million ha (57%)

Stable terrain.

•forest-cover is dense•fertile

Land degradation

•Low to medium degradation•water erosion

•depletion of soil nutrients

Severe degradation.

•wind erosion (Thar desert)•water logging (riverbanks

Ganga and the Brahmaputra)

Naturally degraded.•arid mountains of Ladakh

•snow caps of the north east

•salt flats of the Rann of Kutch

India’s commitmentto development ofenvironment

•National Environment Policy (2006)

(Ministry of Environment & Forests)

•Environmental degradation is a major cause and effect of enhancingand perpetuating poverty

•The most secure basis for conservation is to ensure that peopledependent on particular resources obtain better livelihoods from thefact of conservation

India’s commitmentto development ofenvironment

•India is a member country of the GEF (December 1994)

•India ratified the UNFCC (November 1993)

•India is a member of the Convention on Biological

Diversity (February 1994)

•India ratified the UN Convention on Combating

Desertification (December 1996)

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•467 million heads of cattle graze on 11 million Ha of pasture land

•Livestock density is 42 animals /Ha as against the threshold level of 5 /Ha

•An estimated 100 million cow units graze in forests as against asustainable level of 31 million per Ha

Major environmental issues:

1. Land degradation: (due to water erosion-Assam, wind erosion-

Rajasthan, water logging-Ganga.Brahmaputra and over grazing)

1. Degradation of forests: It is estimated that after independence the

country has lost 4696 million Ha forest land for non-forestry purposes

•River valley projects, agriculture, illegal occupation, industries andtownships, transmission lines and roads etc.

3. Water pollution

4. Air pollution, carbon emission

•Air pollution (due to vehicular emissions, untreated industrial smoke)

•Carbon emission 251 million MT (2001)

•Forest per capita 0.08 Ha (against 0.47 Ha)

•Forests 68 (1990-91), 68.86 (97-98)

•Population growth rate 1.93% (2.14% in 90-91)