Lebanon 2001 State of the Environment Report

ECODIT assisted the Ministry of Environment in updating the Lebanon State of the Environment Report. The 2001 SOER uses a "dual framework" methodology to describe and analyze environment-development linkages in Lebanon. It describes the state of different environmental media (water, air, biodiversity, and soil/land) and the key linkages between them and various socio-economic development sectors (population, agriculture, industry, construction, transport, tourism and recreation, and energy). During the course of the preparation for the 2001 SOER, ECODIT met with more than 60 professionals and key stakeholders and reviewed about 150 new reports and references to provide the most up-do-date assessment of the state of the environment in Lebanon. The 2001 SOER (240 pages) was compiled in English and is being published in Arabic also. It is available on the internet.

National strategy for environmental protection and sustainable development in Morocco

For UNESCO and Morocco's Ministry of Environment (Observatoire National de l'Environnement du Maroc), ECODIT developed a national strategy for environmental protection and sustainable development. ECODIT reviewed past, current, and future environmental policies and development programs. ECODIT estimated expenses associated with these policies and the costs of environmental degradation, such as health effects due to high ambient concentrations of lead and particulate matter, infant mortality due to diarrheic diseases, revenue losses from non-recycled materials, and loss of agricultural production due to erosion. Using an economic approach, ECODIT evaluated the impact of these costs on GDP. Based on this analysis, ECODIT worked with the Ministry of Environment to establish environmental quality objectives that will ensure sustainable development and explained how environmental protection measures such as pollution prevention, economic incentives, and institutional strengthening will allow Morocco to reach these objectives. Top Environmental monographs for the Northwestern and Northern Central regions of Morocco For Morocco's Ministry of the Environment, ECODIT has conducted an environmental assessment of Morocco's Northwestern region (Rabat-Tangiers axis) and Northern Central region (Fès, Sebou basin). ECODIT was the prime contractor for the Northwestern region and a subcontractor to a Moroccan firm for the Northern Central region. ECODIT and its partners have prepared an environmental profile of each region that identifies environmental priority issues. Based on this environmental assessment, ECODIT helped formulate an environmental strategy for each region and prepare an environmental action plan to implement the strategy. ECODIT and its partners used participatory approach designed to involve all stakeholders early on in the study. We developed a Geographic Information System at the 1:250,000 scale that presents the data collected during the assessment by theme (population, water, air, waste, biodiversity, coastal zone). The GIS allows its users to identify potential landfill sites. Top Regional Environmental Assessment report on the coastal zone of Lebanon For Lebanon's Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) and the World Bank, ECODIT and the French Institut d'Aménagement Urbain de la Région d'Ile de France (IAURIF) prepared a regional environmental assessment (REA) of the coastal zone of Lebanon. For this six-month study, ECODIT assembled a team of international and local specialists in land use, urban planning, coastal ecology, hydrology, water pollution, air pollution, laws and regulations, and environmental economics. ECODIT identified development scenarios, described the environment, predicted and evaluated the cumulative impacts of the scenarios, compared alternative scenarios, and prepared recommendations for a Coastal Zone Management Plan. ECODIT and IAURIF prepared a Geographic Information System for Lebanon's coastal zone at the 1:50,000 scale, with more detailed information for hot spots and sensitive areas (1:25,000 scale). ECODIT consulted with government agencies, NGOs, and industry groups throughout the project. ECODIT prepared a draft report and organized a full-day workshop in Beirut to discuss the draft report. Based on comments received during the workshop and in consultation with CDR and the World Bank, ECODIT prepared the final REA report on the coastal zone of Lebanon. Top Environmental audits and strategies for the cities of Tripoli and El-Mina (Lebanon), Oran (Algeria), Limassol (Cyprus), Sousse (Tunisia), and Tangiers (Morocco) In the spring and summer of 1993, ECODIT's directors coordinated for the World Bank/METAP the environmental audits of Tripoli/El-Mina, Lebanon and Oran, Algeria. ECODIT also provided solid waste expertise for the environmental audit of Limassol, Cyprus. Finally, ECODIT directors reviewed the environmental audit and strategy reports prepared for two other cities (Sousse, Tunisia and Tangiers, Morocco) and prepared a synthesis report on the five municipal environmental audits. In Tripoli and Oran, ECODIT directed data collection and analysis efforts by two teams of 12 local and international experts each, and was responsible for preparing the final audit and strategy report. In each city, the audit team assessed the existing situation and evaluated the costs of several options to improve the environment, including the "no-action" approach. The audits identified priority projects in water supply and sanitation, solid waste management, coastal zone management, and land use. Top Regional urban environmental strategy for the Middle East and North Africa ECODIT staff provided technical support to the World Bank in drafting an urban environmental strategy for the Middle East and North Africa region. ECODIT staff reviewed specialized literature (World Bank project documents, national environmental action plans, UNDP reports, UNCHS reports, WHO reports, METAP papers, etc.) and analyzed trends in urban population growth and poverty. ECODIT staff then prepared a regional urban environmental profile highlighting three priority issues: land use and coastal zone management, waste management, and air pollution control. For each priority issue, ECODIT staff examined the nature, causes and impacts of environmental degradation, and formulated strategy options for improving the environment. ECODIT staff prepared a draft strategy paper with specific recommendations to protect and improve the urban environment in the Middle East and North Africa. Top Environmental audits and strategies for the cities of Gaza (Palestine) and Haifa (Israel) For Medcities and the European Commission, ECODIT conducted municipal environmental audits of Haifa, Israel and Gaza, Palestine. In each city, ECODIT coordinated the efforts of a team of local and international experts collecting and analyzing municipal data. The audit team assessed the existing situation and identified several options to improve the environment. The audits covered the various aspects of the municipal environment, including water supply and sanitation, river rehabilitation and oued pollution control, solid waste management, coastal zone management, municipal GIS development, liquid industrial waste control, and land use and urban planning. For each city, ECODIT prepared the final environmental audit and strategy reports after organizing several public consultation meetings. Top Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Madagascar For UNOPS and Madagascar's National Office for the Environment (ONE), ECODIT conducted an inventory of Madagascar's marine and coastal ecosystems (in particular, coral reefs and mangroves) and of their biodiversity, and an environmental assessment of Madagascar's coastal zone. Working closely with local experts, ECODIT collected information and data on the environmental state of marine and coastal resources. ECODIT identified the main problems and challenges for the sustainable development and conservation of the coastal zone. ECODIT recommended institutional, economic, and regulatory tools to implement an Integrated Coastal Zone Management programme in Madagascar. ECODIT also identified a few areas that can be established as marine protected areas Top