13.3.2.University Climate Action plan 

Lebanese University promotes the follows actions with local government and/or local community for climate change. 

We have several projects with local community groups: Providing a technical basis for the 40 million trees program in Lebanon: the establishment of a network of pilot field trials for assessing sustainable, innovative techniques enhanced forest restoration techniques, including capacity building and social inclusion of local actors in the four municipalities.  We have a European project Prima titled: Improving water management in the agricultural field with the local community also.  We have also a French fund for the project in deep collaboration with the local community groups titled: Strategies collectives et contextualizes for promoting a production agricole resilient y durable in rural zones of Mediterranean’s Montpellier-France.  

Concluded by the Faculty of Agriculture at the Lebanese University, in cooperation with the Mediterranean Agricultural Institute in Montpellier, a training course in the city of Baalbek for four days, within the agricultural development program and rural ( ARDP ) funded by the European Union and implemented by the Faculty of Agriculture at the Lebanese University and the Municipality of Baalbek. (27/3/2019). 

The course focused on good practices in forest management, planning and planting with the participation of the Tunisian trainer, Professor Ali Farshishi. 

At the beginning, the mayor of Baalbek, Brigadier Hussein Al-Lakqis, spoke to the attendees, praising the project and its essence, stressing "the need for serious and continuous work to increase green areas and establish natural reserves to improve the environmental situation in Lebanon in general and in the northern Bekaa in particular." He referred to "the revival of the municipality of Baalbek, the feast of the tree, and its dedication as an annual tradition, in which schools, societies, clubs, and civil society organizations contribute to afforestation campaigns, especially forests in various parts of the city and the hills overlooking it." 

In turn, the course supervisor, by the Faculty of Agriculture at the Lebanese University, Dr. Salem Darwish, explained the objectives and importance of the training course. The session included seminars, discussions and recommendations on the status of forests in Lebanon and the southern Mediterranean and their non-wood products, and how to improve, develop and protect them. Participants emphasized the necessity and organization of forests, the importance of continuous afforestation, and the economic viability of aromatic and medicinal plants. 

The training course was concluded with field visits to the afforestation site of the Real Estate 101 Reserve, and to the nursery of the Ministry of Agriculture in the town of Deir al-Ahmar.  

Lebanon’s National Biodiversity and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2016-2030 addresses Lebanon’s obligations under Article 6a of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and is an update of the country’s first NBSAP issued in 1998. The revised NBSAP was aligned with the new CBD strategic goals and integrated the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets while taking into consideration both global and local needs and aspirations, as well as reflecting Lebanon’s specific realm and the current existing professional capacities and awareness levels. 

One of the main objectives of the NBSAP is to mainstream biodiversity into sectoral and cross-sectoral strategies, plans and programmes. The NBSAP has been prepared through an interactive process of stakeholder consultation and approval translated into five workshops and several steering committee meetings.Â