SDG 11

Lebanon has been experiencing rapid urban expansion. This comes with complex problems including ensuring everyone has access to services and affordable housing and protecting the environment. National and local actors are responding to this problem across relevant sectors. 

About one in five displaced Syrians live in urban areas. This has led to increased population density and put more pressure on public services. The CNRS-L is responsible for measuring seismic activities and CBRN emissions through its Geophysical Center and Atomic Energy Commission respectively. The CNRS-L supports the government to implement the Sendai framework, particularly its priorities on understanding disaster risk and strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk. The CNRS-L is responsible for releasing all hazard and risk maps (earthquake, flood, landslides, forest Fires and droughts), and has released several hazard and risk assessment reports for each of the governorates’ critical infrastructure, and for the agriculture sector. The CNRS-L contributed to the national disaster management strategy. 

Despite these urbanization challenges, Lebanon’s biggest cities have succeeded in preserving their old cities as historical heritage. Lebanon is also endowed with a rich natural heritage including its north to south coastline. A coastline master plan, or land-use strategy, is currently being developed that will ensure the socioeconomic and environmental dimensions of development are balanced and integrated.