INTRODUCTION 

The Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030), also known by its acronym SDGs, are an initiative promoted by the United Nations to give continuity to the development agenda after the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There are 17 objectives and 169 targets proposed as a continuation of the MDGs, including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption and peace, and justice, among other priorities. After a negotiation process on the SDGs that involved 193 member states of the UN, on September 25, 2015, the 193 world leaders approved at a summit held in New York in a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly, an Agenda entitled “Transform our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ", which entered into force on January 1, 2016. 

The 12th goal of the Sustainable Development Goals calls for the effective management of natural resources and chemicals, the reduction of polluting waste products, and the disposal of toxic waste. 

This goal also encourages industries, businesses and consumers to reduce and recycle waste, in addition to supporting developing countries to move towards more sustainable consumption patterns by 2030. 

Sustainable consumption and production is defined as the use of related services and products that respond to citizens' basic needs and provide them with a better quality of life. 

The increasing global population, degradation of natural resources and increasing urbanization inevitably lead to less feeding of more people with less water, agricultural land and rural employment, and in turn means the need to shift to more sustainable methodologies of production and consumption. 

In Lebanon, the waste crisis that appeared in 2015 and again in 2020 is the most prominent challenge facing the Lebanese people due to fears of its dangerous repercussions on their health and environmental security, namely in light of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the high number of infections. 

Facing the waste problem, which is a crisis that afflicts Lebanese citizens at the core of their daily lives and directly affects their health and safety, the Lebanese University seeks to be a strong contributor to reducing the ecological footprint by changing production and consumption methods, either through agreements and partnerships concluded with local and foreign bodies or through initiatives and activities organized by the students and professors, or through research conducted in the laboratories of a number of its faculties and doctoral schools. 

GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production 

Lebanon is party to multilateral environmental treaties, protocols and conventions, and national and sectoral legislation, policies and strategies have, to different degrees, incorporated sustainability principles. Nevertheless, there is still a need for a national sustainable development strategy and vision that connects these principles across sectors to cover all production and consumption patterns. The environment protection law (444/2002), and a number of application decrees, support the cleaner production techniques, biodiversity conservation, prevention of natural resource degradation, environmental monitoring (pollution sources and abatement systems) and setting landfill standards and promoting recycling. The Ministries of Environment and Industry developed Lebanon’s Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production for the Industrial Sector in 2015. 

Solid waste management is a large, ongoing sector policy challenge. Lebanon, party to international conventions on hazardous waste management, has issued a national healthcare waste management decree. This specifies the types of waste in healthcare facilities and holds each medical institution responsible for managing its waste. An estimated 60 percent of healthcare waste is treated, while the rest (like industrial waste, demolition and other types of waste) is mixed with municipal waste. The Syrian crisis has added to the challenging solid waste situation in Lebanon. An estimated 15.7 percent of additional solid waste is attributed to displaced populations, leading to existing solid waste management infrastructure being stressed, an increase in open dumping and open burning of waste, and increased contamination of land, surface and groundwater. ref: LEBANON- Voluntary National Review (VNR) on sustainable development goals (SDGs). 

The Lebanese University strives through its partnership with several a considerable number of Lebanese municipalities and local institutions to develop research and incorporate academic, environmental and social sustainability axis in order to put standards and analyses concerning waste managing. 

The Lebanese University established an agreement with the Institut national de la recherche agronomique INRA dated on 28 May 2019, (doc 66) aiming to collaborate in the different areas of common interest in particularly in the areas of waste water and solid waste management and treatment and to facilitate and develop exchanges of information between their scientists. 

Federation of Municipalities of Tire Caza signed an agreement was signed on 19 November 2017 (doc 68) aiming to develop agricultural and environmental work and sustainable development.  

Tripoli municipality: signed agreement on 17 May 2018 (doc 70)  

Federation of Menieh Caza (doc 72) aiming to support doctoral students willing to pursue their doctoral studies and research in sciences and technology field.

• Environmental initiative in the College of Science - First Branch

Second-year chemistry students at the Faculty of Science – First Branch at the Lebanese University launched an environmental initiative under the title "Let's draw for us a future with the first clean environment", with the aim of protecting the university environment, preserving the health of students, professors and employees, and promoting a culture of cleanliness and recycling in educational institutions and society.

The initiative included an environmental campaign carried out in two phases:

The first stage: The campus of the College of Science (1) was cleaned with the participation of students from various disciplines, including corridors, gardens and teaching halls, then waste was collected and sorted.

Phase II: Dedicated waste sorting containers have been placed in the corridors (plastic, paper, aluminum, glass)

It is noteworthy that the initiative was implemented under the supervision of Dr. Laila Ghannam and accompanied and supported by the branch manager, Dr. Hussein Bazzi and Dr. Hossam Obaid, head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the college, and in the presence of Dr. Firas Hegazy.

• Institute of Social Sciences (3) organizes a seminar on "Environmental Citizenship and Protection of the Local Environment"

Under the patronage and presence of the President of the Lebanese University, Dr. Bassam Badran, the Institute of Social Sciences - Third Branch organized a seminar entitled "Environmental Citizenship and Local Environmental Protection", in which the Minister of Environment in the caretaker government, Dr. Nasser Yassin, and the head of the Lebanese Green Party, Dr. Fadi Abi Allam, lectured.

The seminar was attended by the Dean of the Institute of Social Sciences, Dr. Marilyn Haidar, the Director of the Third Branch, Dr. Wadia Al-Amyouni, MP Jamil Abboud, Rawad Frangieh, representing MP Tony Frangieh, the journalist Mohamed Seif, representing the President of the Marei Association for Charitable Works, Khalil Marei, in addition to a crowd of deans, directors and professors of a number of faculties and institutes of the Lebanese University and private universities, political, municipal, social and environmental actors, students and interested parties.

The seminar began with a welcome speech by Dr. Al-Amyouni, who referred to the environmental challenges facing the North Lebanon region, noting the importance of cooperation between government agencies and academic and civil institutions to achieve positive change and maintain a clean and civilized environment in Lebanon.

For her part, Dean Haidar pointed out that we in Lebanon need to raise awareness and concerted efforts in order to protect our environment, considering that university edifices are the best place to develop this awareness.

"Let us work together to preserve our natural resources and provide a better future for future Lebanese generations, as we need a lot of efforts to save what can be saved from the environment of our beautiful country," she concluded.

After that, President Badran delivered a speech in which he thanked Minister Yassin for accepting the invitation of the Lebanese University to participate in this interactive seminar, which reflects his personal keenness to interact directly with students to spread environmental awareness, and welcomed the President of the Lebanese Green Party, Dr. Fadi Abi Allam, for his participation.

President Badran considered that the organization of such seminars by the Institute of Social Sciences reflects the role of the Lebanese University in spreading awareness among students and training them to enhance civic participation in protecting the environment and empowering them to become active, active and responsible environmental citizens.

He added: "Despite the economic and financial crisis that Lebanon is going through, the Lebanese University/National Foundation has proven that it is up to the responsibility to enshrine the principle of citizenship through the efforts of professors and employees, and this matter is not only a cause of pride for the presidency of the university, but for students, their families and society as a whole, because these efforts have resulted in citizens' confidence in the National University."

President Badran concluded by saying: "We wish success to the Institute of Social Sciences in spreading awareness of various topics of interest to society, and we rely on it to describe social problems and propose solutions to embody its national role."

After that, the symposium began with a speech by Dr. Abi Allam, in which he refuted the environmental problems facing the city of Tripoli and proposed a set of solutions to them, most notably:

• water pollution

• Waste Management

• air pollution

• Slaughterhouse

• Shrinking green spaces

• Reduced biodiversity

Minister Yassin then stressed that environmental problems have existed in Lebanon for years, especially along the coast and in coastal cities in particular, considering that solving them requires building environmental citizenship and strong institutions.

Minister Yassin pointed out that the responsibility for improving the environmental situation is a shared responsibility between the citizen, local administrations, federations of municipalities, major municipalities, the private sector and the relevant ministries.

Minister Yassin presented a number of proposals that the Ministry of Environment is working in coordination with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and some ministries to legalize and turn them into laws in force, especially in terms of setting annual fees for the management and treatment of solid waste, which has become widespread in a number of Lebanese cities and towns.

The Minister of Environment pointed out that there is a trend to find decentralized solutions, where each area will have a sorting plant to treat its waste and a sanitary landfill for disposal by scientific and advanced methods, explaining that there is an objection that we are working to solve in dialogue with the people of Minieh and the neighborhood regarding the proposed sanitary landfill in Deir AmaR.

The symposium concluded with a dialogue between the lecturers and the participants in the symposium.

• Interview with Dr. Heba Shendab in the program "Problems and Solutions" on Lebanon TV

Nicolas Hanna received on Lebanon TV the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Dr. Heba Shendab, to talk about the waste sorting and recycling campaign for a better environment that she launched at the Deanship of the Faculty.

This campaign received a wide response through retrograde campaigns carried out by students in all its branches.

• Mohammed Al-Sabsabi from the Lebanese University invents a device after which the strategic illumination of all Lebanon from alternative energy

Student Mohammed al-Sabsabi, from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities – Third Branch at the Lebanese University, recorded an achievement with a strategic dimension, which is to illuminate all of Lebanon from alternative energy.

A student majoring in French language and literature, he applied his passion for physics by developing an unconventional invention to generate electrical energy from plastic drums, and the mechanism of producing electricity from a vertical axial wind turbine is based on the principle of converting the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy by the turbine, which in turn gives energy to the electric generator to convert the rotational movement into electricity.

Electrical energy is controlled and regulated by an autonomous controller to charge batteries and store energy.

"What distinguishes this turbine is that it is made of local materials that can be recycled, as plastic barrels play the role of turbines that receive wind energy vertically and horizontally to give the turbine thrust, and to enhance this power, the principle of torque was adopted to produce electrical energy with the lowest possible wind energy," says Mohammed.

Mohammed believes that Lebanon is rich in natural resources that must be exploited to serve the citizen, noting that his new innovation will help achieve two things: first, reduce the cost of energy and second, reduce carbon toxic emissions.

Mohammed hopes to find funding to develop and popularize his project to benefit the largest possible segment of the Lebanese in light of the energy crisis facing Lebanon and the world.

Regarding his studies at the Lebanese University, Mohammed regrets the successive developments that have affected the flow of work at the university normally, starting with the outbreak of Corona, through the repercussions of the economic crisis and political interventions, to the strikes of professors and employees, which students paid for and became the first victim of.

• College of Engineering Students (2) Win Second Prize in (ACI Concrete Solutions Competition) for the year 2022

A student team from the Faculty of Engineering – Second Branch at the Lebanese University won the second prize in the ACI Concrete Solutions Competition for the year 2022 in its Lebanese version, under the supervision of Dr. Pierre Matar.

Third-year civil engineering students (Edwin Abou Jaoude, Ghaya Deeb, Talia Kayrouz, Joelle Maroun and Alain Maroni) submitted a video showing how to recycle concrete for reuse in new concrete mixes, contributing to a sustainable building that promotes the preservation of the ecosystem.

The American Concrete Institute seeks to motivate civil engineering students to participate in local and international competitions, apply their practical knowledge and develop their concrete skills to improve the quality of life of humans through a healthy ecosystem.

• Megaly Chedraoui from the Lebanese University wins the first place prize in the competition (Prix Jeunes de la SIM 2021) in France

Megaly Chedraoui, a student from the Lebanese University (second year Master/Environmental Geosciences), won the first place prize (Prix Jeunes de la SIM 2021) in the student category, after presenting an environmental project related to the reuse of mineral waste in cement materials under the title:

Perspectives de valorisation des déchets miniers : cas d'étude en substitution au cru du clinker

This project forms part of the master's thesis that Chedraoui is preparing between the Faculty of Science at the Lebanese University and the LGCgE laboratory at IMT Nord Europe in the French region of Douai, under the supervision of Dr. Zeinab Matar from the Lebanese University and Dr. Vincent Thierry from the French University.

On September 28, 2021, Chedraoui presented her project to a specialized jury and received her prize at the annual conference of the Association of the Metallurgical Industry (La Société d'industrie minérale) organized in Lille, France, between October 19 and 22, 2021.

For results, please visit the following link:

https://imt-nord-europe.fr/actualites/prix-jeunes-de-la-societe-de-lindustrie-minerale-sim/

• Zahraa Yassine from the Lebanese University wins the third prize in the Arab student starpack 2021

Student Zahraa Yassine from the Faculty of Fine Arts and Architecture at the Lebanese University won the third prize in the Arab student starpack 2021 competition in its fifth edition, organized by the Lebanese Center for Packaging (Liban Pack) in cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) via the Internet due to the Corona circumstances.

Under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Kattar, Yassin (Master 1 in Advertising Arts and Visual Communication) presented a smart packaging project entitled (Helbawi Bros' Rice Tote Bag) based on renewing the structural and visual aspects of rice bags and turning them into a ready-to-use bag as a shopping bag once they are finished using them as a container, based on the slogan "What plastic bags pollute, rice bags will save".

The Arab student starpack competition targets university students in the Middle East and North Africa and aims to ensure inclusive and sustainable industrial development by engaging young people, unleashing and supporting their creativity, raising awareness about the importance of packaging and creating a real partnership between the packaging industry and the educational sector.

It is noteworthy that this competition is accredited by the World Packaging Organization (WPO: World Packaging Organization), and the winners automatically qualify to participate in the World Packaging Competition organized by (WPO), giving them the opportunity to present their projects internationally.

To view the results of the competition:

https://www.arabstarpack.org/Student/en/winners/2021

• LU-Environment Team from the Lebanese University Wins First Place in DAWERR Ideathon Solid Waste Management Competition

The LU-Environment Team won first place in the first DAWERR Ideathon challenge organized virtually by Berytech over five consecutive days funded by the United States Agency for Development (USAID).

The DAWERR Ideathon program gives young entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs and startups the opportunity to present innovative solutions that contribute to solid waste management and the development of green solutions in their social environments.

Out of three hundred applications submitted to the competition, 9 teams were nominated to present their projects and ideas in front of a specialized jury, and the Lebanese University team won the first place after it proposed a project based on converting organic waste into biochar (Biochar) that farmers benefit from as soil fertilizer at a low cost.

The team consists of:

Professors: Akram Hijazi, Mai Issa and Bisher Sukkarieh

Students: Ghinwa Kataya, Jumana Mansour and Batoul Wehbe.

DAWERR is a five-year project that aims to improve the social, environmental and economic level of Lebanese citizens by providing sustainable solutions to solid household waste by transforming and increasing its value in collaboration with municipalities in rural areas.

For more details about the competition:

• https://instagram.com/dawerr_lebanon?utm_medium=copy_link

• https://www.facebook.com/100737078560206/posts/256260593007853/

• https://berytech.org/dawerr-ideathon-solving-solid-waste-challenges/

• Launching the "Nafrz for a Waste-Free University Environment" Campaign at the Deanship of the College of Arts and Humanities

The Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the Lebanese University, Prof. Heba Mohamed Shendab, launched an environmental campaign entitled "We Sort for a Waste-Free University Environment", in a ceremony organized at the Deanship - Dekwaneh in the presence of the directors of the faculty's branches and a group of professors and students from various faculties of the Lebanese University. The campaign comes within the framework of preserving the environment and contributing to alleviating the waste crisis and limiting its spread in Lebanon, and to this end, six environmentally friendly containers dedicated to glass, cardboard, paper, metal, plastic, plant residues and food were placed in the Deanship building.

The celebration began with the national anthem and the university anthem, then Ms. Jawwal Mubarak delivered a speech in which she welcomed the attendees and thanked Dean Shendab for her support and encouragement to launch this environmental and educational activity.

 Then the coordinator of the History Department at the Deanship, Dr. Imad Gharli, gave a speech in which he stressed that cleanliness is a civilization and sophistication and not limited to the waste worker, as it is a duty for all citizens, so how about if they are students and educated elites in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

 After that, the Secretary of the Deanship of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Akram Kaadi, stressed the importance of the educational and academic role of the Lebanese University, considering that despite the difficult circumstances, the university remains steadfast and continuous and provides the best levels of education to its students. Kaadi concluded his speech by praising the great cooperation between professors and students for the good of the university and the country.

 For his part, environmental activist Charbel Copty gave a detailed explanation of the process of sorting and recycling waste for a better environment, pointing to the importance of spreading environmental and national awareness among all members of society.

 The coordinator of the Department of Archeology at the Deanship of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Dr. Nada Elias, gave a speech in which she stressed that the Lebanese University proceeds in its initiatives from a sense of responsibility to preserve the present and future of our children in our homeland, despite the neglect of some. She added: "It is not and it will not be too late, and we can - each from his position - strive with small and sustainable steps to build a civilization of cleanliness in our country and preserve its environment for future generations."

Then a video was shown on the process of preparing and preparing for the environmental day under the title "Sort from the source for a university environment free of waste".

 After that, Dean Shendab spoke and said: "The main goal of this campaign is to maintain a healthy environment from which we derive positive energy in our workplace, and through which we reduce dependence on raw materials extracted from nature to produce new products, and as you know, the process of recycling waste is the process of using used materials and products again instead of throwing them in the garbage, and waste recycling has important benefits that include protecting the environment, saving natural resources, saving energy, saving green spaces and creating opportunities. Action, improve public health, reduce the cost of waste management and promote environmental awareness. She added: "Our campaign at the Deanship of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities carried the slogan "Towards a clean university environment", and it came within the context of the Lebanese University's initiative, which set its sights on sustainable development, preserving health and the environment, and rooting the culture of cleanliness and recycling in educational institutions. Brigadier General Shendab pointed out that the campaign seeks to stop the phenomenon of the spread of waste in a random manner in containers and on roads, and said: "We aspire to launch this campaign in our college with its five branches and two centers and transfer the experience to the Lebanese society in order to involve all individuals and institutions in this social responsibility." "During this campaign, waste will be classified into two categories: a recyclable category that will be sent to the institutions concerned with sorting and a non-sortable category, thus we have contributed even slightly to supporting environmental work within waste management strategies, and most importantly the plastic disposal strategy," explained Brigadier Shendab. Dean Shendab addressed the students by saying: "Your participation in this campaign reflects the awareness and keenness you enjoy in preserving the environment of the University College and consolidating the concept of cleanliness, recycling and sorting from the source, and truth be told, our awareness is the basis for modifying our environmental behavior and agreeing together that caring for the environment is a priority, not a luxury." She added: "Through this campaign, we encourage you as you work to improve the quality of life in the college and reduce pollution and damage that can result from not adhering to the principles of hygiene and recycling, and I can only express my appreciation for the efforts you are making towards the success of this campaign in cooperation with the Secretary General Mr. Akram Kaadi, Ms. Joelle Mubarak and Dr. Nada Elias." Dean Shendab concluded: "On a personal level, I assure you that I attach a lot of importance to this campaign because it reflects our shared responsibility towards our environment and society, as cleanliness and recycling are an integral part of the social responsibility for all of us, which we must take seriously, and I wish you all success in your studies and to be an example to be followed in hard work and social responsibility. I also hope that this campaign will be an example of teamwork and cooperation among all members of the university community."

• Centre MINE organizes a workshop on "Recycling in Lebanon" presented by trainer Maya Wakim

The Center for Careers, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Lebanese University (Centre MINE), in cooperation with (Makesense) and (Gil South) under the management of Nour Nazar, organized a webinar via Microsoft Teams entitled "Recycling in Lebanon" presented by trainer and community developer Maya Wakim and attended by students from various branches of the faculties of the Lebanese University.

Trainer Wakim started the workshop by enumerating the reasons for the accumulation of waste in Lebanon and how to reduce this problem in the most effective way, highlighting the role of entrepreneurship in this field.

She also highlighted the problem of mismanagement of the waste crisis, including the burning of waste and dumping it into the sea, which leads to both air and water pollution.

Then she moved to the definition of (linear economy) or what is known as the use of products for one time or (single use) and its impact on the accumulation of waste and the importance of reducing it, and stressed the importance of replacing this type of production with what is known as (circular economy), which allows the reuse of the product after processing to become a new supplier for another product.

Wakim enumerated the types of plastic according to their symbol and recycling conditions and how to distinguish between recyclable and non-recyclable ones, and addressed the importance of recycling in alleviating the waste crisis and not solving it permanently.

She concluded by talking about the steps that can be taken to reduce the accumulation of waste on the personal level and at the level of entrepreneurial projects - understanding the (ecosystem) experimenting with the idea before implementing it, focusing on one type of waste, and collaborating with associations concerned with raising awareness about the importance of managing the waste crisis at the environmental and economic levels by creating job opportunities and taking into account community culture.

Trainer Maya Wakim cares about change-makers and people who make a difference in their communities.

Centre MINE seeks to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship among students, guide and guide them to develop their skills, develop their abilities and work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

This workshop contributes to serving the goals of eradicating poverty and hunger, ensuring a healthy and safe life, quality education, promoting economic growth and decent work, encouraging industry and innovation, building sustainable communities, and ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.

• Centre MINE organizes a seminar on "Green Business" and its positive impact on people and the earth

The Center for Professions, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Lebanese University (Centre MINE), in cooperation with Challenge to Change, organized a free workshop on green business presented by internationally certified business trainer Linda Achkouti Moawad.

The workshop, which took place on March 8, 2021, aimed to introduce students to the concept of environmentally friendly businesses and their positive impact on humans and the earth.

Trainer Achkouti started the workshop with an introductory video about the ecosystem, then talked about the risks that threaten this system due to climate change, water pollution, air pollution, soil and solid waste.

Achkouti explained to students how to benefit from eco-friendly businesses by following (The 3R Strategy – Reducing, Reusing, Recycling).

Centre MINE seeks to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship among students, guide and guide them to develop their skills, develop their abilities and work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

This workshop contributes to serving the goals of eradicating poverty and hunger, ensuring a healthy and safe life, quality education, promoting economic growth and decent work, encouraging industry and innovation, building sustainable local communities, ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns, taking urgent action to combat climate change and its effects, protecting life under water and on land, and expanding global partnerships.

Waste sorting project in Faculty of Engineering

On February 4, 2019, at the request of the administration and students of the Faculty of Engineering - First Branch at the Lebanese University (Environmental and Social Volunteering Club), the Fayhaa Municipalities Union provided two containers to sort waste from the source and it was distributed on the campus in the north. 

According to the initiative launched by the "Engineering", the two containers were distributed on campus, provided that the faculties of engineering, science, and arts are able to participate in this mission, which takes into account the conditions for screening and preserving the environment in the university and society. 

An environmental day in "The Arts"

On February 6, 2019, in cooperation with the Municipality of Furn Al-Shubbak - Ain Al-Rummaneh - Hawita Al-Nahr, the Faculty of Fine Arts and Architecture - the second branch of the Lebanese University organized an environmental day during which it launched a waste sorting project in the college in specific containers. 

The Environmental Day, which aims to spread clean and sustainable environmental awareness at the level of the university in particular and the country in general, was attended by the head of the Municipal Council and the President of the Southern Matn Municipalities Union Raymond Samaan who contributed to the provision of containers and coordination with the ( City Blu ) to collect the waste sorted periodically. After the words that explained the mechanism of work and the educational, social and environmental goal of this activity, all participated in a campaign of cleanliness and field screening in the college.