SDG15: LIFE ON LAND 

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 17th goal of the Sustainable Development Goals encourages the creation of favorable conditions for a sustainable future through joint action by countries and local communities. In other words, SDG 17 represents the conclusion of global and local partnerships essential to achieving development, building capacities, enhancing trade exchange and mobilizing and investing financial and technological resources to improve the lives of individuals.

Any global partnership must rely on internal and external investment and innovative financing, ensuring sustainable levels of debt, building skills and competencies / enhancing access to trade, and allowing countries the freedom to set their own economic policies. The revitalization of any global partnership must also include a wide range of actors in the public and private sectors, civil society, sources of development financing, sharing of resources and knowledge, and addressing the primary issues underlying sustainable development for all.

Under the 2030 Agenda, development priorities and resources must be directed towards increasing the capacity of developing countries to mobilize domestic resources, expand economic infrastructure, improve domestic production capacities and high-quality basic social services, confront the effects of climate change, and encourage rapid economic growth that does not marginalize anyone, as well as the importance of ensuring food security and poverty eradication and encouraging the establishment of peaceful and just societies.

Since the ultimate function is to provide young people with quality education, the Lebanese University has a responsibility to focus on the importance of the SDGs in research and institutional culture, and cooperate with universities or other organizations to prepare conscious leaders in their community.

The Lebanese University works on more than a level to serve the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the specialized masters’ programs, such as Master in Energy Physics (SDG 7) and Master in Economic & Development Journalism (SDGs 1, 2 & 3). In addition, the agreements concluded with local and international organizations and activities in which university students participate, serve all SDGs.

GOAL 15: Life on Land

Lebanon’s favorable geographic location in the Mediterranean is considered to be a biodiversity ‘hotspot’. Lebanon hosts 0.8 percent of the world’s species and 12 percent of endemic terrestrial and marine plant species, on a land area of 0.007 percent of the world. To protect this richness, Lebanon has created 15 nature reserves, 3 biosphere reserves, 16 protected forests, 16 protected natural sites or landscapes, 4 Ramsar sites, 5 world heritage sites, and 15 important bird areas. 

Forests cover about 13 percent of the country and other wooded lands cover 10 percent. Lebanon’s second National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2016–2030) (endorsed by the Cabinet in April 2018) aims to increase nature reserves to five percent of its territory by 2030 and increase natural terrestrial and marine ecosystems within the protected areas network to 20 percent. The strategy addresses Lebanon’s obligations under international conventions, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, considers global and local needs and aspirations.  

The Lebanese government has several programs to restore forests including the National Action Plan to Combat Desertification, the National Afforestation and Reforestation Programme and the 40 Million Trees Programme. Other projects that target biodiversity conservation have also been implemented. 

An agreement between the Lebanese University and the Ministry of environment on 8 May 2014 (doc 74) aiming to implement joint research projects in the areas of environment, marine and terrestrial resources, biodiversity, water and air quality, pollution and natural and human hazards in Lebanon. 

• Signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Lebanese University and the Committee of Friends of the Cedar Forest

The Lebanese University, represented by its President, Dr. Bassam Badran, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Committee of Friends of the Cedar Forest, represented by its President, Mr. Pierre Wahib Kayrouz, and its Secretary, Mr. Bassam Moussa Geagea.

The committee stressed that the signing of the memorandum stems from the belief in the pioneering role played by the Lebanese University at the national level as an official academic edifice of higher education and a beacon of ancient knowledge, and in view of the capabilities enjoyed by the university through its various faculties, specialized institutes, research centers and human cadres of professors, students and employees.

The memorandum constitutes a context for the mission performed by the Committee of Friends of the Cedar Forest through the physical, artistic and natural preservation of the forest, afforestation projects, promoting the concept of partnerships between Lebanese bodies and institutions to achieve development goals, exchange experiences and train human cadres.

The team of the Lebanese University and the team of the Committee of Friends of the Cedar Forest stressed the importance of cooperation between them after signing the memorandum that defined the general frameworks for this cooperation.

• The Faculty of Agriculture at the Lebanese University organizes the first national workshop on Mediterranean grazing systems within the project (PASTINNOVA)

Under the patronage of the President of the Lebanese University, Dr. Bassam Badran, and within the framework of the project (PASTINNOVA) - Innovative Models for a Sustainable Future of Mediterranean Pastoralism Systems, the Faculty of Agriculture at the Lebanese University organized the first national workshop for parties related to rangeland management, at the Central Administration Building/Museum.

The workshop was attended by the team of the Faculty of Agriculture headed by Dean Nadine Nassif, the coordinator of the Lebanese team in the project and head of the plant production department at the Faculty of Agriculture, Dr. Lamis Chalak, experts in pasture management and representatives of nine national institutions: the Ministry of Agriculture / Directorate of Rural Development, the Agricultural Scientific Research Service, Notre Dame University, the (PRIMA MountainHer) project, Deir al-Ahmar Women's Association, the Skaf Amiq Service, Stetia farms for small ruminants, Akouri farms and the Committee of Friends of the Cedar Forest in Bcharre.

The workshop opened with a speech by President Badran in which he praised the importance of the project from a scientific and developmental point of view and the role of the Lebanese University and the project team at the Faculty of Agriculture to implement its activities, expressing his full support for the completion of the project in all its stages.

Dean Nassif then spoke about the importance of overlapping competencies to understand and develop rangeland management in Lebanon, including scientific research, the pivotal role played by the Faculty of Agriculture in this sector, in addition to the legal aspects of protecting these rangelands in a sustainable manner.

Then, the project coordinator, Dr. Lamis Shalak, gave a detailed presentation on the PASTINNOVA project and its objectives, action packages and mechanisms for the implementation of phases and activities that adopt a participatory stakeholder approach to discuss innovative rangeland management models in Lebanon and the Mediterranean countries, through four transboundary live laboratories (RLL).

Dr. Shalak also addressed the innovative pastoral models proposed by the Lebanese team.

Dr. Bishr Sukkarieh then presented four participatory working groups agreed upon by the project countries at a previous workshop held in Spain:

Group 1: Marketing innovations and production chains

Cluster 2: Technological innovations and sustainable rangeland management for food independence

Group 3: Organizational innovations

Cluster 4: Cooperation and training in sustainable rangeland management

The workshop witnessed a discussion between the participating parties on the reality of rangelands in Lebanon and its regulatory and legal aspects, and proposals were made to develop the management of these rangelands.

Attendees agreed to participate in virtual meetings of focus groups from different project countries to discuss and evaluate innovative rangeland management models in Mediterranean countries.

It is noteworthy that the project (PASTINNOVA) is funded by the European Commission – (PRIMA-2021) program to support scientific research and innovations in the Mediterranean countries and implemented in Lebanon, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, France, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia (for a period of three years starting May 2022).

• 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.

• The Faculty of Agriculture at the Lebanese University wins the PRIMA-section I program to support scientific research and innovations in the Mediterranean countries

The research project (PASTINNOVA), in which the Faculty of Agriculture / Lebanese University participated in cooperation with a number of partners within a scientific cooperation network sponsored by (AGRERI-Agricultural Economic Research Institute) and (Hellenic Agricultural Organization), has received the approval and funding of the European Commission within the program (PRIMA-2021) to support scientific research and innovation in the Mediterranean countries.

Building on the 2021 themes of section I PRIMA on stimulating the environmental, social and economic performance of small-scale farming systems through improved organizational aspects and new value chain management models, a group of researchers from Lebanon/Faculty of Agriculture at the Lebanese University, Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Croatia, Slovenia, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and Cyprus prepared a joint research project on "Innovative models for a sustainable future for Mediterranean pasture systems" under the title (PASTINNOVA).

PASTINNOVA aims to enhance the sustainability, profitability and resilience of small pastoral farms by developing innovations and business and regulatory models to value their full potential and facilitate their access to markets, under the following headings:

Diagnosis through the presentation of innovative projects, practices and initiatives

Test selected innovations in different contexts

Small-scale pilot implementation and sustainability assessment

Adopt appropriate marketing policies

The Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Nadine Nassif, visited the President of the Lebanese University, Prof. Bassam Badran, accompanied by the coordinator of the Lebanese team and head of the plant production department at the Faculty, Professor Lamis Chalak, and presented with him the work plan and the stages of implementation and thanked him for his continuous support for scientific and research activities at the Faculty of Agriculture.

President Badran stressed the importance of this project, its research value, the new technologies and the general scientific benefit it will provide at the national and global levels, wishing the team success.

• Sandra Suleiman from the Lebanese University: The mushroom hunter who put Lebanon on the map of global sites in the field of fungi

Mycotaxon, a global fungal website, published a scientific article by Sandra Suleiman, a graduate of the Faculty of Science at the Lebanese University, in which she announced the discovery of 62 types of mushrooms that no one had mentioned in Lebanon before – eight of which are considered new species in the world and four rare species that have rarely been mentioned in scientific research.

First molecular-based contribution to the checklist of Lebanon macrofungi

This study is the result of a four-year effort spent by Sandra Suleiman researching fungi in the forests of the Akkar region and its surroundings, including completing her master's degree in the specialization / management and conservation of natural resources in 2019, knowing that the study is the third of its kind in the field of fungi in Lebanon, considering that the first was completed in 1957 and was published and the second in 2000 and was not published.

Noting the importance of the specialization she studied at the Lebanese University, Sandra calls for the subjects of agricultural and environmental studies to be given the necessary attention.

Sandra says that the level of the Lebanese University and its professors is known in Lebanon and the world, which makes it easier for any graduate to pursue his education wherever he is, but she adds: "I will stay in Lebanon and continue my research in the field of studying Lebanese wild mushrooms."

Suleiman completed her work under the supervision of Dr. Jean Estephan from the Lebanese University / Professor of Forestry, and in cooperation with the Environment Council in Akkar - Kobayat and researchers from the University of Montpellier, France.

• The Lebanese University trees the land of the Zahle complex in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture. President Ayoub: Building the complex is an urgent need for the Lebanese University, professors, administrators, students and parents

Under the patronage and presence of the Minister of Culture and Agriculture, Dr. Abbas Mortada, a campaign was launched on June 24, 2021, to afforestation of the property allocated to the university complex in Zahle, in the presence of the President of the Lebanese University, Prof. Fouad Ayoub, the pastor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Zahle and the Bekaa, Metropolitan Antonio Suri, MPs Georges Oqais and Salim Aoun, former MP Elie Maroni, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture Louis Lahoud, Mayor of Zahle Asaad Zgheib, in addition to a number of deans of the faculties of the Lebanese University, directors of its branches, professors, and educational and social events.

After the welcoming speech delivered by Dr. Khader Nabha, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Abbas Mortada, considered that the content of the afforestation campaign in Zahle is to spread hope throughout the place, pointing out that the regions are now eligible to start implementing the university complex, which befits the determination of generations to live and promote a country whose future is burdened with burdens and crises.

Minister Mortada said: "The governorates of Bekaa, Baalbek-Hermel and Akkar have every right to establish university complexes that simulate the aspirations of their children, specifically the establishment of branches of the Faculty of Agriculture in the aforementioned governorates because they constitute a model for the application of theoretical and applied lessons and the development of production through direct simulation of the ground at the level of agricultural seasons and animal production.

Minister Mortada added: "The decree establishing the Faculty of Agriculture at the Lebanese University identified the Bekaa as the center of this faculty, and our old and new demands confirm the importance of including any university complex specializations that simulate the requirements of the labor market."

Minister Mortada called for fairness to the deprived areas by creating complexes and branches of the faculties of the Lebanese University that reduce the burden of studying for our people and open horizons for students through the diversity of specializations.

The Minister of Agriculture praised the distinguished performance of the cadres and professors of the Lebanese University in various faculties and the integration in the performance between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Faculty of Agriculture at the Lebanese University, hoping that this integration will develop in the formulation of joint national policies, the first of which was the cooperation of the two parties in developing the five-year agricultural strategy launched by the Ministry of Agriculture.

For his part, the President of the Lebanese University, Professor Fouad Ayoub, pointed out that the dream of building the university complex in Zahle is not a luxury for anyone, but rather an urgent need for the Lebanese University, professors, administrators, students and parents.

President Ayoub pointed out that the first step is cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, which provided more than 600 trees to fence the land of the complex, which is waiting to be built to be a sustainable edifice that takes into account environmental and health conditions.

He added: "Some may say that afforestation step is not the basis for stimulating the ambition to establish the complex, but it is the first step of hope in preserving its land and comes in the context of promoting a culture of belonging to the land and preserving the environment and falls within the Lebanese University's strategy to achieve sustainable development goals."

President Ayoub pointed out that the French Development Agency has committed to financing and constructing the complex, and indeed a delegation accompanied by a group of specialists visited the faculties of the fourth branch more than once in preparation for the construction of the complex and began its studies, but the developments of the Corona pandemic and the political and economic crisis in Lebanon have braked these efforts.

President Ayoub affirmed the determination of the Lebanese University to continue working to achieve this dream, hoping that the political conditions will change and the country will recover its health, and the wheel of life will return to normal, so projects will move, loans will be facilitated and plans will be approved, including the files of university complexes in the regions, especially in Zahle, Hermel and Akkar.

The students of the Faculty of Agriculture, under the supervision of Dean Professor Nadine Nassif, planted trees and fenced the complex grounds.

• 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.

 Agricultural cooperation agreement between the Faculty of Agriculture, the Gerji Dakash and Sons Company and the Aradna Association

An agricultural cooperation agreement with the Managing Director of Gerji Dakkash and Sons Company and Our Land Association, Mr. Shawki Dakache, in the central administration of the Lebanese University - Al-Mathaf. The signing ceremony was attended by the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture of the Lebanese University, Dr. Samir Al-Mudawwar, Dr. Eddy Tabet, several employees of Dakash Company, professors of the Faculty of Agriculture of the Lebanese University and several university administrators and media professionals.  

Mr. Hussain 

The President of the Lebanese University, Dr. Adnan Al-Sayed Hussein, welcomed the General Director of the Gerji Dakkash Company, Mr. Shawki Dakkash, for what he represents of an agricultural activity based on science in modern methods and for what He represents Our Land Association, as well as the Dakash Family Association that was established to develop agriculture in Lebanon and the Arab world. 

He noted that the Faculty of Agriculture of the Lebanese University is proud to sign the agricultural cooperation agreement with this civil institution that works in the field of agricultural development and calls for its strengthening. 

He added: “It is the duty of the Lebanese University to make known the importance of the Faculty of Agriculture in Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Medicine, this applied faculty that emerged after the student struggle between 1973 and 1975 and despite the delay in its decrees, it was and it remains a unified university that graduates the best agricultural engineers who are proud of them and their achievements. Some of them traveled to Europe and North America and obtained the highest degrees at the doctoral level, while the Department of Veterinary Medicine is only present at the Lebanese University. 

He continued: "As for the Ghazir Center, it is a field applied to the theoretical lessons that the student receives, and the company is expected to develop it and develop its production. As for the agricultural carp model that the company provides, the objective is train our students, develop scientific research, serve the Faculty of Agriculture and benefit from multiple experiences. " 

Lebanon - Urban Issues

Key Urban Issues 

Lebanon has for decades witnessed a rapid and uncontrolled urban growth and sprawl. With limited planning regulations in place or enforced, the urban areas are covering increasingly large areas, at the same time urban disparities has grown. New constructions are massively increasing especially at the coastal zone, where the majority of the Lebanese population resides, contributing to the uncontrolled urban expansion (CDR, 2005). 

The planning systems are to a little extent equipped to consider measures to mitigate the urban divide. The lack of local planning and cross sectorial master plans hinders any absorption capacity of the increasing urban population. The service systems have over the years of the civil war become increasingly deficient and have not been systematically addressed since. This is further exacerbated by a fragmented service provision and planning system. As a result, while two thirds of the population is connected to sewerage networks only 8% is treated and 50% of the water is lost in the networks. Additionally, the national average power supply lies at only 18.3 hours per day. The poor services, lack of planning and heavy reliance on private transportation – Lebanon has the second highest person-to-car rate in the world - has a dramatically negative impact on the environment and health of urban citizens. This has been further exacerbated by the Syrian crisis and the massive rise of population.