Representatives from the Lebanese Environmental Forum met with Minister of Environment in the Caretaker Government, Nasser Yassin, at the Ministry’s headquarters, where they discussed ways to enhance the protection of marine protected areas in Lebanon and develop a strategic action plan for the next five years.
The delegation was led by the Forum’s President, Engineer Malik Ghandoor, and included the project team for the marine protected areas initiative, which is being implemented by the Forum in partnership with the University of Balamand and supported by the European Union as part of ongoing efforts to enhance marine environmental protection and preserve biodiversity in Lebanon.
During the meeting, the current challenges facing marine protected areas were discussed, including pollution, overfishing, and climate change. Both parties agreed on the importance of developing a comprehensive action plan that includes specific strategies to address these issues and enhance the effectiveness of marine protected areas.
Key agreements included:
- Developing a Strategic Action Plan: The plan will include defining main objectives, identifying key activities, and establishing criteria to measure success. The focus will be on improving the management of marine protected areas and enhancing research activities.
- Strengthening Collaboration Among Stakeholders: Efforts will be made to enhance collaboration between the Ministry of Environment, the Lebanese Environmental Forum, local communities, and relevant international organizations to ensure the effective implementation of the plan.
- Collaboration Between the Ministry of Environment, the Lebanese Environmental Forum, and UNDP: This collaboration is part of the national biodiversity strategy, which will be presented at the COP 16 biodiversity summit in Colombia.
- Development of the National Map for the Marine Protected Areas Network (MPAs): This will help Lebanon meet its commitment to having 30% of its waters protected by 2030.
- Increasing Public Awareness: Awareness campaigns will be implemented to raise public knowledge about the importance of marine protected areas and the need to preserve them. This will include educational programs and workshops
