We have the power to reduce Lebanon’s air and noise pollution, but also to restore natural water systems and become a haven for migratory birds.
We are planting native forests, bringing back this ecosystem that used to exist here and which have disappeared because of urbanization. We are replicating and bringing it back into these urban landfills.
Lebanon suffers from the highest rate of premature deaths in the region due to extremely high levels of air pollution, according to a Greenpeace report 2020. The country’s burning of Heavy Fuel Oil in power plants, unfiltered generators and endless traffic fumes contribute to record levels of nitrogen oxide particles in the air. Nitrogen oxide is a dangerous pollutant released when fuel is burned, and can cause respiratory problems and damage to lungs.
According to Greenpeace’s air pollution report of 2018, Jounieh is the most polluted town in Lebanon and listed as the fifth-most-polluted region in the Arab world. The town’s location beside the highway and the impact of the power plant have been factors in the city’s poor environmental standing.