| | Environmental Cold War Among International Agencies
| | By Najib Saab
March-April 1999
Amidst more than one dozen international environmental initiatives that mushroomed in the aftermath of the Earth Summit in 1992, the leading role of the main international environmental agency, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has often been downgraded and confused. During its first twenty years (1972-1992), UNEP was the international environmental power behind major global initiatives. This led to the establishment of international conventions that, for the first time, set controls and regulations to a variety of industrial and development activities affecting the environment. The conventions which now guide the global environmental action were all initiated by UNEP: Desertification, Climate Change, Ozone, Biodiversity, Regional Seas, Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal, and many others. | | more... | |
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| | Arab environmental successes in a year
| | By Najib Saab
January-February 1999
Environmental debates in the Arab world often entail discussions of a variety of problems, weaknesses and flaws such as: water scarcity, desertification and land degradation, air pollution, coastal deterioration, uncontrolled municipal and toxic waste, lack of policies and generally poor environmental management. Compounded with global issues such as climate change, nuclear pollution and ozone depletion, the situation looks very gloomy. | | more... | |
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| | From One Environmental Catastrophe to Another
| | By Najib Saab
November-December 1998
As fires were devouring Lebanese forests, reducing millions of trees to ashes in one of the most outrageous environmental and natural disasters in the country, the Ministry of Environment was vocally celebrating Arab Environment Day on 14 October, publishing a newsletter about its "achievements", and declaring 16 November a national environment day. It seemed that the priority during this hellfire was to create another occasion for public statements and speeches. | | more... | |
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| | A 21st century ministry of environment
| | By Najib Saab
September-October 1998
The implementation of the national reconstruction plan in Lebanon has kept the government's attention focused on economic, and to a less degree social development. This was a necessary path to provide basic infrastructure, end the state of war, secure the foundations of peace, achieve stability and rehabilitate public institutions. | | more... | |
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 | | | Arab Environment in 10 Years | | | ARAB ENVIRONMENT IN 10 YEARS crowns a decade of the series of annual reports produced by the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) on the state of Arab environment. It tracks and analyzes changes focusing on policies and governance, including level of response and engagement in international environmental treaties. It also highlights developments in six selected priority areas, namely water, energy, air, food, green economy and environmental scientific research. |
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