SwitchMed in Lebanon

United Nations 2 years ago

The Lebanese Sustainable Consumption and Production National Action Plan (SCP-NAP) was developed under the coordination of the Ministry of Environment (MoE) in close collaboration with the Ministry of Industry (MoI) and other key partners under the EU funded SwitchMed programme. with advisory services and technical support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Plan is part of Lebanon’s efforts to achieve Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. The SCP-NAP (SDG 12.1) prioritizes the mainstreaming of SCP in the industrial sector’s policies and plans and as developed in a participatory and consultative approach. SCP-NAP Summary was also available.  Switch to Circular Economy: Under SwitchMed II, a short document "How Lebanon is switching to a Circular Economy" was prepared to present an overview on how the country is implementing activities/policies/programs on SCP and Circular Economy.In this document you will see 10 success stories inspired by the work of SwitchMed in the Lebanese Republic. They show how what began in workshops developed into plans that created a ripple that flowed out around the country. This short publication shows that opportunities for countries from sustainable consumption and production are rich and varied. The Switch to SCP is off and running. SwitchMed is proud to have supported Lebanon in its work to build a society where people and planet thrive and prosper together. Lebanon has already developed integrated plans and a regulatory framework that have SCP at their core. For some time now, it has been building on these, expanding its waste reduction plan, establishing a circular economy, and further developing its work on sustainable water managements and energy solutions. It is clear that SCP is no longer just something discussed in meeting rooms. Now it is happening on the ground, across business and industry, in cities and regions, reducing pollution, improving the air we breathe, and promoting better use of nature’s gifts through resource-efficient and low-carbon consumption and production practices. Demonstration project:  UNEP work with Lebanese NGO - Nusaned under SwitchMed II in Lebanon on a community-based pilot in the Mar Mikhael - Gemmayze area in Beirut which seeks to address the challenges of reduction and prevention of food waste and packaging waste to divert them from landfills using concepts of SCP and circular economy. The outputs include: Green and Circular Restaurants Project Report Plastics Circle Report Food Circle Report Guideline for Restaurants Eateries to become Green and Circular For each of these documents 2-page and 10-page factsheet/summary delivered:  Nudawwer Project  Nudawwer Food Circle   Nudawwer Plastics Circle    Nudawwer Green and Circular Restaurants   SM II Lebanon Nudawwer   SM II Lebanon Nudawwer Food Circle   SM II Lebanon Nudawwer Plastics Circle  SM II Lebanon Nudawwer Green and Circular Restaurants  Policy recommendations of the different “circles” Next steps will be the organization of national restitution events and the preparation of  communication and awareness raising material. We looking forward to replicate this collaboration in the other on-going projects under SwitchMed II with the Hariri Foundation in Saida.
→ View Full Article

layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 4 hours ago



Policy shifts and corporate commitments are redefining sustainable construction as global focus intensifies toward COP30 in Belém. The UK Government’s Carbon Budget Delivery Plan marks a decisive step in aligning the built environment with net zero carbon targets. For the first time, it introduces enforceable mechanisms linking planning approvals and building standards to measurable reductions in embodied carbon. This move places whole life carbon assessment and life cycle cost analysis at the centre of sustainable building design, steering project teams toward low carbon design principles and eco-design for buildings that elevate environmental sustainability in construction.

Developers are recalibrating specifications to address the carbon footprint of construction, prioritising low embodied carbon materials and renewable building materials suited to net zero whole life carbon performance. The broader integration of circular economy thinking, including end-of-life reuse in construction and circular construction strategies, is encouraging a shift from traditional linear models to approaches that improve building lifecycle performance and resource efficiency in construction. Certification frameworks such as BREEAM and the forthcoming BREEAM v7 are reinforcing measurable sustainability outcomes through more transparent lifecycle assessment metrics and robust environmental product declarations (EPDs).

Across Europe, debate over proposed amendments to sustainability disclosure laws has exposed tensions between economic growth and transparent reporting of the environmental impact of construction. Any move that weakens accountability could undermine progress on decarbonising the built environment, affecting the credibility of green building materials and products used worldwide. Companies active in the construction supply chain are increasingly aware that circular economy in construction principles and sustainable material specification are both commercial imperatives and ethical obligations.

Corporate actors are now expected not only to achieve carbon footprint reduction in their portfolios but also to advocate for resilient policy frameworks that support net zero carbon buildings and low carbon construction materials. Within this context, eco-friendly construction and sustainable building practices are evolving from compliance goals to essential market differentiators. Ethical sourcing of materials, influenced by global resource pressures, is pushing sustainable design and green construction forward as defining methods for a climate-resilient future.

Show More

camera_altFeatured Instagram Posts:

Get your opinion heard:

Whole Life Carbon is a platform for the entire construction industry—both in the UK and internationally. We track the latest publications, debates, and events related to whole life guidance and sustainability. If you have any enquiries or opinions to share, please do get in touch.