For the past decades, environmental problems have been the center of global attention due to their increasingly negative effect on the people and the planet.
This article was originally published in, translated from the Lebanese newspaper Addiyar.
Additionally, climate change is one of the most severe issues; as global temperatures rise, extreme weather events become more frequent, and air pollution becomes another major problem, as emissions from burning fossil fuels lead to acid rain and smog.
These environmental threats also affect Lebanon, where environmental crises remain at the forefront despite the political crises.
Speaking to Addiyar newspaper, environmental expert and Professor Doumit Kamel said Lebanon faces several environmental challenges, most resulting from human activities.
He stressed that air pollution is one of the most pressing issues, as sources of pollution include fossil fuel burning, industrial production, and traffic emissions, which have led to acid rain and smog emissions that can have serious health effects.
In addition to these mentioned effects, water scarcity, in turn, has become a fundamental problem, as the demand for groundwater exceeds the supply due to industrial and agricultural activities. This has led to a decrease in water quality and, therefore, can increase water-borne diseases.
He pointed out that deforestation is also a significant problem, as urban deforestation is done to provide timber and, finally, poaching, which is another concern, as the excess capacity of some commercial fishing fleets leads to depletion.
Regarding solutions, to tackle all types of pollution in Lebanon, the environmental expert revealed via the newspaper that several solutions must be adopted.
This includes increasing the efficiency of energy production, adopting clean energy sources such as solar and wind energy, improving waste management, and investing in air filtration and water purification technologies.
Further, regulations must be put in place and enforced to reduce emissions from industrial activities and automobiles. Public awareness campaigns should also be conducted to educate people about the effects of pollution and encourage environmentally friendly behavior.