PM Salam calls for international support to address Lebanon's environmental damage at COP31

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed that Lebanon's climate challenges cannot be separated from the consequences of war, economic collapse, and the country's difficult recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Speaking at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), Salam said years of financial crisis had weakened Lebanon's institutions and public services, while successive wars had caused widespread destruction to infrastructure, agricultural land, forests, and ecosystems.

He said environmental losses resulting from Israeli attacks, which he described as violations of international humanitarian law, exceeded $512 million in 2023 and 2024, in addition to further losses incurred in 2026.

Salam warned that the environmental consequences of war extend far beyond financial estimates, leaving lasting damage to ecosystems, livelihoods, and local communities for years to come.

He emphasized that recovery must go beyond rebuilding homes and roads to include restoring agricultural land, rehabilitating ecosystems, and reviving livelihoods.

The prime minister reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to making environmental restoration and climate resilience integral parts of reconstruction efforts, alongside achieving stability, restoring sovereignty, and upholding international law.

Salam also stressed that national efforts alone cannot overcome the structural and financial challenges facing a country recovering from successive crises and wars.

He called for increased public funding, a stronger role for grants, and simplified access to existing financing mechanisms, while taking into account the specific circumstances of countries affected by crises.