LEBANON (Enmaeya Features) - November 5, 2025

Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it is reshaping how we live, work, and plan for the future. From rising temperatures to shifting rainfall patterns, the impacts are being felt across every sector of society. Around the world, countries are rethinking their economies, energy systems, and environmental policies to cope with this new reality.

As the effects intensify, world leaders, scientists, and civil society representatives gather each year under the banner of the Conference of the Parties (COP), the United Nations’ most important platform for climate negotiation and action.

Established in 1995 under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP brings together nearly 200 countries to assess progress, renew commitments, and agree on new measures to tackle the climate crisis collectively.

This year in November, the international community will convene in Belém, Brazil, for COP30, a landmark event marking ten years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement. The conference will serve as a critical checkpoint for global climate efforts, as nations are expected to submit their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), outlining renewed and more ambitious commitments to tackle the climate crisis.

NDCs and Why They Matter

At the core of the Paris Agreement are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the national climate action plans that define each country’s commitments to reducing emissions, adapting to climate impacts, and supporting sustainable development. Each country updates its NDC every five years to reflect progress and increase ambition.

The upcoming round, known as NDC 3.0, will be a defining feature of COP30. Countries are expected to submit new, more ambitious plans that integrate resilience, inclusivity, and just transition into their climate strategies. This process is not just about pledges; it’s about demonstrating real progress and accountability in implementing climate policies that work for people and the planet.

Where Lebanon Stands on Climate Action

As a signatory to the Paris Agreement, Lebanon has committed to contributing to global efforts to limit the temperature rise and address the impacts of climate change. Recently, the Ministry of Environment finalized and submitted Lebanon’s Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), a renewed roadmap for climate action.

To understand how Lebanon’s climate commitments have evolved, here’s a look at the country’s NDC journey since 2015:

Replacing Lebanon’s 2020 submission, NDC 3.0 outlines the country’s commitments for the period 2031–2035, setting clear targets for mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development.

Coming at a time when Lebanon continues to grapple with economic hardship, political instability, and the aftermath of regional crises, the new plan reflects both resilience and resolve.

It underscores Lebanon’s determination to align its national recovery efforts with climate action, signaling a shift from pledges on paper to concrete implementation and measurable progress.

Raising the Bar on Emission Targets

Under the updated plan, Lebanon commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 22% unconditionally and 33% conditionally by 2035. These figures slightly exceed the 20% and 31% targets set for 2030.

In the energy sector, Lebanon now aims for 25% of electricity demand to come from renewable energy sources under unconditional scenarios and 30% under conditional ones, marking a notable rise from the 18% and 30% goals outlined in 2020.

From Strategy to Structure

A major innovation in NDC 3.0 lies in its governance and implementation architecture. Moving beyond the broad strategies of the previous version, the new NDC introduces institutional mechanisms such as the Climate Secretariat, NDC Committee Taskforces, and MISCAL, the Management Information System for Climate Action.

These mechanisms will enhance coordination among ministries and ensure accountability through the new Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), which aligns Lebanon’s monitoring and reporting processes with global standards under the Paris Agreement. This marks Lebanon’s transition from planning to performance, a critical step for attracting climate finance and demonstrating progress.

From Concept to Capital

Finance remains a cornerstone of Lebanon’s new NDC. The Lebanon Green Investment Facility (LGIF), previously conceptual, is now operational as a national platform to mobilize private capital and coordinate climate finance. Its initial pipeline includes around USD 150 million in bankable projects, designed to attract support from development partners, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and private investors. By leveraging public–private partnerships and de-risking instruments, Lebanon aims to turn its limited fiscal space into sustainable investment opportunities, signaling a strategic shift toward self-sustained green financing.

Broader Scope, Deeper Inclusion

The 2025 NDC expands Lebanon’s climate coverage to include new sectors such as Industrial Processes and Product Use (IPPU) and F-gases, ensuring a more complete emissions profile. On the adaptation side, it now covers eight priority sectors, adding tourism and aligning closely with the National Adaptation Plan (NAP).

Inclusivity stands at the heart of this new submission. Building on previous gender-responsive commitments, the new NDC mainstreams Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) throughout its framework and introduces disaggregated indicators to track progress. It also embeds youth engagement mechanisms, ensuring that young people have a meaningful role in shaping and monitoring Lebanon’s climate action.

Aligning Climate Action with Recovery

Reflecting Lebanon’s complex realities, NDC 3.0 positions climate action as a vehicle for recovery, a pathway to rebuild more sustainably after years of crises. Adaptation measures prioritize water management, agriculture, biodiversity, and disaster risk reduction, all of which are critical for resilience and economic revival.

By linking climate goals to job creation, poverty reduction, and growth, the plan reframes sustainability as a development opportunity rather than a burden. This framing aims to attract both international support and domestic confidence in Lebanon’s ability to rebuild greener.

Compared to the 2020 version, NDC 3.0 distinguishes itself through its clarity, inclusiveness, and accountability.

Yet, as with any policy document, questions remain. Will Lebanon’s government stand by the targets it has set, and, more importantly, will it have the means to achieve them? Will the country secure the climate finance and international support needed to turn plans into real progress?

The answers will shape not only Lebanon’s climate future, but also its broader path toward recovery, trust, and sustainability.