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Environmentalism in the arab World

Environmentalism: a cause making very slow progress in the Arab world

While young people all over the world––from San Francisco to Kuala Lumpur to Berlin––went on strike last Friday, imploring world leaders to do their "homework" on climate change, youth in the Arab world did not really answer the call. Out of 150 countries represented in the strike, only seven were in the Arab world; even then, their participation was only marginal.

If environmentalism is catching on in the Arab world, it is happening at a much slower pace than elsewhere. Here, environmentalism does not win elections (when there are elections), and how to respond to one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century is not a major part of public debates. On the occasion of the U.N. climate summit, which brought together around 60 heads of state in New York on Sept. 23, L’Orient-Le Jour is analysing the place of the challenges relatied to the environment in the Arab world.

Young people gathered in Beirut's Martyrs Square on Friday in response to Swedish activist Greta Thunberg's call regarding the environment. Photo Nabil Ismail

"Climate change? It is in God’s hands. What can we do about it?” Lebanese climate activist Nuhad Awwad often hears these words in the Arab world. Here, more than almost anywhere else, it has been difficult for activists to make the environment a public priority.

"In Europe and in North America, people are much more aware. They are already demonstrating in support of this issue. They are conscious not only about the impact of our actions, but also about the ones of governments and big companies. In the Arab world, we are clearly not there yet,” Julien Jreissati, a Greenpeace activist, tells L’Orient-Le Jour (OLJ).

"The culture of protecting the environment and of rationalizing the use of resources that exists in some European countries does not exist––yet––in the Arab world. There are some governmental aspirations that are attempting to transform behavior, but it is a difficult and a long process,” Camille Ammun, a public policy consultant, adds.

In a region where war is on everybody's mind, individual freedoms are lagging behind, job opportunities are becoming scarce, and governments do not always provide their citizens with basic services, worrying about the environment often seems like a Western luxury; a “high-class problem”. "People are becoming more aware of environmental issues, but they believe that they have more important priorities, such as security," says Awwad, a member of the Lebanese branch of the Arab Youth Climate Movement (AYCM).

Despite the lack of interest, countries in the Arab world are particularly affected by the current environmental issues. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of the regions in the world that are expected to be the most severely affected by rising temperatures. "Temperatures are expected to increase in this region by twice the global average, which will make areas uninhabitable and will reduce already limited water and agricultural resources," Sagatom Saha, an independent energy policy analyst, tells OLJ.

According to UN statistics, by 2025 the water supply in the Arab region will represent only 15 percent of the water supply in 1960; an alarming statistic that should cause people to challenge, question and even worry.

Still, the environment and climate change are far from being at the top of the agenda in many countries in the region. The majority of government and political parties continue to focus on territorial security and economic issues. "The Middle East faces many crucial problems, including crises of political stability and fundamental security. But in reality, climate change is probably the most critical and vital matter," Taha argues.

Arab media, which for the most part is controlled by governments, only deals with this topic through the lens of major international climate change negotiations. “Local articles are scarce, especially due to the lack of journalists who are experts on the environmental issues," says Awwad.

"Ignoring climate change in the region is only exacerbating the existing problems," Taha adds. "Migratory flows could increase, making agriculture more difficult, and there will be struggles over water."


A Priority to Education

NGOs and civil society are rallying to address what in most cases is a lack of public policy regarding the environment. The Arab Youth Climate Movement (AYCM) was created in Cairo before the COP18 was held in Doha in 2012. The association has reportedly been gaining members in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These young activists from across the region are often invited to speak at the UN and hope to influence regional environmental policies. "The role of civil society is very important. They are more efficient than state bodies in terms of awareness because they are closer to the citizens," says Mohammad Sefiani, the mayor of of Chefchaouen, a tourist town located in northern Morocco, and well-known to be environmentally friendly.

"There are many associations, including Greenpeace, that are active in the Arab countries. There is some progress, albeit quite slow and modest, but it is progress nonetheless," says Jreissati.

"There are brilliant initiatives on the part of civil societies in the region that are working on an international level," Awwad adds.

All of the activists interviewed by OLJ insisted on the need for education. "There is a lot more awareness. There are more projects, more reports, and more activities on social media, but it is still not ‘mainstream’. It is necessary for ecology to become a subject that is more talked about in the media, discussed in cafes etc," Jreissati says.

The effects of climate change are already being felt on a daily basis, but many people are unable to define their causes or foresee the solutions. "People are not being able to put it into words. For example, a farmer tells us that his cows or fields are less fertile, but he is not aware of what is really happening," says Awwad.

According to activists, getting people interested in the ecological issue should be done by popularizing the language used to talk about it. "When we talk about climate change and some of its impacts, such as desertification, storms, water stress, we are leading people to something more superior, more scientific. So, it is necessary to simplify the language as much as possible so that people realize that they can take immediate action," Jreissati continues.

The issue of plastic is very tangible and therefore accessible. "The plastic issue is simple and more popular," the Greenpeace activist says. This can be seen through the numerous campaigns and initiatives that are flourishing across the region, particularly in Lebanon, which has been facing a serious waste crisis since 2015. "Morocco on the other hand, is ahead of the game and has already banned plastic bags," Jreissati adds.

The law "zero mika" (zero waste) which prohibits the use and production of plastic bags, was passed a few weeks before the COP22 summit that was held in Marrakech in November 2016.


Taking action

The general picture is not a rosy one, but there are grounds for hope. Environmentalism has been progressing more quickly for some years thanks, in particular, to several local and governmental initiatives. "It's not enough to only send messages. We must act in a way that will encourage people to follow us and do the same," says Sefiani, the mayor, explaining that the municipal buildings in his city currently have solar panels and that officials are now using electrical bicycles.

The blue mountain-side city, named after its painted walls, is located in the Moroccan Rif and has become a model. In 2010, the city council and civil society has committed to work together to make it a sustainable city. "We are convinced that ecology and sustainable development are important on the local, national and international levels," says Sefiani, who spoke to OLJ by phone. His determination and actions in favor of the environment made him one of the 100 most influential people in the world this year in regards to climate change.

About 7,500 km away, in the United Arab Emirates, the Vision 2021 national program is focusing on improving air quality, conserving water resources, increasing the contribution of clean energy, and implementing green growth plans. This Gulf State is the Arab leader in environmental issues, and its survival depends on it. "There is an incredible work being done by the UAE government, especially in terms of school programs and increased youth awareness," says Awwad.

Emirati leaders are trying to change people’s behavior. Throwing trash from car windows is subject to a fine of 1,000 dirhams ($272) and six black dots on the driver's license. In 2016, the United Arab Emirates renamed its Ministry of Environment and Water to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. "The Arab Gulf countries want to participate in the tasks of the international agenda for reasons relating to their image. Hence, they had to improve their not-so-green image" say Ammun, the public policy consultant; especially because they are the most polluting countries in the Arab world.



The past five years are amongst the hottest ones ever recorded

The period between 2015 to 2019 is believed to be the hottest one ever recorded, especially after the hot summer of 2019, the UN reported on Sept. 22, the eve of a climate summit in New York, bringing together 60 world leaders. The average temperature for the 2015-2019 period is anticipated to be 1.1° C higher than the 1850-1900 period, according to a report released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which provides a current overview on the Earth’s climate. The latest data confirms the trend of the previous four years, which were already the hottest ever recorded since 1850. It was also established that July 2019, which was marked by several heat waves, especially in Europe, had broken an all-time record in terms of temperatures.

Greenhouse gas emissions have risen again, and by 2019 they will be "at least as high" as 2018, according to the scientists who worked on the UN report. The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is expected to reach a new high at the end of 2019 of 410 parts per million, according to preliminary data. Currently, in regards to the commitments of countries working on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, by 2100, the planet is expected to be warmer by 2.9 to 3.4° C. Efforts by countries to reduce carbon emissions need to be multiplied by five to contain the warming to 1.5° C, as stated in the 2015 Paris Agreement, or a minimum of three times to maintain a 2° C increase, which is the maximum limit stipulated by the text. In fact, the true warming could be even greater, according to more recent climate modelling, including the models of of a French team that predicts 7° C increase as a worst-case scenario.


(This article was originnaly published in french in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 23rd of September)


"Climate change? It is in God’s hands. What can we do about it?” Lebanese climate activist Nuhad Awwad often hears these words in the Arab world. Here, more than almost anywhere else, it has been difficult for activists to make the environment a public priority. "In Europe and in North America, people are much more aware. They are already demonstrating in support of this issue. They are...