Health & Environment

Around 70% of Lebanon’s population lives on the coast, mainly in large cities such as Beirut, Tripoli and Saida. Unfortunately, this is where power plants also need to be located for both fuel delivery and the accessibility to large quantities of sea water to cool their turbines.

The Lebanese coast is 220 km long. Power plants located along this short and highly urbanized coast line substantially impact the environment and public health. In 2018, Green Peace included Jounieh among the world’s 50 most polluted cities mainly due to the lethal combination of the Zouk power plant, diesel generators and condensed traffic. Pollution from the Jiyeh power plant also inflicts the local population with high incidences of cancer and pulmonary diseases.

Reducing greenhouse emissions must therefore become a priority due its lethal effects on public health. The government plans to replace existing heavy fuel oil plants by ‘cleaner’ natural gas plants. Indeed, natural gas’ emissions are 399 Kg of CO2/MWh compared to heavy fuel oil plants’ 700; diesel plants’ 700 and small diesel generators’1143.

Yet renewable energy is emissions free! To respect the environment, clean energy production must therefore become a priority. This will require displacing energy production away from population centers and closing down some plants on the coast. Such strategy will substantially improve the quality of life for the majority of the Lebanese population living along the Mediterranean coast.

Ultimately, reaching the 50% renewable energy target will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 61%, saving $6.4 billion in health care costs over the next ten years.