Chapter 1: Regional Context and Priorities
Figure 1.2.9: West Asia, refugee waste generation, 2015 45 560
Yemen Lebanon Jordan Iraq
324 485 111 249 44 145
1.2.2 Scarcity of resources as a driver of conflict Annual quality/tonnes
Source: Compiled by the author based on data from different sources such as UNHCR, SWEEP-NET
established during and post-conflict, as well as unsustainable and inefficient coping strategies, have been shown to aggravate the consequences of conflict (UNESCWA 2002). Another indirect impact hindering both economic and social development is the tendency of conflicts to reverse the recovery process achieved during times of relative peace and security, further reinforcing the negetive trend (AFED 2008; UNESCWA 2015a) (More...7).
Just as conflict results in environmental degradation, the environment has been the source of conflicts in the quest for security through access to natural resources (Spring 2001). Moreover, efforts to secure energy sources have led to significant environmental damage. In Iraq, the military conflict, spanning three decades of continuous wars, has led to the greatest level of environmental degradation in the region (Waslekar and Futehally 2009). Of particular significance was the burning of 15 million barrels of oil and 1.5 million cubic meters of petroleum products. Recent droughts have also aggravated the water crisis; the amount of water available per person anually in Iraq fell from 5 090 cubic meters in 1997 to 2 400 in 2009. Several studies warn that the Tigris and Euphrates might dry up by 2040 (Rowling 2014). Coupled with poor water quality, these stresses have displaced people, mainly farming communities, who seek access to better drinking water and livelihoods (Heinrich Böll Foundation 2006; UNEP 2007; Rowling 2014). In Lebanon, failures in resolution and management of these environmental challenges culminated in a recent garbage crisis that stirred social unrest and increased attention to several issues of corruption, leading to political unrest (Kadi 2015). The current waste crisis (Box 1.2.1) in Lebanon is simply a manifestation of the breakdown of institutions that support and govern good civil life (Kadi 2015; Samaha 2015; Stel et al.2015).
Case study Box 1.2.1: Waste crisis in Lebanon
In mid-July 2015, a crippling garbage crisis swept over Beirut and the surrounding mountains as collections were stopped following the closure of the main Naameh landfill due to it being (over)full. Piles of garbage bags accumulated on roadsides while the government was unable to find an alternate solution. This waste crisis served to highlight existing concerns over waste management and environmental governance in Lebanon, as the Naameh landfill was opened as a short-term measure but could not be closed due to the inability of the government to agree on a more lasting solution.
Source: Samaha 2015; Stel et al.2015
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