Desertification in Lebanon

According to a study done by the National Work to Fight Desertification program, over 60 percent of the land in Lebanon is at risk of desertification.^[1] According to The World Bank, the country's arable land, having reached 23.5% of the country's territory during the years 1971–1973, fell to 11.1% in 2010 and, as of 2021, had risen to just 13.6%.^[2][3] Lebanon's land desertification spreads 60 kilometers, beginning at the edge of the city Baalbek and continuing to its border with Syria. Most studies on desertification in Lebanon have concluded that the area of northern Bekaa is the region most affected by this environmental issue.

One of Lebanon's main causes of desertification is the development of cities on prime agricultural land. Forests were cleared and roads were built without any consideration of the impact it would have on the society and environment, which led to severe land degradation.^[4] Additionally, this area has suffered from a severe lack of rainfall. Northern Bekaa has had an annual average of 450 mm of rain in the past few years, and some areas in Hermel have had less than 150 mm (5.9 in). Although there have been ecotourism projects in Hermel that help raise awareness of the environment for the residents, most of the land has become unusable and projects to repair the land would leave a large bill for landowners.^[5]