The major environmental challenges that the MENA region faces are water scarcity, land degradation (incl. desertification), coastal and marine environment degradation, air pollution and climate change.
Fresh water quantity and quality: Water scarcity is a major constraint to development. However, also water quality is emerging as an important issue and is of growing concern to the public and which is caused by industry, agriculture and untreated household sewage.
Land degradation: The land resources of the MENA region face three main challenges: aridity, recurrent drought, and desertification. Major causes of land degradation are overgrazing, deforestation, inappropriate agricultural techniques, etc.
Land degradation is due to wildfire especially that forest management is weak, and that residential developments are spreading to mountainous and vegetated areas. Wildfires are often originated due to human carelessness and to the lack of their consideration to the environment. Fires could be instigated as a result of combustible trash thrown or left in the wilderness after unorganized and uncontrolled camping. Fires could also start with fireworks, cigarette buds, and improperly extinguished campfires and agriculture waste (Lebanon case).
Coastal and marine environment degradation: The three major marine systems in the MENA region are the Mediterranean, the Red Sea Gulf of Aden (RSGA) and the ROPME (Gulf) regions. The marine and coastal environments are threatened by pollution, over fishing, loss of biodiversity, climate change, tourism, waste water, Solid waste, and other problems.
Thematic Focus of the working group
Municipal representatives and urban practitioners will look at common challenges and innovative collaborative mechanisms to protect Biodiversity and ecosystem and support municipalities to reach a good biodiversity governance to provide indispensable ecosystem services to sustaining well-being, and to ensuring future economic and social development.
Among the several workshops, we will highlight Biodiversity related Municipal policy frameworks and practical experiences to stimulate dialogue, synergies and collaboration between the stakeholders. Local governments are key actors in conserving and managing biodiversity, both locally within their own administration and globally, since resource consumption within urban areas affects ecosystems around the world.
This virtual workshop aims at providing an overview of the vast scope for local governments, action in the field of biodiversity management and protection. Its precise objectives, expected outcomes, and target audiences are outlined below:
Objectives and expected outcomes:
General Objectives:
- Initiate a practice – oriented exchange between municipalities active in biodiversity protection
- Facilitate peer to peer learning
- Foster development of concrete projects ideas
Specific Objectives:
- Gain awareness of the importance of biodiversity in an urban context and the value of ecosystem services, and how these are threatened by various factors.
- Comprehend the impact on biodiversity of municipal activities and the relevance of integrating biodiversity management in local planning.
- Gain an overview of the different areas where local governments can actively engage in biodiversity protection.
- Leveraging advanced in digital technology to increase aspects of resilience.
Topics and members of the WG
GIS for biodiversity protection
Urban Gardening
Menjez, Hasbani- Lebanon, Jerash, Balaama, Al Dhulail, Zaatari, Maan, Juneed, Alkarak, Al Salt, Madaba, Sahab/ Jordan; Krefeld Municipality/Germany; Battir municipality/ Palestine; Adrar Municipality
/Algeria; al Hasbani Union of municipalities/Lebanon
You can find an overview over the working group indicators here