The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), In partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and with the support of the Municipality of Jbeil, have started the works on a sustainable low emission transportation system that relies on a fleet of electric buses for public transport services along the Jbeil-Beirut line. The works on the project kicked-off through an Inception workshop Introducing the promising project and Its strategy of mobilization and Implementation to local stakeholders.

The Lebanese transport sector is the second largest consumer of energy in Lebanon. It entirely relies on gasoline and diesel, and contributes to approximately 23% of the nation’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is estimated that air pollution from polluting old cars costs at least USD 200 million of economic loss per year. In 2019, only 35 buses were still in operation across nine lines in Beirut and one line in the Bekaa area.

To that end and to overcome the current unsustainable transportation sector in Lebanon, UNDP is developing a strategy that takes into consideration two key dimensions of sustainable mobility: the facilitation of the transition towards electrification of public transport and the improvement of the quality of service. As a first step towards implementing this strategy, UNDP in partnership with the Municipality of Jbeil will launch a fleet of electric buses for public transport services along the Jbeil-Beirut line, where charging stations relying on renewable energy will be provided at a bus depot in Jbeil Municipality.

Within this context, UNDP will strengthen policy and social environment to support the promotion of sustainable low emissions transport systems on the one hand and remove short-term barriers through e-mobility and low-carbon demonstrations on the other. The former will be achieved through guidelines on low-cost sustainable mobility measures, a national e-mobility strategy prepared with government and key stakeholders, and a roadmap on end-of-life vehicle management, including electric vehicles and their batteries. While the latter will be achieved through the demonstration of pilot projects, targeting public transportation with the Municipality of Jbeil and vehicle fleet management with the Internal Security Forces (ISF). The Ministry of Interior and Municipalities (MoIM) play a critical role, serving as the focal point of the Government of Lebanon (GoL) in its relations with municipalities and contributing with its own channels to disseminate best practices at the local level.

The project will use the information gathered and the technical lessons learnt to encourage the replication of this intervention in other areas in Lebanon.

UNDP is working in Lebanon since 1986 as a development partner supporting economic recovery, including working with municipalities to deliver basic services to host communities, promoting clean energy and solid waste management, strengthening governance and rule of law, providing support to elections, and working on empowering women and youth.
 

For more information, please contact

UNDP – Lebanon       |  Rana Moughabghab      | rana.moughabghab@undp.org |           +961 3 835 351