Lebanon's Nationally Determined Contribution 3.0

Priority sectors include, agriculture, water, urban infrastructure, public health, energy and transport, and waste, while the broader NDC 3.0 adaptation framework also includes forestry, biodiversity, disaster risk reduction, and tourism.

The NDC includes specific just transition priorities for each sector.

For example, in agriculture, the focus is on climate-smart practices that support rural employment, skills development, and access to finance for smallholders and cooperatives. In water and urban infrastructure, the emphasis is on equitable service access, inclusive governance, and resilient reconstruction in underserved and conflict-affected areas. The public health sector addresses climate-related risks by strengthening system resilience and protecting at-risk populations. In energy, transport, and waste management, Lebanon promotes renewable energy, green mobility, inclusive recycling systems, and job creation, with particular attention to informal workers, public health, and affordability.

The NDC additionally mentions how action across these sectors can contribute to economic transformation, safeguarding of livelihoods, and the enhancement of social protection, particularly for vulnerable groups. Just transition is therefore presented with both sector-specific objectives, as well as cross-cutting priorities. This is further underlined by cross-cutting enablers such as digital innovations and technology, capacity-building, governance reforms, with particular attention given to inclusion of vulnerable groups.

Lastly, the NDC 3.0 calls for Lebanon's just transition approach to align with international frameworks such as the ILO Guidelines for at just transition towards environmentallysustainable economies and societies for all and the UAE Just Transition Work Programme. Elements such as decent work, gender equality, skills, enterprise development, social protection, and occupational health and safety, all central to the ILO Guidelines, are here included.

The development of Lebanon’s NDC 3.0 was coordinated by the Ministry of Environment. Cross-ministerial participation included line ministries responsible for agriculture, forestry, water, biodiversity, urban infrastructure, public health, energy, transport, waste, and tourism. International organizations such UNDP, UN Women, and ILO amongst others provided technical guidance and facilitated engagement.

A broad participatory approach was applied to capture inputs from all actors:

• Line ministries such as Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Energy and Water, Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
• Youth representatives contributed via advisory platforms and sectoral consultations, providing concrete recommendations for agriculture, water, biodiversity, health, waste, energy, and transport sectors.
• Women and gender experts, including the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), were actively engaged to mainstream gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) across all sectors.
• Sectoral taskforces included representatives from civil society, private sector, and government, ensuring that all relevant actors were represented in the consultation process.

The methodology included:

• Bilateral meetings with ministries and agencies for technical alignment.
• Validation sessions with the taskforces to review and confirm NDC priorities and sectoral measures.

The outcomes of these consultations were integrated directly into the NDC 3.0, informing sectoral adaptation measures, mitigation targets, and cross-cutting priorities such as digital innovation, MRV, capacity building, and gender mainstreaming. Inputs also helped ensure that just transition principles, decent green jobs, skills development, social protection, and inclusive participation, were embedded across sectors.

Youth, women, and displaced communities were central actors in Lebanon’s climate transition, and the NDC revision process.

Youth contributed with concrete adaptation and mitigation proposals and help address capacity and governance gaps. For example, localized seed banks, digital water-monitoring platforms, climate-resilient agriculture practices, biodiversity restoration inputs, health sector contributions, and advisory inputs on waste, energy, and transport sectors. Their role is strengthened through structured participation mechanisms, including advisory platforms and representation in sectoral coordination bodies.

Women are disproportionately affected by climate impacts due to unequal access to resources, yet central to household energy, water, and food security. Despite high engagement in agriculture, they face barriers to land, finance, technology, and climate information, increasing vulnerability and exposure to gender‑based risks. Priority actions include:

• expanding women’s leadership in climate‑resilient food systems and natural‑resource management
• strengthening gender‑responsive health and social protection
• improving access to climate information, finance, and technologies.

Internally displaced population are also highly impacted by climate actions. Lebanese displacement considerations are incorporated in the just transition approach of the country.