Environmental losses arising from Israeli attacks, which he described as violations of international humanitarian law, exceeded $512 million between 2023 and 2024, with further losses recorded in 2026
By Njoku Vincent
Lebanon has suffered more than $512 million in environmental losses as a result of Israeli attacks in 2023 and 2024, with additional damage recorded in 2026, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has disclosed.
Salam made the disclosure on Thursday while addressing the COP31 United Nations Climate Summit in Antalya, southern Türkiye, where world leaders and climate negotiators are discussing environmental protection and climate change.
He said years of conflict, compounded by Lebanon’s prolonged economic crisis, had inflicted severe damage on the country’s infrastructure, agricultural lands, forests and ecosystems.
According to the Lebanese prime minister, environmental losses arising from Israeli attacks, which he described as violations of international humanitarian law, exceeded $512 million between 2023 and 2024, with further losses recorded in 2026.
Salam warned that the consequences of the environmental destruction would extend far beyond the period of conflict, threatening ecosystems and the livelihoods of communities dependent on agriculture and other natural resources.
He stressed that Lebanon’s reconstruction efforts must not be limited to rebuilding destroyed homes, roads and public infrastructure but should also prioritise the restoration of agricultural lands, rehabilitation of damaged ecosystems and recovery of affected livelihoods.
“Lebanon insists that environmental restoration and climate resilience be integral to reconstruction, alongside stability, the restoration of our sovereignty, and respect for international law,” he said.
The prime minister called for environmental recovery to become a central component of Lebanon’s post-conflict rebuilding strategy, warning that failure to address ecological damage could worsen the country’s long-term vulnerabilities.
COP31 opened in Antalya on Monday and is scheduled to run until November 20, bringing together world leaders, policymakers and climate experts to deliberate on climate financing, adaptation strategies and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.