Lebanon, the land of the cedars. Lebanon is endowed with a rich and diversified natural ecosystem, ranging across coastal areas, plains, valleys, and forests
extensive water resources through springs and rivers
breathtaking landscapes and pleasant climate. This ecosystem could have constituted Lebanon's asset for economic and social development. However, with the current state of degradation of natural resources
urban sprawl taking over
extensive littering
mountains scarred with quarries
and polluted air, water, and soil, the nostalgic vision of a beautiful Lebanon is heavily compromised. The Cost of Environmental Degradation (COED) provides an annual cost of environmental degradation and measures in monetary terms the impacts caused by the environmental damage occurring in the reference year, 2023 in this case. The total cost is also estimated in terms of percentage of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) for 2023. As such, the COED aims to inform equitable policy choices to support the integrity of the environment and promote conservation within the context of sustainable development.