Lebanon’s transport sector is one of the most unsustainable in the Middle East region. This is mostly due to the continuing absence of any public transportation by bus or rail for over 40 years, and the lack of infrastructure for alternative transport means, such as bicycles and walking. The result is an exclusive reliance on cars and trucks that are overly polluting; according to local research, 98 percent of all fuels used in Lebanon’s transport are gasoline and diesel, with 60 percent of all cars having large engines, and 70 percent being older than 10 years. Mobility in Lebanon has become synonymous with traffic congestion and noxious fumes, harming human health, the economy, and the environment. It is clear from the diagnosis of the problem that serious solutions by the state are needed immediately, under the organizing umbrella of a national transportation strategy that is still missing to date. But
Marc Haddad, PhD, is an assistant professor in the school of engineering at the Lebanese American University and a co-founder of TRACS, a non-profit civil society organization in Lebanon.
