With such a small industrial production, does it matter if the Lebanese care about global warming?
So today is blog action day, and the topic is climate change. I really don’t know what “action” the people behind this day are talking about. What I really care about is our role as a tiny nation, whose minuscule green gas footprint is so small it hardly registers. Do we, as Lebanese, really need to take part of this great debate?
When it comes to global warming, the Lebanese are divided into three categories: The preachy (“do you know that your gas-guzzling Hummer is going to kill us all?”) , the apathetic (“Global warming? Whatever dude”) and the skeptic (“Global warming is a hoax man, I can’t believe you’re falling for this”)
What I don’t see is people asking: How can we benefit from this worldwide scare and put Lebanon at the forefront of action to find a solution? (and cash in on it)
I can hear what you’re thinking: But we’re a small country, we can hardly make a difference. But that’s exactly where you’d be wrong. It is precisely because we are a small country that we can try out new ways to power our lifestyles. America and China are too big, too industrialized to use their countries as labs, but Lebanon? with our pathetic electricity supply, we really have nothing to lose.
If you think I’m talking pie-in-the-sky, I invite you to look at our enemy down south. Israel, a country with a similar size and climate to ours, is putting itself at the forefront of research to fight global warming. Do you know that Israel will be the world’s first country to use electrical cars on a wide scale?
Renauld-Nissan needed a small country to test what an all-electrical-cars market would behave like. They needed a government that would install electrical filling stations all over the country, entrepreneurs that would make money out of the venture, and scientists that would keep improving the efficiency.
It is a failure of our nation, of our society, of our politics, that Renauld-Nissan –whose CEO Carlos Ghosn has Lebanese roots– chose Israel, not Lebanon as a battleground against global warming.
Please also take your time to see what my blogger friends had to say for this global action day: Lilliane, Rami, Maya, Chantal, Joe , Darine, Hummus, Cafethawra
Hello, my name is Mustapha and I have been blogging about Lebanese society and politics since February 2005. You can also find me on 
Loved your perspective of cashing in on Global Warming! Very perceptive!
I really like your perspective, this is exactly why so many people should talk about this cause, because each has a different yet thought-provoking point of view :)
Thank you for this article!
Thanks for the info, I didn’t really know that.
Lebanese are more interested with who is winning and who gets more seats that, that in itself is ruining the Lebanese future.
Many would think that it is a bit premature to talk about other rights and topics that take worldwide controversy, and we should worry about the “important” stuff, i.e. having one less or more seat… and that is repugnant.
We need electricity to implement electrical car.
We do not have enough electricity to do so because of th stupid policies that were implemented since the mid 90
It’s shocking how we are so busy fighting with each other on dumb-ass non-interesting political and internal issues all managed by the same families since 1975.
Israel’s problems are far worse than ours, but they have the best technology in the region and some of the most advanced labs in the world.
We really need to get over ourselves and stop thinking we’re the best with our Hummers, Solidere, nightlife and hummus – we need to start acting. As you said we’re SO small that the infrastructure needed for Leb shouldn’t too much of a hassle to build.
Mustapha, I can’t thank you enough for the initiative you’re taking, by talking about “Global Warming and the Lebanese” which in fact should be Global Warning for us here, in Lebanon!! this is a soo important yet indispensable issue that the entire globe ‘might’ face one day and is already facing!
Yess it is disappointing that most of the reactions in Lebanon are either (apathetical) or (skeptical) as you mentioned above but only (the preachy)is a minority!!
and yess it is a shame but maybe comprehensive that Carlos Ghosn, Nissan CEO chose Israel for the all-electrical-cars market test!!
I am one of the minority people who works for just good and great causes..
All i can say for the moment is that I AM ASHAMED of such a selfish government and such a decadent society, and i say it loud!
WAKE UP!!!
Imagine if Israel was not considered “the enemy”, and imagine the two countries were at peace… then the electric car program could potentially have been done in both countries! Both small, both neighbours.
Global warming affects warm countries more than temperate ones, so it should definitely be a concern to Lebanon (maybe not as much as sub-Saharan Africa, but still…)
Great initiative, however, unfortunately, in the third world banana republic that the current Lebanese leaders have turned Lebanon into, these ideas seam like distant dreams. However I till think that talking about such issues is extremely important.
Mustapha,
It sure is important to take increase awareness about environmental degradation and climate change but it is equally important to promote strategies that would make a difference and that are meaningful.
It is crucially important to be guided by what all serious environmental scientists all over the world have been saying for decades: Sustainability is NOT compatible with economic growth. It is one or the other but not both since “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch”; TANSTAAFL.
I actually think this is one of the most important topics that should be discussed.
Even if we’re a small country, we can always make a difference.
Each and every one of us should know enough about the environment, pollution and global warming.
Awareness should be stressed however, not only to adults, but also to children.
I am an employee at Turning Point, a book publishing company, we see this topic as a very important topic, and this is why we have an Arabic book for children called:”Hayati Afdal Bl Akhdar”, where we spread awareness to children about the environment and pollution in specific.
All this builds up for the future!