Medcities General Assembly Rome 4th – 6th April 2002

1. Medcities General AssemblyRome 4th – 6th April 2002 Tripoli Environmental & Development Observatory TEDO Presented by : Abdallah ABDUL – WAHAB

2. Who Contributed ? MEDCITIES European Commission / LIFE Program DGX1 CUD METAP UNDP FMCU

3. Purpose behind creating an observatory in the U.C.F. ? • Provide better vision on tendencies of Env.& Dev. in the U.C.F. • Reduce gaps and redundancies & avoid contradiction in inform. • Share the gathered information spread it out and give it easier access . • Provide technical data to decision makers before carrying out any project • Establish a dialogue , encourage cooperation & coordination between local authority,local actors & central institutions . • Highlight projects of high priority based on problems starting to appear . • Indicates to what degree the response was attained & to what extent projects realized the expectations .

4. Starting the Project • Technical management :ECODIT • Logistical Coordination : FMCU • Training mission : Regional government • of Catalonia • Area Metropolitana • de Barcelona

5. Tedo’s Team • Abdallah ABDUL - WAHAB : Manager • Dr . Riad MADANI : Technical Coordinator • Dima HOMSI : Urban Management. • Rawia SANKARI : Economist • Amal Soufi : Laboratory Assistant • Rabia Sharkass : Computer Operator

6. Definition • A tool helping the U.C.F. and member municipalities in the management of the environmental problems while keeping a sustainable development .

7. Function • Follow-up the progress of env. & dev. By • observing the path of indicators predefined on • cause – effect basis ( pressure, state & response) • Spread, share and make accessible the gathered • information. • Help decision taking at the Municipal level

8. Following – up the progress of indicators ? • By gathering & analyzing existing scattered • information • Drawing up a diagnostic of the actual state of • environment . • Through global understanding of environmental • challenge .

9. Spread , Share and make accessible gathered information • Through regular reports and • publications. • By directing information seekers • towards sources of information. • By founding an Information Data Bank for municipalities • By adopting new ways of presentation of • information like G.I.S.

10. Helping decision makers ? • Decisions are now based on the effective causes • Elected Municipal council can now adopt a • sustainable local environmental policy using easily • accessible information

11. Basic Principles At Start • Creation of a strong and truthful feeling of • partnership and let partners believe that TEDO • is for them. • Choosing themes of first priority. • Objective analysis and publication of information • with clear signal to the source

12. Themes followed by TEDO • Socio - Economical • Urban planning and Land Use • Water and waste water • Solid wastes • Natural, cultural and historical heritage • Air quality

13. Inauguration Workshop on 8/4/2000

14. Laboratory

15. Public information on inauguration day 8/4/2000 • 5000 stickers were distributed to car drivers in the 3 cities of CUF • “Enough Pollution”

16. Difficulties Encountered • 1 - In the collection of information • Sharing of information requires great deal of believe • and enthusiasm in TEDO from third parties . • No electronic diffusion of information • I.S.D.N. ( Digital Network is just starting ) • Data is scattered, incompatible, not indexed • and gathering of information for statistical use is not • a must in the administration.

17. Difficulties Encountered • 2 -In the analysis of Information • Information is generalized and not detailed • Trend of vital indicators is not followed up continuously . • TEDO follows indicators within the U.C.F. • boundary & some information is available • on a larger administrative boundary.

18. RESULTS:Changes at the Mayor’s level • Demands raised to central administration are backed with numbers and true figures • Consultation of the observatory is prior to any decision making. • Source of information : • Up to what extent the executed • projects realized the expectations ?

19. RESULTS:Changes at the Municipal council’s level • Source of information to all committees • Help councilors recognize daily problems of electors . • Reinforce autonomy of the elected council • Information about the city is now based on updated data.

20. RESULTS:Changes at the Employees’ level • Daily records of activities are sent to TEDO . • A way to compare and control expenditures • Source of data in the preparation of tender documents . • Information started to be regularly indexed • Analysis of information leads to better management

21. RESULTS:Changes at the Central Administration’s level • TEDO is on the mailing list of major central administrations carrying researches and collection of data ( CNRS, CAS ). • Two-way information flow between local authority and central administration is now stronger • Tedo starts to be a source of information about air quality data in North Lebanon )

22. Where are we after 2 Years at the Indicators’level ? • LEDO national project identified 90 indicators • TEDO is working on 26 • indicators • Calculation data sheet of indicators in Tedo is compatible with data sheet of Ministry of Environment

23. Some Indicators (Out of 26) followed by TEDO • Population Density • No of beds in Hospitals • MSW Qty/cap/day • Extracted gas qty • Total Built Area • SO2 emission • Cost of MSW management • Sq m. of green area per capita • Historical sites’ visitors • Cost of street cleaning • No of buildings with private artesian wells

24. Where are we after 2 Years at the Information’s spreading level ? • 5 reports were published by TEDO • and submitted to requesting • newspapers and partners • Last report ( 31 March 2002 ) and all following reports • will be distributed to all TEDO partners without any • request • Air quality results in 2001 were sent to Medcities • Newsletter • Soon, reports will be published as PDF on UCFwebsite

25. Where are we after 2 Years at the Information’s sharing level ? • Particulates, SO2 , Car’s monthly • emission results and Indicators are • published on billboard in • downtown Tripoli • Diffusion on billboards of • recommendations to citizens • and to drivers concerning maintenance • of cars : Avoiding traffic jams , refueling in • evening, repairing of a/c leakage,…..

26. Where are we after 2 Years at the Academic cooperation level ? • 8 weeks Residency of a Public Health School student (Balamand U.) in TEDO . • Tedo is a source of information about municipal solid wastes to AUB graduate students in Beirut • Cooperation with Balamand University through SEED Program • Cooperation with Lebanese American University and FMCU in the establishment of a plan of sustainable development for municipalities through the use of GIS

27. Where are we after 2 Years ? International Cooperation • Tedo is a partner in the SMAP Program “ Urban air quality improvement through Air Quality and Mobility plans and the institutional strengthening of local administrations on air quality in cooperation with Barcelona ,Tetouan, Larnaca and Limassol.”

28. Where are we after 2 Years at the Management level GIS started to beimplemented

29. Air Quality measurements UCF subdivided into 26 zones GIS Map of Air Quality

30. Data of Air particles and SO2 taken for 6 monthsin each location of UCF GIS Map of Particles & SO2

31. Diesel Vehicles' checking

32. Durability ? Short term perspectives • TEDO will become soon a department in UCF instead of a project • Reactivation of Stirring committee and revision of indicators of first priority TEDO’s Team will become a UCF staff to keep the team’s gained experience

33. Durability ? Short term perspectivesa - Stirring Committee • President of U.C.F. • Mayors of Municip . • LEDO • CENTRAL ADM . • - C.A.S., C.N.R.S. • - METEO , C.D.R. • Chambre of Commerce & Industry • UNIVERSITIES • - Lebanese University • - Private Universities • SYNDICATES • - Engineering • - Medical • Comity of Protection • of Environment

34. Durability ? Short term perspectives b -Convention of cooperation • Attribute a character of wide representation to the orientations of TEDO . • Draw a general frame of work for the TEDO

35. Durability ? Short term perspectivesc - Stronger coordination with universities • Continuous follow- up of key indicators through repeated yearly projects • Carrying out of projects of mutual interest • Summer training programs for students

36. Durability ? Short term perspectivesd-Partnership with quarters’ committees • Best track to strengthen the ties between local authority and citizen . • Hold regular meetings in the neighborhood • Invite them to: • -report trend of indicators • -participate in social statistical projects • -raise public awarenessin theneighborhood

37. Durability ? Short term perspectivese- Better cooperation with NGO’S & MEDIA • Joint projects, seminars & conferences • Periodic corner in local press about trends of Env. and Dev. • Periodic coverage of activities of TEDO in local press

38. Durability ? Middle Term Perspectives • Spread the experience to other neighboring municipalities to establish similar observatories • Form a network of partners monitoring Env. and Dev. trends • Statistical studies backed by NGO’S and other interested fond raisers

39. Durability ? Long term perspectives • Creation of a DATA BANK • Draw a map of urban environmental risks based on actual state of environment .

40. Congratulations • MEDCITES • European Commission / LIFE program DGX1 • CUD • FMCU • METAP • UNDP • UCF • TEDO