The Roadmap of Saida

In 2022, the Hariri Foundation partnered with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) – West Asia Office to carry out a joint process for developing and promoting a new roadmap of “Saida as an Environmentally Sustainable City.” In collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Environment and the Municipality of Saida, the project aims at instigating a green transition in Saida that is adaptive to climate change through aligning local efforts and drawing local initiatives within a consolidated roadmap in line with global models such as the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO) for Cities and with underlying scientific indicators on climate action. 

The roadmap comprises a sustainable strategic framework and operational action plan featuring potential policies, plans and programs aimed at strengthening international cooperation and exchange of knowledge as well as securing green financing for environmental initiatives across Saida. 

Initiated throughout the Saida Environmental Forum in December 2022, the roadmap process adopts a consultative approach, featuring the multi-sectoral engagement of institutions, experts and local communities in diagnosing the environmental state of the city and developing the roadmap constituents. 

The roadmap reached out to several global platforms to ensure scientific and resource mobilization. To this date, those platforms include the MENA Climate Week 2018 in Riyadh, KSA in October 2023, the Conference of Parties COP28 in Dubai, UAE in November 2023, and the World Urban Forum in Cairo, Egypt in November 2024.