SDG 13: Climate Action
Advancing Climate Education, Low-Carbon Operations and Community Resilience
The Lebanese American University advances climate action through education, research, responsible campus operations and partnerships with communities, public institutions and civil society. Its approach connects the reduction of institutional emissions with the knowledge, skills and cooperation needed to respond to climate change in Lebanon and the wider region.
During academic year 2024–2025 and through December 2025, LAU’s activities included renewable-energy generation, greenhouse-gas reporting, public climate education, wildfire-detection technology and community-based drought adaptation. These activities build on earlier environmental initiatives and support the university’s long-term climate commitments.
Climate Strategy and Commitments
LAU’s climate priorities build on SP-IV and the published Sustainability Strategy 2026–2030. The dedicated Climate Action and Resilience Plan 2026–2035 consolidates these foundations into a framework covering governance, mitigation, adaptation, disaster risk reduction, education, research and community engagement.
LAU targets net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse-gas emissions by 2035, supported by an interim commitment to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 compared with the 2018 baseline. The Sustainability Strategy also identifies a commitment to achieve 40% energy savings by 2030 compared with 2018.
The Office for Sustainability coordinates institutional climate planning, assessment and reporting, working with Facilities Management, academic units and other university offices. LAU is working toward its net-zero target; carbon neutrality has not yet been achieved.
Low-Carbon Energy and Campus Operations
LAU combines renewable-energy generation with measures intended to reduce operational energy demand. Solar photovoltaic installations serve both campuses, while solar water-heating systems and energy-efficient building features complement this infrastructure.
Facilities Management supplied the following figures for academic year 2024–2025:
| Energy indicator | Beirut Campus | Byblos Campus |
| Total energy consumption (kWh) | 8,696,724 | 10,521,460 |
| Solar PV production (kWh) | 578,934 | 1,367,305 |
FM reported approximately 1,570 metric tons of CO₂ emissions avoided through renewable energy in 2024–2025. Energy-efficiency measures include efficient lighting, occupancy-based controls and improvements to building performance.
Facilities Management: Energy Saving and Water Conservation
Greenhouse-Gas Accounting and Public Reporting
The Office for Sustainability calculates LAU’s greenhouse-gas emissions and prepares its reporting to the Lebanese Ministry of Environment, using fuel-consumption, electricity-consumption and other activity data supplied by Facilities Management.
LAU’s accounting follows the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard and distinguishes direct operational emissions from indirect emissions associated with purchased electricity.
| Greenhouse-gas category | 2024–2025 emissions (tCO₂e) |
| Scope 1 — direct emissions | 11,408.71 |
| Scope 2 — purchased electricity | 1,920.09 |
LAU received a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Certificate from the Ministry of Environment on January 8, 2025. This recognition documents participation in national emissions reporting, rather than achievement of carbon neutrality.
LAU Commended for Emissions Reporting
Climate Education Across Disciplines
LAU makes climate-related and sustainability learning available across undergraduate disciplines through Curriculum Z, its Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum.
Students following Curriculum Z complete Change Makers credits, choosing among themes that include energy, water, food systems and sustainability. Relevant offerings include Sustainable Energy, Energy & Environmental Policy, Water Security, Sustainable Food Systems and Debating Sustainability. Introduction to Environmental Science explicitly addresses global warming and renewable-energy technologies.
These offerings extend access beyond specialized environmental programmes. The interdisciplinary Minor in Climate Change and Sustainability Policy provides a further pathway for students interested in climate adaptation and policy.
LAU Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum
Climate Change and Sustainability Policy Minor
Public Learning and Community Outreach
LAU’s 2025 climate-education activities connected academic knowledge with public policy, professional practice and community needs.
- Climate Change and Adaptation Programs — February 11: A lecture examining climate impacts, adaptation costs, resource security and resilience in Lebanon and the MENA region.
- Energy Transition — February 27: A discussion with academics, policymakers and sustainability leaders on emissions reduction, renewable energy and regional transition policies.
- Behavioral Science for Climate Action — October 8: An open seminar exploring public engagement, air quality, waste management and sustainable transport.
- Blue Ambassador Day — November 13: An outreach programme engaging 119 visiting school students in climate change, water security and practical water-management learning.
- Green Skills for a Green Economy — November 15: Training for students, faculty and community members on sustainability and skills relevant to the low-carbon transition.
Together, these initiatives connected climate learning with regional challenges and practical responses.
Climate Change and Adaptation Programs
LAU’s Think Tank Addresses Energy Transition
Behavioral Science for Climate Action
Applied Research and Wildfire Preparedness
LAU’s School of Engineering developed a satellite-based fire-detection platform to support earlier identification of wildfires and more informed emergency response. Its beta version was delivered to the Lebanese Civil Defense in 2025.
The platform combines EUMETSAT and NASA FIRMS data and provides fire-location and intensity information through a dashboard, with alerts designed for municipalities and first responders.
A separate 2024–2025 capstone project investigated fire detection using cameras, environmental sensors and automated image recognition. These projects demonstrate complementary approaches to monitoring wildfire risk and applying engineering knowledge to community needs.
Fire-Detection Platform Supporting Civil Defense
Local and Regional Climate Adaptation
LAU participates in NUSTALGIC, a PRIMA-funded Mediterranean project running from June 2025 to May 2028, addressing drought, water scarcity and agricultural vulnerability.
Through the Office for Sustainability, LAU contributes to water-harvesting and climate-resilient agriculture activities within a consortium that includes universities, public research institutions and NGOs such as Oxfam and MIRRA.
Locally, the LAU team visited five households in Mrouj on November 28, 2025, to assess potential beneficiaries for rooftop rainwater-harvesting systems. The proposed systems would store seasonal rainfall for use during dry months, supporting household gardens and small-scale agriculture.
The project connects local needs with regional cooperation on shared Mediterranean climate pressures.
NUSTALGIC: Project Framework and Partners
Partnerships for Climate Resilience
LAU’s partnerships connect climate priorities with public institutions and civil society.
A three-year agreement signed with the Michel Issa Foundation on November 27, 2025, identifies climate adaptation among its priorities and provides for applied research, student fieldwork, training and community projects.
LAU also collaborated with PAX Foundation on a June 2025 workshop reviewing locally driven water projects. In November, its Water Security in Lebanon event brought government representatives and experts together to discuss climate change, scarcity and resilient water-sector solutions.
Earlier environmental education with Nidaa’ El Ard Association and Recycle Lebanon provides historical foundations for engagement with grassroots organizations and the social dimensions of environmental resilience.
Michel Issa Foundation Partnership
LAU and PAX: Community Water Solutions
Monitoring Progress
LAU’s climate work links operational data, education, applied research and external cooperation. The Office for Sustainability brings these contributions together through institutional assessment and reporting, while the Climate Action and Resilience Plan establishes a framework for implementation and review through 2035. Continued monitoring supports accountability, identifies areas requiring improvement and connects LAU’s institutional commitments with practical action on campus and in the community.