Stakeholders Validate Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for Managing Stormwater in a Pilot area in Lebanon
Climate change and unregulated urban development are increasing stormwater-related in Lebanon. stormwater-related challenges. At the same time, rainfall runoff and stormwater remain largely unmanaged, representing an underutilized Non-Conventional Water Resource (NCWR).
In Lebanon, the Non-Conventional Water Resources (NCWR), such as stormwater harvesting, treated wastewater reuse, and managed aquifer recharge, could substantially contribute to addressing these pressures, while supplementing conventional water sources.
Following the online kick-off meeting (05/05/2025), WES-BCA project organised a hybrid Workshop on its water activity “Design of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in a Pilot area in Lebanon”, in collaboration of the Ministry of Energy and Water on the 8th of September 2026.
During this Workshop, the WES-BCA team of water experts presented the progress and outcomes of the activity, including the site-selection process (catchment characteristics, runoff and erosion issues, existing drainage conditions, land use and biodiversity considerations); the technical, environmental and institutional criteria used to identify the preferred pilot site, and the preliminary Nature-Based Solution (NbS) concept and proposed interventions.
The team introduced the preliminary NBS options, explained their intended functions and assessed the technical, environmental, social, institutional, operational and maintenance feasibility of the proposed options.
A productive discussion took place between key stakeholders representing the Ministry of Energy and Water, Government agencies; local administration and agriculture and the WES-BCA experts.
By the end of the event, a consensus was reached among all participants on the preferred interventions.
As a result, the preliminary conceptual-design stage was validated, and the immediate next steps were agreed.
NBS offers a sustainable approach to address the water-related challenges mentioned above by working with natural processes to manage water, reduce risks, and deliver co-benefits for people and ecosystems. One important subset of NBS is Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM), which are particularly relevant for urban water infrastructure planning.
This WES-BCA activity supports Lebanon’s updated National Water and Wastewater Sector Strategy (2020), which emphasizes decentralized and integrated water management approaches, as well as the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, UNFCCC, and the Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDGs 6, 11, 13 and 15).
By prioritizing NBS and NCWR within a climate adaptation framework, this activity contributes to improving urban water resilience, reducing pollutant loads in rivers and seas, and supporting ecosystem restoration in stormwater-affected areas. In parallel, NBS are characterized by very low energy requirements and therefore could serve as important components of the WEFE Nexus approach. The project builds technical capacity, informs policy reform, and offers a practical model for other water-stressed countries in the Mediterranean
For more information:
You may watch the WES video on “Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM) in urban environments”
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FYTd5si5VRs
