AUB and UNIDO: Empowering Lebanon’s transition to a circular economy

AUB and UNIDO: Empowering Lebanon’s transition to a circular economy

In a significant stride towards advancing sustainable practices in Lebanon's food industry, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the American University of Beirut (AUB) embarked on a pioneering collaboration, marked by the launch of the Private Sector Transition to Green and Circular Economy in Lebanon project.

"This underscores a shared commitment to fostering resource efficiency, cleaner production, and ultimately, a circular economy in Lebanon," the American University of Beirut said in a statement.

"With the backing of key stakeholders, including national ministries, industry associations, and academic institutions, this initiative promises to be a cornerstone in Lebanon's journey towards sustainable development."

- Background -

In December 2023, UNIDO signed a contract with the Office of Business Development at AUB, for the provision of training and technical assistance services aimed at advancing sustainable practices within Lebanon's food industry.

Central to this effort is the application of UNIDO's methodology for the Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies (TEST), a systematic approach to identifying and exploiting the most feasible opportunities for resource efficiency and continuous improvement in using materials, water, and energy within an industrial company. This set the stage for the project to kick off its first phase at AUB’s Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture