Editing Geography of Lebanon (section)

==Resources and land use==
[[Limestone]], [[iron ore]], [[salt]], [[water]]-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land

'''Land use:'''
''arable land:'' 10.72%
<br>''permanent crops:'' 12.06%
<br>''other:'' 77.22% (2011)

'''Irrigated land:''' {{convert|1040|km2|2|abbr=on}} (2011)

'''Total renewable water resources:''' {{convert|4.5|km3|abbr=on}} (2011)

===Water in Lebanon===
[[File:Lebanon Rivers Map.jpg|thumb|353x353px|Main rivers of Lebanon]]
[[Water]] is becoming a scarce resource in Lebanon due to climate change, which leads to different rainfall patterns as well as to inefficient methods of distribution within the country. Most of Lebanon's rainfall is in the four months of winter, but over the last 45 years, the [[Ministry of Environment (Lebanon)]] estimates that rainfall has decreased overall between 5 and 20 percent.<ref name="Nisreen">{{cite journal |last1=Salti |first1=Nisreen |last2=Chaaban |first2=Jad |title=The role of sectarianism in the allocation of public expenditure in postwar Lebanon |journal=International Journal of Middle East Studies |date=November 2010 |volume=42 |issue=4 |pages=637–655 |doi=10.1017/S0020743810000851 |jstor=41308713 |s2cid=163433882 |url=https://osf.io/faedu/ }}</ref> The coastal strip of Lebanon gets approximately 2,000&nbsp;mm of rain per year, while the [[Beqaa Valley]] to the east gets only one-tenth as much.<ref name="Brooks">{{cite book |doi=10.1007/978-1-4020-5986-5_2 |chapter=Fresh Water in the Middle East and North Africa |title=Integrated Water Resources Management and Security in the Middle East |series=NATO Science for Peace and Security Series |year=2007 |last1=Brooks |first1=David B. |pages=33–64 |isbn=978-1-4020-5984-1 }}</ref> In 2004, only about 21% of households across Lebanon had constant access to water in the summer months, with most of those households concentrated in or near [[Beirut]].<ref name="Nisreen" /> It is predicted that in future years, there will be higher temperatures, lower rainfall, and longer droughts, leading to even less access to water.<ref name = "Brooks" /> According to the Ministry of Environment, several factors that are putting stress on Lebanon's water resources are unsustainable water management practices, increasing water demand from all sectors, water pollution, and ineffective water governance.<ref name= "MOE">{{Cite web |url=http://www.moe.gov.lb/Sectors/Water.aspx |title=Republic of Lebanon, Ministry of Environment. "Water Sector" 2012. |access-date=2015-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161219173522/http://www.moe.gov.lb/Sectors/Water.aspx |archive-date=2016-12-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Lebanon has struggled with inadequate water and sanitation services for many years.<ref name= "UN Refugees" /> The factors with the greatest effect on quality and quantity of water resources in Lebanon are population growth, urbanization (88% of the population now lives in urban areas), economic growth, and climate change.<ref name= "Climate Change Lebanon">{{Cite web |url=http://climatechange.moe.gov.lb/water |title=Climate Change Lebanon. "Water." Republic of Lebanon Ministry of Environment. 2014. |access-date=2015-05-16 |archive-date=2015-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702061946/http://climatechange.moe.gov.lb/water |url-status=dead }}</ref> In recent years, population growth has been increased rapidly with the addition of many Syrian refugees.<ref name= "UN Refugees" /> Some new projects have been proposed to restructure the water sector. Currently, over 48 percent of water supplied by the public system is lost through seepage and wastewater networks are extremely poor, or even non-existent in some areas.<ref name= "UN Refugees">UNHCR. Refugees from Syria: Lebanon. UNHCR, March 2015. Print.</ref> One project that is currently being implemented by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the [[United Nations Development Programme]] (UNDP) focusses on harvesting rainwater from agricultural greenhouse tops in order to increase water harvesting and reduce the pressure on pumping groundwater.<ref name= "Climate Change Lebanon" /> This project is expected to increase water availability during the especially critical months of late summer and early autumn when there is less precipitation, which would help to reduce the risk of salinity in both soil and water, and to increase the resilience of crops faced with prolonged drought.<ref name= "Climate Change Lebanon" /> There are also proposed projects that suggest the agricultural sector use recycled waste water to allow for more fresh and potable water for consumption.<ref name= "Climate Change Lebanon" /> This would be a huge improvement, as solid-waste treatment facilities are in short supply, and over 92 percent of Lebanon's sewage runs untreated directly into water-courses and the sea.<ref name= "UN Refugees" /> If Lebanon does not reform its water sector, it is likely that there will be chronic and critical water shortages by 2020, which would create needs the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW) would be unable to meet.<ref name= "UNDP">{{Cite web |url=http://www.lb.undp.org/content/lebanon/en/home/operations/projects/environment_and_energy/lebanese-centre-for-water-conservation-and-management--lcwcm-.html |title=UNDP: Lebanon. "Lebanese Centre for Water Conservation and Management (LCWCM)." UNDP, 2012. |access-date=2015-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715095848/http://www.lb.undp.org/content/lebanon/en/home/operations/projects/environment_and_energy/lebanese-centre-for-water-conservation-and-management--lcwcm-.html |archive-date=2018-07-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Water is becoming a scarce resource and if Lebanon instates reformed practices, the progression forward into future [[water scarcity]] can be slowed.