YAZCONSULT was appointed as a member and legal advisor to the Committee for Monitoring and Supervising the Implementation of a Project for Rehabilitating Quarry Sites of Cement Companies, established by the Lebanese Council of Ministers through Decision Number 4 dated 14/7/2020.
Mandated to protect public health, the Committee successfully accomplished its first task thanks to its adoption of a scientific-academic best practices approach, which aims to change the landscape of the Lebanese cement industry by prioritizing human safety and wellbeing above all else. The Minister of Environment issued Decision 16/1 amending Decision 8/1 pertaining to the marginal emissions ratios of air pollutants, thereby modifying the previous 2001 ratio, which had not considered air quality requirements ensuring the protection of human health, and the Council of Ministers adopted Decision 16/1. After two decades of inactivity on the matter, this achievement stands as a unique initiative, as civil society members, academics, industrial experts, and politicians joined hands to safeguard and protect human health first.
YAZCONSULT played a crucial role as the legal advisor to the committee in drafting Decision 16/1, issued on 4/2/2022 by the Minister of Environment and published in the official gazette. The drafting process involved consultations with the state council and collaboration between the committee and the Scientific Emissions subcommittee, which established the Emission Limit values, including those related to carbon, based on international standards.
YAZCONSULT’s engagements included as well extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders, including government ministers, municipal heads, and cement companies, aiming to regulate operations and minimize environmental impact while ensuring citizen safety. These efforts culminated in the development of legal documents, proposals, and agreements, alongside the creation of a comprehensive AOA proposal for establishing an environmental organization.