The Ministry of Tourism asks the establishments concerned to prepare an annual report on greenhouse gases related to their activities. The circular, the main elements of which were made public on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, refers to the Ministry of the Environment’s model. It aims to better document Lebanese tourism emissions and encourage sustainable practices.
The approach involves both administrations. Tourism relays demand to professionals, while the Environment provides the reporting method and technical support. Institutions must prepare their reports and submit them according to the prescribed procedures. The department invites them to come closer to its services for the necessary details.
Lebanese tourism emissions: a common model
The published text states that the presentation of information and the preparation of the report are based on the model adopted by the Environment. It is therefore not enough to submit a general statement on an establishment’s ecological commitments. The application covers emissions resulting from its activity in a format defined by the administration.
This common reference should provide a framework for the data collected. A hotel, restaurant or other tourist operator can use several energy sources to operate. But the text made public does not detail the positions each institution must report. It also does not specify the calculation factors or supporting documents to be attached.
These parameters count to read a balance sheet correctly. The amount of fuel consumed and the volume of emissions calculated do not mean the same thing. A report should specify what it measures and when. The official model is therefore the reference document for the professionals concerned.
A perimeter and a calendar to be specified
The circular is intended for « the tourist establishments concerned », without publishing a detailed list in the passages broadcast. They do not set capacity thresholds or classification categories. They do not make it possible to say that all hotels, restaurants, guest houses or other tourist activities automatically enter the same area.
The announced frequency is annual. However, no first deadline for filing appears in the text consulted. The year of activity for the first report is also missing. Professionals will therefore have to distinguish the periodicity of the document from the concrete timetable of its submission.
The text made public does not mention sanctions. It does not describe any fine, licence suspension or specific control associated with this process. This lack of precision does not lead to the conclusion that no rule applies. On the other hand, it prohibits the presentation of such measures as announced on 10 November.
A reporting mechanism has existed since 2013
Lebanon already has a framework for collecting corporate emissions. Decision 99/1 of the Ministry of the Environment, taken in April 2013, encourages private actors to transmit their data. The Ministry of Economy presents this mechanism as an incentive. A model helps participants calculate their emissions by category and by gas.
Participating companies may receive a certificate signed by the Minister of the Environment. This document acknowledges their contribution to the reporting mechanism. It is not enough alone to demonstrate that a company has reduced emissions or achieved carbon neutrality.
The United Nations Development Programme further recalled this framework on 14 January 2025. In Beirut, a meeting on climate action had highlighted voluntary corporate reporting. Certificates had been issued to companies that reported their annual emissions in accordance with the 2013 decision.
This precedent sheds light on the existence of a national model and assistance to enterprises. It does not address all the issues raised by the new tourism request. The published information does not specify how this circular is legally linked to the voluntary scheme previously presented.
Technical assistance to the environment
For institutions, the first step is to obtain the applicable version of the model and the transmission instructions. The Ministry of Tourism invites stakeholders to consult its services. The application also includes direct contact with the Ministry of the Environment’s climate change project.
This service can provide information, technical assistance and support for the coordination of procedures. The number given is 01-976555, ext. The business address indicated is l.kai@moe.gov.lb.
The next expected clarification relates to the institutions concerned, the reporting period and the first filing period. These elements will determine the timing of the first annual report.
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