Mediterranean coastal resilience workshop advances regional dialogue on early warning, preparedness, and anticipatory action
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), through its Regional Office for Arab States, organized the Regional workshop on coastal resilience: From early warning to anticipatory action in the Mediterranean, in partnership with Lebanon's National Disaster Risk Management Unit, the National Council for Scientific Research – Lebanon (CNRS-L), and the Arab Science and Technology Advisory Group for Disaster Risk Reduction (Arab STAG).
Held in Lebanon on 6 November 2026, as the second day of a two-day initiative, the regional workshop brought together representatives of Mediterranean Arab Member States, Lebanese national institutions, scientific and academic institutions, civil society, and technical partners to examine coastal risks and strengthen the links between risk knowledge, early warning, preparedness, and anticipatory action.
Discussions addressed sea-level rise, coastal flooding, tsunamis, and cascading coastal risks, with a focus on scientific cooperation, national capacities, and the exchange of experiences across the Mediterranean.
Coastal risk knowledge and regional cooperation in the Mediterranean
The workshop opened with remarks by Mr. Zahi Chahine, Head of Lebanon's National Disaster Risk Management Unit; Dr. Mustafa Al-Saadi, Head of Disaster Risk Reduction at the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States; Ms. Sandra Amlang, Chief of UNDRR's Regional Office for Arab States; Dr. Chadi Abdallah, Secretary-General of CNRS-L; and H.E. Dr. Tamara Elzein, Lebanon's Minister of Environment.
H.E. Dr. Tamara Elzein emphasized the importance of cooperation between government institutions and their national, scientific, and technical counterparts, highlighting the need for collective efforts to address coastal risks and strengthen resilience.
Dr. Mustafa Al-Saadi, Head of Disaster Risk Reduction at the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, reflected on the shared nature of coastal hazards across the Mediterranean, emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation and knowledge-sharing.
“Coastal hazards are a shared regional challenge that calls for stronger cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and the exchange of experiences among Mediterranean countries to strengthen preparedness and resilience.”
Ms. Sandra Amlang, Chief of UNDRR's Regional Office for Arab States, underscored the urgency of translating scientific knowledge and early warning into practical measures that protect communities.
“Our challenge is not simply to understand the hazards. It is to turn risk knowledge into decisions that save lives.”
She further highlighted the importance of strengthening regional cooperation, connecting early warning systems to national and local preparedness arrangements, and prioritizing investments in coastal resilience.
Dr. Chadi Abdallah, Secretary-General of CNRS-L, stressed the need to enhance early warning systems to ensure that warnings reach all communities, reinforcing the importance of accessible and inclusive systems that support timely preparedness and action.
Reflecting on Lebanon's national context, Mr. Zahi Chahine, Head of the National Disaster Risk Management Unit, emphasized that the challenges facing the country should not be regarded as obstacles, but rather as guidance for strengthening preparedness and recovery capacities.
Following the opening remarks, Ms. Rania Hammad, External Relations Officer at UNDRR's Regional Office for Arab States, delivered a presentation titled “Setting the regional scene: Coastal risk in the Mediterranean.”
The presentation examined interconnected risks affecting coastal communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems, including sea-level rise, coastal flooding, tsunamis, and cascading impacts on essential services.
It also outlined five opportunities for regional cooperation: shared risk information, connected warning systems, local preparedness, risk-informed investment, and regional exchange of technical expertise.
Connecting coastal science with risk-informed decision-making
Dr. Rouba Ziade, Researcher at the National Center for Natural Hazards and Early Warning (NCNE), CNRS-L, presented on “Science and risk knowledge for coastal resilience.”
The presentation covered coastal hazard monitoring, remote sensing, scientific risk information, forecasting, and the links between scientific knowledge and policy decisions.
It highlighted existing monitoring capacities and identified gaps relating to coastal observation networks, high-resolution modelling, exposure data, institutional data sharing, and warning communication.
The presentation also examined the use of satellite imagery for flood mapping and oil-spill detection, alongside the role of risk assessments in informing coastal planning and preparedness.
Understanding a changing Mediterranean coast: From risk knowledge to early warning
The first technical panel focused on how Mediterranean countries can better understand, monitor, and communicate changing coastal risks.
Moderated by Dr. Celine Mahfouz, Research Associate at the National Center for Marine Sciences, CNRS-L, the panel featured Mr. Ahmed Salah Zahran, Director of the Training and Awareness Department at the National Committee for Crisis Management and Disaster Risk Reduction; Dr. Marlene Brax, Director of the National Center for Geophysics, CNRS-L; and Dr. Jacques Harb, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Notre Dame University, Lebanon.
The session explored coastal risk knowledge and early warning, including the monitoring and communication of coastal and cascading risks.
From warning to action: Strengthening coastal preparedness and anticipatory action
The second technical panel focused on translating early warning into preparedness and anticipatory action before coastal hazards escalate into disasters.
Moderated by Dr. Rouba Ziade, Researcher at the National Center for Natural Hazards and Early Warning (NCNE), CNRS-L, the panel featured Dr. Taghreed Al-Maaytah , Director of the Environmental Protection and Sustainability Directorate at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), Jordan; Brigadier General Imad Khreish, Director General of the Lebanese Civil Defense; and Mr. Kassem Chaalan, Disaster Risk Reduction Program Manager at the Lebanese Red Cross.
The session addressed institutional and community preparedness, early warning communication, and coordination among relevant actors to enable timely action.
Discussions focused on how institutions and communities can respond effectively when a coastal hazard is anticipated, including reaching at-risk groups, evacuation arrangements, safeguarding essential services, and strengthening coordination among responsible institutions.
Regional cooperation on coastal resilience
The workshop included a regional dialogue facilitated by UNDRR and the League of Arab States, focusing on technical, institutional, and financial gaps affecting coastal risk monitoring, early warning, and anticipatory action.
The dialogue provided an opportunity to examine priority areas for regional cooperation, technical assistance, scientific exchange, capacity development, and investment.
The workshop agenda also proposed a regional call for action addressing gaps in coastal risk assessments, monitoring and forecasting capacities, multi-hazard early warning, preparedness, and anticipatory action.
These priorities were linked to regional disaster risk reduction processes, including the 2027 Arab Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and the development of the 2027–2030 Arab Prioritized Action Plan.