Noa Energy Atlas

Climate · Lebanon

Decree No. 8633/2012 - Environmental Impact Assessment

Defines screening, scoping, study, consultation, review and decision procedures for projects subject to initial environmental examination or full EIA.

In force
Last reviewed
Official recordDecree No. 8633/2012 - Environmental Impact Assessment
Legal characterProject environmental-impact-assessment regulation
Current readingOperative
Scope and applicability

Environmental clearance for qualifying energy projects.

Why it matters

Generation, transmission, fuel, petroleum, hydro and utility-scale renewable projects may need environmental clearance before licensing or construction.

Core provisions

The operative ideas to understand before reading the full text.

  1. 01

    Classifies projects for initial environmental examination or full EIA.

  2. 02

    Defines scoping, study content, consultation, review, decision and appeal procedures.

  3. 03

    Makes environmental assessment part of the pre-approval pathway for listed public and private projects.

Engineering lens

  • Integrates baseline, impact, mitigation, monitoring and alternatives into design.
  • Permit conditions should flow into EPC and O&M controls.

Economic and investment lens

  • Affects schedule, CAPEX, OPEX, land and community risk.
  • Missing or weak clearance can impair finance and procurement.

From text to operation

Implementation gates

These conditions must be evidenced before treating the instrument as operational for a project, tariff or market transaction.

  1. 1Correct annex classification
  2. 2Approved assessment and consultation
  3. 3Binding environmental management plan

Documented relationships

  • Linked instrument provides the framework authority for Law 444
  • This instrument controls project environmental clearance Solar licences
  • This instrument controls project environmental clearance Wind licences

Primary sources

  1. Strategic Environmental Assessment of Lebanon’s Renewable Energy Sector - legal framework chapter Ministry of Environment · Published · English · Accessed 16 August 2026Official assessment documenting SEA Decree 8213/2012 and EIA Decree 8633/2012 and their application to energy plans and projects.
  2. قانون رقم 444/2002 - حماية البيئة Ministry of Environment · Published · Arabic · Accessed 16 August 2026
  3. Cabinet approves 11 solar photovoltaic licences Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation · Published · English · Accessed 16 August 2026
  4. Call for proposals for approximately 200 MW of wind power Ministry of Energy and Water / Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation · Published · English · Accessed 16 August 2026Official procurement record noting Cabinet approval of permits for three wind farms; approval is not evidence of commissioning.