The Coastal Public Domain In Lebanon: Legal Conflicts, Spatial Encroachments, And Strategies For Sustainable Coastal Management

The Lebanese coastline represents one of the country's most valuable territorial and environmental assets, providing important opportunities for economic development, tourism, public recreation, and environmental protection. Legally defined as part of the maritime public domain, coastal areas are intended to remain public property accessible to all citizens. However, despite the existence of legal frameworks regulating coastal land use, Lebanon's coastline has experienced significant transformation over the past decades due to rapid urbanization, tourism development, and weak regulatory enforcement. This study examines the current condition of the coastal public domain in Lebanon and analyzes the major spatial, legal, environmental, and governance challenges affecting its management. The research adopts a qualitative analytical approach based on the review of legal documents, policy reports, and international coastal management practices. Particular attention is given to the impacts of illegal coastal encroachments, privatization of shoreline areas, loss of public access to the sea, and environmental degradation of coastal ecosystems. The findings reveal that the Lebanese coastal zone suffers from fragmented governance structures, insufficient enforcement of maritime public domain regulations, and the absence of an integrated coastal planning strategy. As a result, large segments of the coastline have become inaccessible to the public and environmentally degraded. The study highlights the importance of adopting Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) principles to improve coastal governance in Lebanon. It proposes a set of planning and policy recommendations including the establishment of a national coastal management strategy, strengthening legal enforcement mechanisms, implementing coastal zoning regulations, restoring public access to the sea, and promoting sustainable coastal tourism development. By reorganizing the coastal public domain through integrated planning and governance reforms, Lebanon can transform its coastline into a sustainable national resource that supports economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity.