Dr. Rouba Ziade, representing the National Center for Natural Hazards & Early Warning (NCNE) at CNRS-L, participated in the Crossroads of Crisis: Conflict, Climate, and the Environment in the MENA Region, held in Istanbul from 30 June to 1 July 2026 and organized by the Arab Reform Initiative and Robert Bosch Stiftung.

As a panelist in the session “Practical Usages of GIS Technology in Analyzing the Nexus of Conflict, Climate and Environment in the MENA Region,” Dr. Ziade presented how CNRS-L is harnessing Remote Sensing, GIS, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning to document and assess the environmental impacts of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon.

This work has resulted in the development of a comprehensive geospatial database mapping damage to infrastructure, homes, agriculture, forests, cultural and religious heritage, as well as environmental contamination, including areas affected by the use of internationally prohibited white phosphorus. These technologies provide timely, evidence-based information to support environmental assessment, disaster risk reduction, recovery planning, and informed decision-making.

The conference provided an important platform for exchanging expertise with regional specialists and highlighting the role of geospatial technologies in addressing the interconnected challenges of conflict, climate change, and environmental degradation.