Sustainable development: The Tunisian example

The protection of the environment in developing countries is rarely a priority. All the energy and resources are devoted to achieving economic growth. As industrial and commercial activities develop, the degradation of the environment is accepted as the price to pay.

The Tunisian example

Tunisia has followed a different path. Under the leadership of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the preservation of the environment has become a fundamental element for Tunisia’s long- term development. He says, “environmental protection has been a fundamental option of this government since its inception. […] We are firmly determined to make our option a success and to work with all seriousness to preserve our resources and thereby guarantee the rights of future generations.”

Tunisia has emerged as the regional leader. It was the only country south of the Mediterranean to send a representative to a recent international meeting held in Italy to discuss North-South cooperation on the promotion of humanity. Tunisia was recognized for its commitment and achievements in environmental protection. In Tunisia, the environmental budget represents 3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. The state has been financing 70 percent of the projects.

The inspiration for the current policy came from the goals and recommendations for action of U.N. Agenda 21, which came out of the earth summit of the United States Commission of Education and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.

The challenges faced by Tunisia in environmental protection were many. Tunisia is a small developing country with a limited budget and few natural resources. The climate is arid, making its natural resources vulnerable. Desertification, as well as industrial pollution, was becoming a serious concern. In addition, Tunisia, like other developing countries, needed to make the general population understand that protection of the environment is not just an added cost, but also the preservation of capital to ensure the long-term global competitiveness of the country.

A policy based on five tenets

The Ministry for the Environment and Land Use Planning was created to address the issues. Tunisia’s current environmental policy is based on five tenets.

The first priority is the protection of natural resources. Among those, water is the most precious, and Tunisia is implementing programs aimed at protecting the quantity and the quality of its water resources. Minister Faiza Kefi noted, “Considering the importance of the tourism sector, the ocean is one of Tunisia’s most important natural resources. We consider that the development of Tunisia is directly linked to this resource.”

Tunisia is addressing water and air pollution. Industrial activity and transports are primary causes of pollution. Tunisia has polluted industrial sites. A national strategy aims to clean the sites and preserve the resources for the future. The antipollution programs in Gabes, in Sfax and in the region of Gafsa have already decreased air pollution by 92 percent and considerably ameliorated the quality of the coastal waters.

The third tenet aims to improve the quality of life especially in urban areas. As in the rest of the world, people in Tunisia are moving to the cities. This has resulted in the usual challenges of increased urbanization. The number of vehicles in circulation, the amount of trash, and the use of water have all increased. A large sanitation system has been put in place to ensure sewerage services. The water is now treated and recycled for development- related purposes. Large areas are being set aside for the creation of parks.

Tunisia is educating its population about preserving the environment. Kefi said, “We want to create an environmental culture.” Every city has a street named “boulevard of the environment.” National, regional and international environment days are being celebrated. The ministry’s mascot named “Labib” (an animal similar to the desert fox) has become very popular with children.

The fifth tenet aims to form partnerships to involve the private and public sectors and civil society in implementing national policy for environmental management and protection. The ministry is building horizontal partnerships with the ministries of industry, tourism and transports. Tunisia wants to become a member of the “bleu plan,” an accreditation system for tourism areas that uses stringent European norms. To achieve this, the ministry of environment has worked closely with the ministry of tourism. New constructions are subject to environmental impact studies. The waters are being tested regularly. Hotels are asked to adopt environment friendly measures.

The ministry of environment has also enlisted the cooperation of the private sector.

Kefi said, “We are looking at the environment not as a hindrance or added cost of production but as an asset and as a potential means of creating wealth.” In the agricultural sector, for example, Tunisia is looking at using new production technologies that respect the environment. Tunisian farmers are now growing organic products and finding new export markets for them.

The results

The achievements of Tunisia in environmental protection have been numerous. A program of solid waste management lead to the establishment of 18 controlled public landfill sites. Selective waste sorting centers have been set up in large cities.

Preventive and curative measures have been taken to address the issue of desertification. More than 3.7 million acres have been protected from erosion; stripped land has been reforested and oases have been rehabilitated to combat secondary salinization. Tunisia is also paying special attention to nature conservation and biodiversity. The country’s ecosystem is rich and diversified because of different climatic conditions in the north and south of the country. To preserve the biological diversity, eight national parks and 18 natural reserves have been created. About 6 percent of the country’s total land area has been set aside as nature reserves. Last year, antelopes from species that have become extinct or very rare in the wild were reintroduced in the Sidi Toui National Park in the desert region of Tunisia.

Renewable energies: the next step

Tunisia is trying to make the best use of its natural resources and is studying the use of renewable energies. Solar energy is one of the best options. Although the source is plentiful, the cost of technology remains the main constraint for the widespread adoption of this technology. The same applies to wind energy. As these technologies become more widespread, Tunisia hopes to have renewable energies contribute 10 percent to the total energy use of the country.