Under the theme "Green Economy, Does it include you?" UNIFIL celebrated World Environment Day with the inauguration of a new solar energy system.

Acting Force Commander Brigadier General Patrick Phelan addressed the ceremony at UNIFIL Naqoura headquarters in Camp Green Hill which was attended by UNIFIL staff, and local journalists.

UNIFIL has been investing in solar energy since 2009. As of April 2012, the mission's solar farm was covering 15% of the Camp Green Hill's energy consumption. This new solar plant installation will raise UNIFIL HQ's annual solar energy production capacity to 502 MW/hr which is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 115 households.

During this occasion, UNIFIL organized a visit to two of its main environmental facilities: the solar energy farm and the camp's wastewater treatment plant, a state of the art facility that includes sludge treatment by reed beds, a natural process demanding neither energy nor any chemical use.

UNIFIL has also invested in solar-electric vehicles, technical landfill, source sorting waste segregation, and wind turbines. It is also carrying out a reforestation programme.

Besides, UNIFIL takes a number of environmental initiatives in cooperation with local municipalities and communities in order to build sustainable facilities, improve local environment management and improve the people's well-being. These include reforestation, wastewater plan rehabilitation, water awareness campaigns and the establishment of a community led recycling plant.

The Acting Force Commander Brigadier General Patrick Phelan, expressed his delight at the unveiling of the new solar farm at the UNIFIL Headquarters. In addressing the audience he said that this year's theme aims at increasing economic growth through increased public and private investment that reduces carbon emissions and pollution and enhances energy and resource efficiency. He noted that the UNIFIL solar farm is a fine example of the UN's efforts to support those aims.

World Environment Day was further observed by UNIFIL personnel who joined hands in cleaning up the headquarters at Naqoura and its adjacent coastline.