ion practices

Laos
unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the
population does not have access to potable water

Latvia
Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service
industries after the country regained independence; the main
environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality
and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and
reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession
negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of
EU environmental directives by 2010

Lebanon
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution
in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial
wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Lesotho
population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas
results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;
desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and
redirects water to South Africa

Liberia
tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of
biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw
sewage

Libya
desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources;
the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development
scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large
aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities

Liechtenstein
NA

Lithuania
contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum
products and chemicals at military bases

Luxembourg
air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of
farmland

Macau
NA

Macedonia
air pollution from metallurgical plants

Madagascar
soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;
desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and
other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to
the island are endangered

Malawi
deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from
agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of
spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Malaysia
air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions;
water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from
Indonesian forest fires

Maldives
depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies;
global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Mali
deforestation; soil erosion; de