Egypt unveils 15-year strategic plan to combat climate change

The Egyptian Meteorological Authority has noticed a severe heat wave throughout the region, prompting the Ministry of Environment to announce the adoption of a 15-year strategic plan to combat climate change.

Minister of the Environment, Yasmeen Fouad, has said that Egypt is ready to face climate change, describing her country as one of the countries most affected by this change.

The minister said the establishment of the National Council for Climate Change in May 2019 by the Egyptian government came in response to the climate challenges facing Egypt.

The council, she said, is endowed with the responsibility of designing relevant public policies.

The minister added that in December 2020, the Supreme Committee of the aforementioned council held its first meeting.

This meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly who ordered the formulation of a comprehensive strategy for dealing with climate change.

The prime minister also gave commands to the committee to submit the aspired plan during its following meeting.

She noted that the Supreme Committee held its second meeting, during which she presented the main lines and objectives of the National Climate Change Strategy.

"The plan guarantees the achievement of low-emission development in various sectors, increase dependence on renewable and alternative energy sources, and preserves natural resources and green spaces," the minister said.

She added that during the meeting of the National Council for Climate Change on August, 1, 2021, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry submitted a study on the strategies of ten countries whose problems were similar to those of Egypt.

The minister noted that Egypt's actions on climate change were not limited to internal plans.

They also, she said, assumed an international nature, with Egypt concluding several protocols and agreements with various countries and international organizations.

"Egypt also announced that it is ready to host the 27th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2022, now held in Sharm el-Sheikh," the minister said.

She added that she held a meeting in June 2022 with the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Elena Panova, to discuss co-operation on climate change.

Also in June, the minister said, Prime Minister Madbouly met the US President's Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, John Kerry, who confirmed US support for Egypt in its efforts to promote the use of renewable energy.

Mr Kerry said that his country encourages American companies working on renewable energy projects and electric vehicles to invest in Egypt, as part of Egypt's commitment to environmental issues and climate change.

During a meeting between Madbouly and the president of COP26, Alok Sharma, in February 2021, Egypt and Britain agreed to strengthen co-operation to address the challenges of climate change.

In October 2020, the World Bank approved a $200 million project for Egypt to improve air quality, combat climate change, and reduce emissions of air pollutants and global warming.

In September 2020, Egypt also agreed to join the Cyprus initiative to coordinate joint climate action in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, and discuss ways to establish a regional organization on climate change, which includes a number of countries in the region with a similar climate.

In 2018, the Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources and the United Nations Development Programme agreed on a $31 million project to support climate change adaptation in the northern coastal region and the Nile Delta.

Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Mohamed Abdel Ati, confirmed at the time that the grant supports efforts to address climate change to reduce flooding in the coastal areas of the northern coasts of Egypt.

The minister pointed out that the project would be implemented by the Egyptian General Authority for Coastal Protection to ensure the protection of low-critical coastal areas and the establishment of an early warning and surveillance system to monitor changes in climate and sea level.

For his part, Maher Aziz, advisor on energy, environment and climate change, said Egypt is aware of the importance of preparing to deal with climate change, and therefore has launched a number of strategies to adapt and respond to these changes.

"The National Council for Climate Change communicates with all sectors to ensure adherence to the climate change strategy," Aziz said.

He added that energy was the main sector that was included in the council's strategy, as Egypt moves towards full dependence on renewable, clean and environmentally friendly energy sources.

"Egyptians have realized the importance of preparing for and adapting to climate change due to climate change and the severe heat wave that swept the country and affected many agricultural crops," Aziz said.

"Egypt reaches out to all developed countries to obtain advanced technology in several sectors to protect the environment and reduce the effects of climate change by ratifying protocols and agreements," he added.