Engineer Sarah El-Battouty, Advisor to President Sisi and United Nations Ambassador for Climate Change, during her special interview with Al-Bawaba News

Engineer Sarah El-Battouty, Advisor to President Sisi, said there is a real opportunity at the COP27 summit, which is to find commitment to financing in order to confront climate change.

Battouty stressed during her interview with Al-Bawaba News that the major industrial countries have a major role in providing the required financial support, noting that they benefited through their project.

She added that Egypt is taking serious and effective steps in this matter, noting that we have to pay attention to education and practical research, because they are among the most important files that help establish sustainable projects.

How do you see the establishment of COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh?

The COP27 climate summit came at a time when all countries of the world are suffering from very great challenges, and this is what the presidents and officials talked about in the sessions, and that the countries of the world are currently suffering from climatic and political challenges, wars and climatic disasters that occur every week in different countries, in addition to the global economy that is witnessing a very big slowdown all over the world. The current climate summit is witnessing a great deal of momentum that is raging for everyone to correct the situation, so COP27 was called the “Implementation Summit.”

This summit is known as the “Implementation Summit”. Will we see decisions that oblige the major industrial countries to provide financing for climate change?

Large countries such as the United States and China went through an industrial revolution, and they progressed in a huge and rapid way without any accountability for the great damage they cause to the environment, which all countries of the world suffer from. Countries like Egypt have the right to advance and have an industrial revolution, and this is a legitimate right, and this is what is being talked about at the COP27 climate summit, as well as that all rights must be preserved and that there should be a partnership between the countries of the world in overcoming global crises and problems. Therefore, the major industrial countries must contribute to raising the efficiency of the developing countries to work in a correct manner and with clean energy.

Egypt is one of the countries with the lowest emissions. Are we taking good steps in this file?

The Egyptian state was greatly educated in the construction of infrastructure, from roads, bridges, networks, lining of canals and institutions operating everywhere, the establishment of new cities, a diversity of energy sources and water desalination. All of this is the establishment of infrastructure that helps in economic growth, but the state must pay attention during the coming period on innovation and scientific research, partnerships with the private sector, raising awareness of green projects, and interest in education.

Funding is a big dilemma in the face of climate change. How do we get out of this predicament?

The truth is that funding is a very important factor for this matter, and it is absolutely necessary. There must be significant financial support for the implementation of projects that contribute to reducing emissions. I think that the opportunity has come for this matter, and we must take a step on the ground, and there should be support from the major industrial countries.

In your opinion, does the COP27 summit have a role in this matter?

I think that COP27 summit is an important summit that will play a major role in resolving matters by presenting executable projects and an attempt to establish a fair system in distributing financial support to countries that need this matter.

The transition to green and the implementation of sustainable development needs some mechanisms in order to succeed and persist. From your point of view, what are the factors that Egypt is preparing in this file?

Let us say that education and scientific research are among the most important files in order to implement this matter, and we have to focus on this greatly in the coming period. Egypt has built a great infrastructure in recent years, and we have to invest all of this to benefit from it.

What is your last message to all participants in this event?

I would to tell the participants in the COP27 climate summit, “You have illuminated Egypt and the city of Sharm El-Sheikh. We are here because this is the only place where everyone gathers to solve the climate problem - the problem that concerns all countries of the world. All the countries that are present here is evidence of recognition that there is a severe slowdown and that we have not solved the problem. Everyone must cooperate. Don’t forget the youth; give the youth a chance and invest in them.”