Egypt starts ramping up its environment credentials ahead of COP27 conference

Sharm El-Sheikh: Ahead of UN climate conference (COP27) the regional authorities in Egypt, are ramping up initiatives designed to improve the country’s environmental credentials, and speed up its transition to a low carbon economy.

The event will be held on 4 November, in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh.

“Several COP27-related initiatives are underway in Egypt: they include projects related to sustainable transport, waste recycling, women’s health, the transition to clean energy, sustainable cities, adaptation measures in the water and agriculture sector, and the links between peace and climate” said the official statement.

“The Egyptian Government recognizes the huge responsibility of organizing a successful conference”, said Dr. Samir Tantawy, a climate change expert at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

“The summit needs to demonstrate the damage caused by the climate crisis, particularly in developing countries. For example, the Aswan Governorate, in southern Egypt, has experienced storms, snow and heavy rain for the first time. Developing countries need to be properly compensated” he added.

The statement said, beyond COP27, Egypt is working towards a 2050 national climate strategy, which is based around the reduction of emissions in all sectors, and adaptation to potential changes in the climate in agriculture, water resources, coastal areas, and health.

The national strategy also aims to bring civil society, the government, and citizens together, at the local, regional, and national levels.

A number of civil society organizations are participating in workshops and seminars to raise awareness of the summit, in the hope that it will help Egypt to achieve its climate strategy goals.

In preparation for the Climate Summit, the regional authorities in the Red Sea Governorate, in cooperation with a number of other state organizations, is holding a series of events aimed at raising awareness of environmental and sustainability concerns.

These workshops will continue through to November, and the opening of the Conference.

“Egypt’s hosting of COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh is seen as a great opportunity to promote international climate action, and to unify the demands of African and developing countries, particularly when it comes to issues of financing, and adaptation to the effects of climate change” It said.

Earlier the COP26 held at Glasgow in November last years, in which the participating countries reaffirmed the Paris Agreement goal of limiting the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5 °C.

Countries also stressed the urgency of action “in this critical decade,” when carbon dioxide emissions must be reduced by 45 per cent to reach net zero around mid-century.

The Glasgow Pact also called for a doubling of finance to support developing countries in adapting to the impacts of climate change and building resilience.

137 countries took a landmark step forward by committing to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. The pledge is backed by $12bn in public and $7.2bn in private funding.