By Mohamed Attia
The Meteorological Authority is witnessing during the current period a great boom in the activities and services it provides in the field of monitoring weather phenomena, weather fluctuations, torrential forecasts, challenges of climate change and ways to confront them.
The authority has also worked under the umbrella of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to strengthen the early warning system by developing monitoring weather and climate risks and forecasting their occurrence and effects, in order to publish warnings and communicate them to all decision-makers and stakeholders, the general public and the various sectors of the state such as aviation, transport, environment, new and renewable energy and other vital sectors in the state.
For its part, the state, represented by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is attaching special importance to the Meteorological Authority.
Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Manar praised the great role played by the Meteorological Authority in forecasting weather and climate and exchanging weather data and information between the various sectors of the state in order to facilitate the air and sea mission and climatic conditions as well as its capabilities to predict natural disasters and how to face them.
Manar also stressed, during his attendance at the celebration of the World Meteorological Day, the importance of the authority in the field of meteorological monitoring by exchanging visions and experiences with its counterpart in the world, especially in light of the climatic changes that the whole world is witnessing.
The minister also revealed that there are special preparations and extensive preparations taking place at the level of all sectors, in co-operation with the relevant ministries, to host Egypt’s guests coming to attend the COP27.
Manar said that there is a joint committee formed by all ministries and stakeholders, including the Ministry of Civil Aviation, to finish the preparations for the summit, and it meets periodically to discuss all preparations for the conference.
The minister also indicated that co-ordination is underway to make preparations at Cairo, Sharm El-Sheikh, Taba and Hurghada airports, to receive delegations and incoming presidential planes, noting that a strong international presence for the summit is also expected in addition to the preparations made on board the planes that will be specialised for transporting delegations.
For her part, Minister of Environment Yasmin Fouad expressed her happiness with her participation and presence in the World Meteorological Day celebration, stressing the importance of this vital facility as it provides all sectors of the Egyptian state with information and climate data.
She highlighted the importance of the high-tech interactive map and its role in exchanging weather and climate information for all sectors of the state.
The minister also noted the importance of the COP27 climate conference, which Egypt will host in Sharm El-Sheikh next November, in light of the directives of the political leadership and the great interest it attaches to climate changes and their effects on aspects of life.
The minister pointed to the interrelationship between the two definitions of weather and climate, as they affect all aspects of life, referring to the co-ordinating role played by the Ministry of Civil Aviation represented by the General Meteorological Authority, in co-operation with all sectors and agencies of the Egyptian state on issues and topics related to weather and climate issues.
The minister indicated that the Meteorological Authority and the Environmental Affairs Agency have been in continuous co-operation over the past eras, not only during this period in which the climate summit was prepared, explaining that the presence of the Meteorological Authority and the Environmental Affairs Agency are strong tools for the Egyptian state in facing changes.
The minister also said that the climate summit, expected to be hosted by Egypt at the end of this year, will be an opportunity to show the new Egypt in its splendid form with its projects and youth, as well as a review of all the efforts made by the Egyptian state to confront climate change.
For his part, Major General Hisham Tahoun, head of the Meteorological Authority, indicated that it is time for all sectors of the state to come together to integrate among themselves to improve the state’s capabilities in prevention and preparedness for climatic changes.
He pointed out that the Meteorological Authority is always keen to coordinate with disaster management authorities and all agencies and sectors concerned, in order to protect the country from the dangers of climate change and achieve the sustainable development goals.
The Meteorological Authority had celebrated the World Meteorological Day in the presence of Minister Manar and Minister Fouad, which was held at the authority’s headquarters under the title “Early Warning and Early Action.”
The celebration began with the presentation of an explanatory film on the activities and services provided by the Meteorological Authority in the field of monitoring weather phenomena, weather fluctuations, torrential forecasts, challenges of climate change and ways to confront them.
The participants in the celebration addressed several topics in the field of meteorology, including the importance of meteorological and climatic information in reducing disaster risks, as well as weather and climate phenomena that have become more tense and intense in many parts of the world due to climate change.
It is worth noting that the world celebrates on March 22 of each year the World Meteorological Day, which coincides with the anniversary of the agreement established by the World Meteorological Organization in 1950.
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