Cairo is stepping into a quieter, more hopeful chapter of its urban story.
Where development once left behind empty stretches of land, the government is choosing green over more concrete, turning those spaces into places where people can breathe.
The idea is to make better use of the land cleared by major projects by planting trees and creating open green areas.
It follows President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s call to launch the “Greening Cairo” project, with a clear focus on expanding the green space available to residents who have long gone without it.
Last week, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly ordered the work to begin at once, starting with trees along the Ring Road and several major roads and axes.
He also directed a survey of vacant government-owned land, with suitable plots to become parks and green spaces.
Government bodies that currently hold that land will be compensated with plots in the new cities. Treated wastewater will help keep the new trees and green areas alive.
Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber has emphasised that the initiative will rest on careful planning and expert advice.
Specialists will help choose tree species suited to Egypt’s climate, ones that offer shade without demanding too much water, and that can stand up to the city’s heat while bringing both environmental relief and visual grace.
He has also called for community efforts, inviting residents and the civil society to take part in planting and looking after the trees.
The need is hard to ignore. A study in the journal Urban Climate found that 83 per cent of Cairo’s population lives in areas where the average green space per person is less than 1.5 square metres. For many, shade and open ground remain rare.
Experts note that more vegetation does far more than soften the look of the streets.
Trees can cool the air and blunt the worst of the urban heat. Green spaces give people somewhere to walk, rest, and step away from the dense concrete that defines so much of daily life.
Environmental and climate specialist Sawsan El-Awady has welcomed the plan as an investment in people’s health and quality of life, not just an effort to beautify the capital.
“A modern city is not measured only by the roads, buildings and infrastructure it creates,” she told the Egyptian Mail.
“It is also measured by the cleaner air, green spaces and more sustainable environment it provides for its residents,” she added.
She explained that vegetation can lower temperatures, especially when trees stand close to homes, buildings and roads.
Research on Cairo has linked thinner plant cover with higher heat, as concrete and asphalt soak up and hold the sun’s energy.
From a practical standpoint, El-Awady pointed to the poinciana as one species well suited to Egypt.
Once a familiar sight on Cairo’s streets, it has roots that spare infrastructure, a long lifespan, modest water needs, and a changing beauty across the seasons.
For her, though, greening Cairo is ultimately about people.
“Parks and open spaces can give families room to breathe, meet and simply be together,” she said.
“They can bring public life back into the everyday and make the gains of development something residents can feel,” she added.
She stressed that success depends on treating green areas as essential infrastructure, not an afterthought.
“Planting trees should be part of the planning of roads, major axes and areas undergoing development, not just something added for decoration after a project is completed,” El-Awady said.
In a city as old and layered as Cairo, she believes development and beauty can – and should – move forward together.
