Egypt and Russia have discussed expanding bilateral co-operation in climate change adaptation, carbon markets and low-carbon development during a meeting on the sidelines of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.
Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad met with Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov to explore ways to strengthen co-operation and exchange expertise in environmental and climate-related fields.
Awad stressed that adapting to climate change is a priority for both countries, given the growing threats to their populations and livelihoods.
She highlighted the long-standing environmental co-operation between the two countries, particularly under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in June 2009, which covered biodiversity, nature conservation, waste management, air and marine environment protection, desertification and climate change.
She also pointed to an Egyptian-Russian joint steering committee tasked with reviewing co-operation mechanisms and future plans.
For his part, Reshetnikov praised the strong economic partnership between the two countries, highlighting major joint projects, including the El Dabaa nuclear power plant and the Russian Industrial Zone in Egypt.
He said the two sides were working on a new MoU focusing on low-carbon development, carbon footprint mechanisms and climate adaptation in agriculture to mitigate the impact of extreme weather on food security.
The Russian minister also called for Egyptian support for environmental and climate initiatives under the BRICS framework and closer coordination against unilateral trade measures, particularly the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
He noted that the mechanism could place additional burdens on exports, particularly fertilisers, as Egypt and Russia are among the world’s leading producers and exporters.
The Russian side expressed interest in signing a new climate change and low-carbon development agreement, pending the necessary approvals.
