The Ministry of Environment marked on Sunday the National Environment Day to raise awareness about environmental issues and highlight environmental challenges.
To be celebrated annually on January 27, the event is the ministry’s mechanism to educate the members of the public about the importance of keeping the environment clean.
This year, the ministry held the celebration under the theme, “Green and Sustainable Egypt: Towards a Circular Economy and a Fair Green Transformation.”
Environment Minister, Yasmeen Fouad, threw light on the government’s commitment to addressing environmental issues and recognizing their significance as a matter of national security.
She highlighted the recent designation of January 27 as National Environment Day, reflecting the growing importance of environmental protection.
Egypt’s commitment to climate action was further solidified by coming second at the level of the Middle East and North Africa in the German Watch report.
Minister Fouad attributed this advanced ranking to Egypt’s national climate action efforts.
“This recognition underscores the nation’s dedication to climate mitigation and adaptation strategies,” the minister said.
Egypt submitted its first transparency report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change recently, demonstrating its progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the report, Egypt has achieved its 2024 emission reduction targets in the energy sector and surpassed targets in the transportation sector by 12%.
The minister underscored the importance of the role community participation could play in the achievement of a fair green transformation.
The government, she said, is actively engaging with various stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, youth, academics, and professional unions.
She added that this engagement aims to ensure that all voices are heard and that environmental policies are developed with the active participation of the public.
Meanwhile, Minister of Local Development, Manal Awad, praised the Presidential Initiative to Plant 100 Million Trees for, not only enhancing the green space, but also improving the air quality, mitigating climate change, and creating a better future for generations to come.
The National Environment Day celebration witnessed the signing of two cooperation protocols between the Environmental Affairs Agency, the executive arm of the Ministry of Environment, and other organizations.
These protocols aim to strengthen collaboration in environmental awareness; training; capacity building, and sustainable waste-management practices.
