The Minister of Environment speaks about protecting biodiversity as an essential step to confront the challenges of climate change
Within the framework of the Council of Ministers’ Information and Decision Support Center’s efforts to periodically recruit officials, experts, and specialists in various fields and issues of importance to Egyptian affairs, whether at the local, regional, or international level, the Center published an article by Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, within the issue. The third of the “Climate Policies” magazine, which is a periodic series issued by the Centre, is prepared by an elite group of experts, researchers and executives at the Climate and Environmental Policy Council, and aims to provide insights and analyzes of the most important environmental and climate issues locally, regionally and internationally, as stated in an article Dr. Yasmine Fouad, in the editorial of the issue, entitled “Protecting biodiversity…a strong bulwark in the face of climate change.”
During the article, Dr. Yasmine Fouad explained that over the past years, the Egyptian state has made unremitting efforts to confront Environmental challenges at the national, regional and global levels, with the support of the political leadership that has given a great deal to the environment file and placed it on the government’s list of priorities through a real integration of the environmental dimension into all sectors, and the implementation of many strategies and initiatives to achieve the goals of Egypt’s Vision 2030, in addition to launching awareness campaigns. In order to raise environmental awareness.
The Ministry of Environment has established a solid foundation to move towards promoting environmental and climate investment in Egypt, within the framework of a comprehensive approach to transform environmental challenges into investment and social opportunities, and to spread the concept of the green economy and the circular economy. In order to guarantee the rights of future generations to natural resources and a better future, and to achieve this, the Ministry has taken serious steps over the past years in order to advance the climate action agenda and accelerate the pace of its implementation, enhance mitigation and adaptation measures to climate change, and preserve nature and protect biodiversity as it is one of the basic pillars of climate change. Confronting climate change.
The positive results last year of the Ministry’s efforts to protect biodiversity and environmental investment in Egypt highlighted an increase in the total income of natural reserves during 2023 by 160% compared to 2022; This reflects the provision of various services in the reserves, to enable visitors to live a unique tourism experience that rises to international standards, is compatible with the nature of the reserves, and connects visitors to cultural and environmental heritage and its protection.
Dr. Yasmine Fouad explained, during the article, that the environmental protection sector The year 2023 witnessed the implementation of many achievements, which included developing infrastructure in reserves, monitoring and classifying the state of ecosystems to protect biodiversity and supporting ecotourism, and the inclusion of many programs and activities for each axis that were implemented for the first time at the national level.
It was also the case that One of the most important results of these efforts is the development of infrastructure in natural reserves, the most important of which is the start of development work on the village of “Al-Gharqana”. In the Nabq Reserve in South Sinai, to implement the construction of 51 housing units for the local population there to improve the living conditions of the local population in the reserve, and to complete the upgrade of the efficiency of the Nabq and Ras Mohammed Reserve visitor centers, and to complete the implementation of renovation and rehabilitation works on the Mount Moses trails in the St. Catherine Reserve, in addition to the opening of the Science Club. In the “Qubbet Al-Hasna” reserve As one of the necessary facilities for providing environmental awareness services, and introducing the natural resources in the reserves, their characteristics, and how to deal with them, the Ministry also signed the document approving the environmental management plan for marine activities in the “Ras Muhammad” reserve. The city of Sharm El-Sheikh is the first Egyptian model that aims to organize diving and swimming operations, and determine fishing places and the carrying capacity of each area in order to achieve a balance between the protection of natural resources and the development and investment interests of all parties using the resources.
The Ministry of the Environment was keen to raise the international dimension of the field of protection. biodiversity; Hence, regional and international partnerships continued in this field, the most important of which are: the announcement of the first twinning between Egypt and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the field of natural reserves in Fayoum; To implement the “Safe Haven for Wildlife in Wadi El Rayan Reserve” project, and sign a four-part protocol between the Ministry of Environment, Fayoum Governorate, the Princess Alia Foundation, and the (Paws Four) Foundation. With the aim of providing a safe haven for rescued animals in Egypt and the Middle East region as a whole, the project will be an honorable showcase and a new tourist destination in the field of eco-tourism in Egypt.
Moreover, cooperation has been made with the International Fund for the Conservation of the Houbara Houbara. In the United Arab Emirates" A project to release and resettle birds from the Al-Ameed Reserve in Matrouh Governorate was launched, and 2,000 birds were released from Egypt, within the framework of cooperation to discuss the establishment of projects targeting the sustainable management of animals and birds with economic and social returns for local communities. The project for preserving migratory soaring birds was chosen as a model of best practices for projects funded by GEF 2022; Because of the successful and transformative results it has achieved in disseminating measures to conserve these birds in the five main sectors (fishing, energy, tourism, agriculture, and waste management).
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