Egypt’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, met with British Ambassador to Egypt Gareth Bayley this week to explore deeper cooperation on green growth initiatives across key sectors, reaffirming Egypt’s commitment to multilateral environmental action and sustainable development.
The meeting, which included senior Egyptian and British climate officials, comes as Egypt intensifies its efforts to align with global green transition goals, building on the momentum of its first national transparency report submitted in December 2024 under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). That landmark report documented Egypt’s climate mitigation progress up to 2022, sending what Fouad described as a “strong message to the international community.”
Green Transition: A Strategic National Priority
During the meeting, Minister Fouad emphasized Egypt’s dedication to a just green transition through targeted sectoral reforms. She welcomed the ambassador’s invitation for Egypt to join the UK-led Green Growth Campaign and become a partner in the Green Energy Alliance, an initiative aimed at boosting green investment in emerging markets and accelerating the global shift to clean energy.
Amb. Bayley voiced strong support for Egypt’s inclusion, encouraging the country to showcase its success stories and promising investment opportunities in the environmental and climate sectors. He also reiterated UK readiness to support Egypt in delivering its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Tourism, Waste, and Biodiversity as Pillars of Sustainability
The discussions also highlighted eco-tourism as a priority sector for Egypt’s green transition. With tourism contributing significantly to the national economy and heavily reliant on natural resources, Egypt has shifted toward sustainable tourism models. Fouad noted the government’s collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism to develop eco-lodge standards, green tourism guidelines, and financial incentives under Egypt’s investment law.
She also announced Egypt’s ongoing work to declare the entire Red Sea coast a protected area, raising the country’s protected land coverage to 22%, advancing toward the global goal of conserving 30% of land and marine areas by 2030.
On waste management, Fouad highlighted Egypt’s progress in alternative fuel production through municipal solid waste. Cement factories have increased their use of refuse-derived fuel from 10% to 30% in recent years, as part of a broader move toward a circular economy. She stressed that no licenses are granted to use coal without commitments to adopt cleaner alternatives.
Climate Action and Transparency
Minister Fouad underlined the importance of cooperation with the UK on enhancing institutional climate capacity, especially as Egypt finalizes its updated NDC plan. She noted the country’s advances in establishing climate units across ministries and implementing Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems to track progress.
Public awareness was also flagged as a vital component, with a focus on communicating climate challenges and investment opportunities to communities and businesses.
Plastic Treaty and Global Environmental Leadership
Dr. Fouad, who was recently appointed Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), reaffirmed Egypt’s dedication to multilateral environmental governance. She highlighted Egypt’s proactive role in shaping the forthcoming Global Plastics Treaty and announced new national measures, including the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for single-use plastic bags.
UK’s Support through Green Finance and Conservation
Ambassador Bayley expressed enthusiasm for Egypt’s leadership and reaffirmed UK support through programs such as the £500 million Blue Planet Fund, which offers grants for nature-based solutions and coastal resilience. He praised the Red Sea as a global biodiversity treasure, underscoring its significance in shared conservation efforts.
