Egypt’s transition to a green and sustainable economy has entered an ambitious new phase, according to Minister of Environment Dr. Yasmine Fouad, who addressed the Parliament’s Energy and Environment Committee this week in a comprehensive presentation of Egypt’s green economy strategy for 2024–2027.
The minister’s appearance before the committee—chaired by MP Rasha Ramadan on behalf of MP Talaat El-Sewedy—offered not only a progress report on critical environmental programs, but also a roadmap for accelerating Egypt’s shift toward a circular economy, boosting climate resilience, and expanding private-sector participation in environmental transformation.
New Era of Environmental Leadership
Minister Fouad, recently appointed as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), was lauded by committee members for her diplomatic leadership and for placing Egypt at the forefront of global environmental governance.
“This high-level UN appointment is a reflection of both Dr. Fouad’s expertise and Egypt’s growing global stature in climate diplomacy,” said MP Ramadan.
Fouad emphasized that Egypt is pursuing the green transition not as a policy option, but as a national imperative, driven by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s leadership and Egypt’s commitments under international climate and biodiversity accords.
Circular Economy in Motion
A centerpiece of the minister’s address was Egypt’s success in raising the waste recycling rate from just 10% in 2018 to 37% in 2025, with a goal of reaching 60% by 2027. Egypt has constructed 47 safe sanitary landfills, up from just three seven years ago, and expanded the number of waste processing facilities to 46.
One headline achievement: Egypt’s long-challenging “black cloud” season—caused by burning rice straw—has been transformed into a profitable waste-to-resource system, generating 1.2 billion EGP in revenue from agricultural waste reuse in a single year.
“We turned environmental liabilities into economic assets,” Fouad stated. “This is what green transformation looks like in action.”
Nature Reserves: From Preservation to Self-Sufficiency
Egypt’s network of natural protectorates has also witnessed significant progress. Revenues from eco-tourism and sustainable activities reached 600 million EGP, enabling self-financed development of these areas without reliance on the national budget. Notably, Wadi Al-Hitan and Ras Mohammed were admitted into the IUCN Green List of protected areas, affirming international standards of ecological stewardship.
Egypt also released its first national guidelines for eco-lodges, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, to support green tourism in protected areas.
Air Quality, Biodiversity, and Industrial Accountability
Progress in air pollution reduction was another focal point. Through industrial emissions monitoring, expanded air quality stations, and new waste management infrastructure, Egypt has achieved notable reductions in urban air pollutants. Major industrial sources have been integrated into the national emissions monitoring network, with incentives provided for water reuse and resource efficiency in factories.
Additionally, Egypt has halted illegal industrial discharge into the Gulf of Suez, launched rehabilitation projects for northern lakes, and reinforced its commitment to marine biodiversity.
Green Diplomacy: Egypt’s Expanding Global Footprint
Since assuming the African Group’s chair in 2015, Egypt has become a central player in global climate negotiations. From launching the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative and African Adaptation Initiative, to hosting COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh and co-leading at COP28 with the UAE, Egypt continues to play a bridge-building role between the Global North and South.
Later this year, Egypt will host the Barcelona Convention COP for the Mediterranean, signaling growing environmental leadership across three regional spheres: Africa, the Arab world, and the Mediterranean.
“The road to a green future runs through regional solidarity,” Fouad noted. “Egypt’s diplomacy is rooted in cooperation, equity, and long-term resilience.”
Green Transformation by 2027
Looking forward, Egypt’s 2024–2027 green strategy focuses on decarbonizing key sectors, which are agriculture, water, energy, and transport. This is in addition to scaling up private-sector involvement in waste management and eco-tourism.
