On the sidelines of the Ninth Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action, Dr. Manal Awad, Egypt’s Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment, met with European Commissioner for Climate Action, Mr. Wopke Hoekstra, and Danish Climate Ambassador, Mr. Ole Thonke, to discuss key environmental priorities ahead of the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP30).
During the meeting, Dr. Awad emphasized Egypt’s priorities in implementing the Paris Agreement, focusing on concrete results in climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building. She stressed the critical importance of prioritizing adaptation and its funding, particularly for countries most vulnerable to climate impacts, including Egypt and other African nations, to enhance resilience and improve livelihoods.
“Prioritizing adaptation financing is essential for achieving tangible progress in resilience and sustainable livelihoods in climate-vulnerable countries,” Dr. Awad said.
Dr. Awad also highlighted the need to enable countries to implement their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) through technical support, capacity building, and financial resources, ensuring alignment with national and global climate goals. She called for a just transition framework that links ambition to implementation through effective use of finance, technology, and capacity-building initiatives. She stressed that the specific needs of African countries must be recognized, with transparency, inclusivity, and accountability to convert commitments into measurable outcomes.
The minister further discussed Egypt’s emerging carbon market, noting that the country launched its first regulated voluntary carbon market in August 2024, with the first transaction conducted on August 13, 2024. The market operates in collaboration with the Egyptian Carbon Exchange (EGCX) under the supervision of the Financial Regulatory Authority, and includes plans to implement the “BACO Design”, setting operational principles for Articles 6.2 and 6.4 of the Paris Agreement.
European Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting global adaptation efforts and assisting countries in implementing their NDCs through finance, technology transfer, capacity building, and effective climate finance mechanisms.
