Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy and Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment Dr. Manal Awad have officially received the carbon footprint report for the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), marking a major milestone in the country’s green transformation agenda.
The move comes in implementation of directives from Egypt’s political leadership and within the framework of joint efforts by the Ministries of Tourism and Antiquities and Environment to support the Grand Egyptian Museum as a global cultural and environmental model.
A model of cross-ministerial cooperation
Speaking at the ceremony held at the GEM headquarters, Minister Sherif Fathy said the occasion represents “a successful model of close cooperation and true teamwork,” praising the environmental measures taken to ensure that the museum’s opening ceremony recorded a low environmental impact within internationally accepted standards.
“This achievement reflects Egypt’s serious commitment to environmental responsibility, particularly within the tourism and antiquities sectors,” Fathy said, noting that sustainability has become a core pillar of sectoral planning and development.
He highlighted growing global trends indicating that by 2030, tourists will increasingly favor destinations and facilities that apply clear environmental standards, underscoring the importance of Egypt’s proactive approach.
Green transformation across Egypt’s tourism sector
According to Fathy, more than 50% of Egypt’s hotel facilities already apply diverse environmental standards, including the use of clean energy sources and reduced plastic consumption. He added that work is underway to expand environmental requirements across diving centers and tourism activity operators.
He also revealed that several museums and archaeological sites—among them the Sharm El-Sheikh Museum and the Giza Pyramids area—are already operating under environmental guidelines and clean energy systems, reinforcing Egypt’s commitment to sustainable tourism.
First nationally verified carbon-neutral cultural site
For her part, Dr. Manal Awad described the receipt of the carbon footprint report as a historic first, noting that the Grand Egyptian Museum is the first site in Egypt to have its environmental commitment legally documented and internationally aligned through a report issued by a nationally accredited authority.
“This experience represents the first application of carbon footprint accounting within a national megaproject,” Awad said. “It reflects Egypt’s integration of climate action into planning and implementation and strengthens our ability to meet international climate commitments.”
She stressed that the GEM’s path toward carbon neutrality demonstrates that Egypt is not only building world-class cultural landmarks but ensuring they comply with global sustainability and low-emission standards, in line with Egypt Vision 2030 and the National Climate Change Strategy 2050.
International recognition and climate credibility
Awad added that environmental neutrality certificates issued by the Ministry of Environment—and registered with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)—enhance Egypt’s global image as a country committed to environmental governance, climate responsibility, and sustainable investment.
She credited the success of the process to Egyptian environmental experts who developed verified emission-reduction credits from Clean Development Mechanism projects implemented between 2005 and 2020, ensuring full transparency and environmental integrity.
GEM as a platform for environmental awareness
Dr. Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority, emphasized that receiving the carbon footprint verification report is not a symbolic step, but rather a clear message that the museum’s opening was organized using a scientific, transparent methodology for emissions measurement.
“The Grand Egyptian Museum is not only the world’s largest archaeological museum—it is a platform for environmental awareness,” Ghoneim said, adding that sustainability has become part of the institution’s operational philosophy through eco-friendly practices, educational content, and continuous technical collaboration.
A global cultural and environmental icon
Eng. Essam El-Naggar, Chairman of the General Organization for Export and Import Control, described the initiative as evidence of a strategic shift in the authority’s role, positioning it as a key technical partner in supporting Egypt’s environmental policies and international climate obligations through its accredited Environmental Verification Unit (EVVU).
The event concluded with a shared message from participants: the Grand Egyptian Museum is welcoming the world not only as a guardian of human history, but as a global model proving that heritage preservation and environmental protection can advance hand in hand—setting a new benchmark for sustainable cultural institutions worldwide.
