Mohieldin Welcomes Razan Al Mubarak as Climate Champion for COP28

Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for Egypt and UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, welcomed Razan Al Mubarak as the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for the UAE and COP28.

“During this critically important year for climate action, I am honored to work alongside H.E. Al Mubarak to mobilize stronger and more ambitious climate action amongst non-state actors with the aim of delivering on the goals and objectives of the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement which are reflected within the Sharm El-Sheikh Implementation Plan, especially the historic achievement in the field of loss and damage,” Mohieldin said.

“I look forward to our constructive and fruitful collaboration as we build the required momentum to achieve notable progress in the NSA efforts in a way that serves climate issues on the international agenda, especially in financing and investing in the measures of mitigation and adaptation to climate change,” Mohieldin concluded.

 

Climate: Record-Breaking Heat in 2022 Shows Urgent Need to Act

Reacting to the European Union’s Copernicus Global Climate report showing that 2022 was the fifth hottest year recorded globally, the second hottest ever in Europe and that levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are at all-time highs, Chiara Liguori, Amnesty International’s Climate Policy Advisor, said:

“This lays bare the deepening severity of the climate crisis, which is already resulting in human suffering on a vast and alarming scale. Millions of people were affected by extreme weather events in 2022, made more likely and intensified by climate change, including catastrophic flooding in Pakistan, southern and West Africa, severe drought in East Africa, heatwaves in China and India, record summer temperatures across Europe, and the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ian in Cuba and Florida.”

“It is shocking that despite the significant and unequivocal body of evidence that climate change is accelerating, most states and companies continue to expand fossil fuel production and are not putting in place decarbonization strategies and just transition measures fast enough. The unwillingness of states at COP27 to commit to rapidly phasing out all fossil fuels was a collective failure to safeguard human rights and the universal entitlement to a clean, healthy, and safe environment.” He added.

“We cannot afford to let another year go by without changing course. 2023 must be the point at which emissions finally peak and states make a strong international commitment to phase out fossil fuels. All states, but particularly the highest carbon emitters, both currently and historically, must urgently implement measures to help break the global addiction to fossil fuels that is devastating our world.” The advisor concluded.

 

COP27 gave new hope for international cooperation on climate action: Mohieldin

COP27 gave new hope for international cooperation on climate action: Mohieldin

According to Ahram Online, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for Egypt Mahmoud Mohieldin said the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh exceeded expectations, giving new hope for international cooperation on climate action.

Mohieldin made his remarks during a video conference on Friday during the RAISINA Dialogue 2022 event, which was organized by the Observer Research Foundation in India. He is also the UN special envoy on financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

The UAE, which is preparing to host next year’s climate summit, confirmed its commitment to building on the outcomes of COP27 in preparing its climate action roadmap, according to Mohieldin.

The multiple ongoing crises the world is going through should not be ignored when evaluating the outcomes of COP27 or when predicting the results of COP28, Mohieldin said.

He explained that COP27 did well by concentrating on enforcing pledges made at previous COPs. He also advocated for a practical approach to integrating climate action with the goals of inclusive economic growth and long-term development.

The outcomes of COP27 included measures and initiatives that built on the base established by the 2015 Paris agreement and COPs since Mohieldin added.

The most important outcome of the conference was the creation of a loss and damage fund, which was an unprecedented success that will always be associated with Sharm El-Sheikh conference.

The fund will be established from the beginning of the new year until the start of COP28 in Dubai in November when a 24-member provisional committee representing developing and developed countries will make recommendations on activating and managing the fund.

Among the other achievements of COP27, Mohieldin listed “the launching of Sharm El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda that covers food and agriculture, water and nature, coasts and oceans, human settlements and infrastructure.”

The agenda includes the establishment of a global early warning system to deal with the effects of the climate crisis, the release of a high-level expert report under the direction of the UN Secretary-General, emphasizing the importance of implementing its ten recommendations to deal with NetZero pledge criteria and procedures, avoiding greenwashing, and regulating sustainable financing markets for a sustainable economy.

The climate champion noted that the need for a just energy transition was highlighted during COP27 through common investments to draw down fossil energy, increase investment in renewables and deal with the economic and social impacts of the transition process.

This was announced alongside the announcement of several just energy transition programs, including a $20 million project funded by the program partners. This was quickly followed by another $15.5 billion project in Vietnam involving both the government and the private sector.

“In general, in the light of dynamics and ramifications of war in Ukraine, the Sharm El-Sheikh conference was keen to confirm the non-retreat from previous COP commitments regarding emissions reduction, and the completion of mitigation programs according to Glasgow climate alliance outcomes,” Mohieldin stated.

He also mentioned financing, investment, and project development initiatives, such as the launch of the Africa Carbon Markets initiative. Participants at the conference established its regulatory framework, mechanisms, and pricing, as well as discussed ways to reduce debt in developing countries by exchanging it for climate investments, drawing on the experiences of Seychelles, Belize, and Barbados.

An initiative aims to educate Egyptians about climate change’s impact on women

An initiative aims to educate Egyptians about climate change’s impact on women

According to Arab News, a “Feminists for Climate” initiative is setting out to educate Egyptians about the effects of climate change on women in general and Egyptian women in particular.

Marihan Fouad, the initiative’s founder, stated, “Women are the weakest and most vulnerable group, and the issue of climate change and its consequences increases their vulnerability and problems.” The initiative’s goal is to raise awareness of this.”

Fouad, a pharmacy graduate, added: “Choosing the idea of climate change to raise awareness about it and its impact on women has a personal dimension. I am from the delta region (north of Cairo), and most of the women here work first in agriculture, either on land owned by their families or even by working for others, which makes them bear climate change’s consequences the most.”

“It is true that all humans will be affected, but not all in the same way, as it varies from one individual and one social type to another, so women are the group that bears most of its consequences.”

Samira Rashwan, an official at the National Council for Women, told Arab News: “The state is aware that women are most affected by environmental issues and climate change, and the resulting emissions that cause natural disasters, and this has many reasons.

“They frequently do not have easy access to all of the resources that improve their ability to deal with climate change crises.” Rather, there are numerous impediments, including a lack of technology and specialized education that allows women to easily understand the dimensions of the crisis, as well as the fact that women’s empowerment has not yet reached the desired level, and the high illiteracy rate is not only regional but also global.”

“NWFE” Program

On Thursday 7/7/ 2022, Egypt launched the “NWFE ” program to attract funds and investments for a list of green projects in the water, food and energy sectors.

The Ministry of Environment prepared this program in cooperation with the concerned ministries with respect to the National Climate Change Strategy 2050 and the Nationally Determined Contributions Plan 2030, which resulted in a package of programs and projects that were classified and merged to be projects that support the field of Water–Energy–Food nexus.

Projects

The projects of the “NWFE” Program aim to promote eco-friendly projects with respect to the National Climate Change Strategy 2050, and to enhance Egypt’s Vision 2030, through the active participation in financing the list of projects by development partners, international financial institutions, multilateral development banks, as well as the private sector.

Participants

A large number of companies, development partners and representatives of the private sector are participating to mobilize development financing for climate action, and to provide a role model regionally and globally, in line with Egypt’s goals in the climate issue, through innovative financing mechanisms and by turning climate-related pledges into action.

Axes

– Financing and investing in climate projects.

– Promoting a list of green development projects in the water, food and energy sectors.

– Promoting green transformation and food security.

– Promoting the various areas of sustainable development.

Development finance

The “NWFE” Program is the mechanism through which the Ministry of International Cooperation will promote the list of green development projects in the water, food and energy sectors, which come at the forefront of the state’s National Climate Change Strategy 2050.

The Ministry of International Cooperation was keen to hold the joint coordination cooperation platform of the Development Partners Group, chaired by the United Nations and the German Embassy for this year, to present these projects to all partners in order to provide development financing, discuss innovative financing mechanisms, and turn global pledges of climate finance into action.

The “NWFE” Program has been set in accordance with national visions and strategies, to provide development funds, technical support and expertise to implement green projects in the field of adaptation and mitigation of the consequences of climate change.

Egypt aims, through “NWFE” Program, to implement its national goals, take into account the global goals to confront climate change.

The European Bank for Development and Reconstruction (EBRD) is a key partner for Egypt in implementing energy projects

The African Development Bank (AFDB) is also an important partner in the water sector, as the launch of the joint country strategy between the government and the African Development Bank 2022-2026 during the Egypt-ICF 2022 Forum in its second edition is the best evidence of the strong relations between the two sides.

Great efforts are being made, in cooperation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), to enhance national efforts to implement projects that enhance agricultural sustainability and resilience to climate changes in various governorates.

On August 31, 2022, the Minister of Environment Dr. Yasmine Fouad, the Ministerial Coordinator and Envoy of the COP27 Climate Conference, met with John Kerry, the US presidential envoy on climate affairs, to discuss aspects of joint cooperation between Egypt and America, in light of Egypt’s preparations to host the COP27 climate conference, on the sidelines of its participation in the G20 Joint Environment and Climate Ministers’ Meeting held in Indonesia, in the presence of Ambassador Ayman Tharwat, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Amr Osama, Advisor to the Minister of Environment for Climate Change.

 

Chairperson of Ramsco: Women are the most affected by climate change

Rawya Mansour, Chairperson of Ramsco Environmental Villages, said that she started her own project 15 years ago, where she inaugurated her own center at the Egyptian Research Center in Ismailia and since then she has been trying to produce healthy food by recycling agricultural waste and has a patent in this project.

She said in a recorded speech on the sidelines of her participation in the COP27 climate conference, in Sharm El-Sheikh recently, that she also has a patent in the green charcoal machine, which is one of the only ways to eliminate heat emission, reduce its effects, and improve the soil.

Mansour added that this project has secured full-time jobs for 30 women and that she seeks an expansion in Africa, with the help of Dr. Maya Morsy, President of the National Council for Women.

She pointed out that the most marginalized group is the female farmers in the villages, asserting the necessity to work on improving their livelihood, which is what this project contributes to by training peasant women on this method of agriculture, and helping them achieve a green economy and reduce water consumption, pointing out that each ton placed through this machine reduces the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 2.5%, stating “We have solutions to eliminate the effects of climate change and achieve food security”.

Rawya Mansour stressed that women are the most affected by climate change, especially since approximately 40% to 80% of agricultural production is by female farmers, adding that the most obstacle facing women is the climate change crisis, especially since they can’t get the loans needed for transitioning to safe cultivation or own any land, which begs the need to give them access to micro-loans and land ownership rights.

She praised the activities of Women’s Day at the Climate Conference and how she prides the great efforts made on this day, pointing out that Sharm El-Sheikh has become superior to many international cities and brings honor to Egypt. She also praised the pavilion of the National Council for Women at the conference and the products presented by women as they reflect the extent of ingenuity and professionalism known for women.

The National Council for Women participated in a special pavilion in the Green Zone within the activities of the COP27 climate conference, which was hosted by Egypt in Sharm El-Sheikh.

The Council’s pavilion included a display of eco-friendly products by 41 Egyptian women from all Governorates, products from the National Project for the Development of the Egyptian Family workshops, and handmade products within the framework of the “Addressing economic motives for illegal immigration” project, in collaboration with the European Union. The total number of products was nearly 5000 pieces.

Furthermore, the Council’s pavilion showcased many products, including environment-friendly bags made of tamping cloth, mesh and wooden bags, crochet with different designs, products of different carpets and frames of macrame with an Egyptian heritage character, fabric pillows and linen, products of macrame and cotton inlaid with other materials, including wicker, bamboo and burlap, hand-embroidered fabric products, natural leather products, cotton and wool products, wooden decorative pieces inspired by different cultures, and products from Recycled materials, products for interior decoration, wicker and Arjun products with an Egyptian heritage character, fashion from linen and cotton materials with designs inspired by the Egyptian heritage, carpets inspired by heritage, silver jewelry and other products inlaid with silver, all with heritage designs, ornaments made of copper and others made of silver, candle products for lighting, products from recycled denim fabrics, skin and hair care products and cosmetics from natural materials.

 

Egypt’s multiple gains, contributions at COP27

Hosting the UN Climate Change Conference COP27 in the name of Africa had exceedingly benefited Egypt on a national, regional, and international level. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment stated the previous last Wednesday, the 23rd of November. 

At the international level, as per the Minister’s statement, COP27 Ministerial Coordinator and Envoy praised the country’s admirable efforts in organizing such a huge event, which highlighted the harmony between all the state’s ministries and concerned authorities, and shifted the international media’s attention to Egypt.

50,000 individuals and a variety of official and unofficial entities have attended the summit, among 120 heads of state and government, high-level representatives, vice presidents, and over 14,000 participants from COP26. 

According to Ms. Fouad, a day for solutions, a day for water, and a day for biodiversity were incorporated within the COP27 for the first time in its history. 

The conference has taken a huge step forward in negotiating loss and damage, as well as giving access to the private sector to reduce their harmful emissions. 

Moving onto the regional level, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi launched the “Advancing Adaptation Action in Africa” after succeeding to acquire an amount of $150 M of funding from the US and other developed countries, and hosting the initiative’s management unit in Cairo. Furthermore, the US has doubled its Adaptation Fund Pledge to $100 M, in line with the US Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience “PREPARE”.

And finally, on the local level, Egypt has triumphantly secured funds for its projects by signing several agreements at the value of $83 Bn, including $25 Bn from the US to finance its  Nature-based Solutions “NbS”. Germany has also offered an annual $1.5 Bn to fund biodiversity.

On top of that, state and non-state actors have given The Nexus of Water, Food, and Energy national project $10 Bn to support Egypt’s transitional phase to become a green economy. 

And lastly, the African Adaptation Initiative “AII” accepted $150 M. Founded in 205, its main target is forming a unified collaboration between high-level pan-African and regional dialogues to achieve adaptation and simultaneously address the adaptation financing gap.

 

“National for Disabilities”: Egypt presented a model to follow in applying the Accessibility Code at “COP27” conference.

“National for Disabilities”: Egypt presented a model to follow in applying the Accessibility Code at “COP27” conference.
“Iman Kareem”: reassuring people with disabilities .. The Egyptian state and at its forefront is wise political leadership sparing no effort in achieving social justice for all classes of society
Egypt has submitted a model to apply code availability to the UN Climate Change Convention COP27 held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Dr. Iman Kareem, the Supervisor General of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, said Under her eyes the formation of a positive image befitting Egypt’s position and role A hub in the Middle East region of all the countries of the world, where this conference reversed the Egyptian state making significant progress in promoting and integrating the rights of persons with disabilities with others in the society, especially the application of the code of spatial availability, which has made a significant difference in the Republic Deda.
In a press release issued by the council, Karim indicated that she looked into the available availability in Sharm El-Sheikh city in the green and blue areas during her participation in the COP27 climate summit, where she saw the availability of many availability, and found them to be of a high level of efficiency and quality. To make it more sustainable and flexible for human use Those with disabilities, among them were the availability of wheelchairs for persons with disabilities to facilitate their movement inside the conference halls, golf carts and carts equipped to transport persons with disabilities from the airport to hotels and vice versa, as well as the presence of Tada Fund cars and Nasser Social Bank In the eye of the Ministry of Social Solidarity, and Egyptian Red Crescent cars in the conference areas, Green bus powered by electricity and renewable energy, Braille printing available for visually impaired participants, offices to support accessibility in the blue and green zones.
In addition to the availability of a number of volunteers to facilitate services for persons with disabilities, as well as connecting all offices with a wireless network to coordinate among them, as well as providing 6 sign language translators inside the conference halls, the council also worked on providing a sign translator in the green zone for Tessis Communication with people with hearing disabilities and translation of conference events For them, in addition to the contribution of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to the application “Control” which specializes in instant translation of sign language.
The “Supervisor General on the Council” praised the availability applied at the COP27 conference, and the extensive Egyptian efforts that led to the successful completion of the conference in the best way and knew its success, reassuring citizens of people with disabilities that the Egyptian state and at its forefront, the wise political leadership is taking over Great interest in them, spare no effort in social justice for all Categories of society in the new republic on all levels, and the best evidence of this, tangible results that everyone sees on the ground, whether in the infrastructure built by the state, or in the provision of volunteers, or even increasing the umbrella of social support for deserving citizens, to Jan Participating persons with disabilities in international and national conferences and forums Media, as well as media campaigns as our “beautiful morals” campaign

Prime Minister discusses with International Cooperation Minister the results of her meetings and ‘international cooperation’ initiatives during the climate summit

Prime Minister discusses with International Cooperation Minister the results of her meetings and ‘international cooperation’ initiatives during the climate summit

Madbouli emphasizes the importance of continuing to strengthen multilateral cooperation efforts and consolidating partnerships between Egypt and development partners in order to stimulate national development vision and green transformation efforts.

Prime Minister Dr. Mustafa Madbouli held a meeting yesterday evening with Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister for International Cooperation, where the ministry’s activity was reviewed within the framework of the events of the UN Framework Agreement on Climate Change (COP27), which concluded its activities at Sharm el sheik city recently

During the meeting, the Minister of International Cooperation reviewed the results of her intensive meeting with multilateral and bilateral development partners, during which she looked for ways to support and strengthen joint cooperation frameworks and push the vision of national development and green transformation efforts in Egypt.

The Minister of International Cooperation cited the initiatives launched during the climate conference as a sign of the results of the efforts to mobilize facilitated development funding for the National Platform for Green Projects, the International Cooperation Programme, to stimulate green transformation and implement the National Strategy for climate change. Brotherhood, nationally determined contributions to NDCs, also took up the top recommendations of the “Sharm El Sheikh Fair Funding Guide”, which aims To stimulate climate-related funding, strengthen multilateral cooperation and international partnerships, and release the climate and development report in cooperation with the World Bank

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat reviewed the mechanisms of the “Sharm El-Sheikh Guide to Fair Funding”, launched at the climate conference aimed at stimulating the capacity of developing countries and emerging economies to attract climate investments and the tools by which it works to achieve fair climate funding through joint work of relevant parties from international finance institutions and non-purpose organizations For-profit, public and private sectors

The meeting also addresses initiatives launched to enhance the role of start-ups in the Climatech Run climate action, accelerate equal opportunity between gender climate action in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and ongoing coordination with Alla Funds CIF climate will be fruitful to implement the investment initiative in nature and climate in Egypt

The Minister of International Cooperation clarified that “COP 27” was a real opportunity to achieve more international cooperation, create the link between development and climate change actions, assuring the continuation of work in coordination with national authorities and development partners over the next 12 months throughout Egypt’s presidency For climate conference, to advance efforts to promote national platform Green Projects has a “Novfi” program to mobilize facilitated financing mechanisms, including mixed financing and private sector investments, and to strengthen joint relationships with multilateral and bilateral development partners to support the Development State Vision 2030 and the National Strategy for Change Climate 2050

At the conclusion of the meeting, Dr. Mustafa Madbouli, Prime Minister, addressed the importance of continuing to strengthen multilateral cooperation efforts and consolidating partnerships between Egypt and development partners in order to stimulate national development vision and green transformation efforts.

COP27 closes with the deal on loss and damage: ‘A step towards justice, says UN chief

COP27 closes with the deal on loss and damage: ‘A step towards justice, says UN chief

Countries reached an agreement on an outcome that established a funding mechanism to compensate vulnerable nations for “loss and damage” from climate-induced disasters after days of intense negotiations that stretched countries at the latest UN Climate Change Conference, COP27.

“This COP has taken an important step toward justice.” “I welcome the decision to establish a loss and damage fund and to operationalize it in the coming period,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a video message from the conference venue in Egypt, emphasizing the importance of hearing the voices of those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

Developing countries made strong and repeated appeals for the establishment of a loss and damage fund, to compensate the countries that are the most vulnerable to climate disasters, yet who have contributed little to the climate crisis.

The combat against climate change continues

Mr. Guterres reminded the world of the world’s priorities in climate action, including the ambition to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree Celsius limit and pulling humanity “back from the climate cliff.”

The UN chief also emphasized the need to make good on the long-delayed promise of $100 billion a year in climate finance for developing countries, establishing clarity and a credible roadmap to double adaptation funds.