Minister of Environment: Civil society has a vital role in achieving development, and we seek to create an environmental awakening among young people

“Adly”: The celebration reflects the real legislative breakthrough to protect resources and preserve the rights of future generations

The date of January 27 of each year remains a milestone in the process of environmental work in Egypt. It carries within it a good memory of the birth of the first environmental protection law, which is Law No. 4 of 1994, amended by Law No. 9 of 2009. It is the day on which Egypt celebrates “Egypt Day.” The National Environment” was an initiative launched by the Arab Bureau for Youth and Environment Association in 1997, and it was keen to organize it annually, until last year the initiative received the approval of the Prime Minister to declare it an official national occasion.

This approval came in response to the efforts of the Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, who announced her adoption of the initiative, which the Arab Bureau for Youth and Environment Association has been keen to organize over the course of 25 years, considering that it constitutes a model of true partnership between the government sector and civil society. The Minister also expressed her keenness and enthusiasm. We are keen for Egypt to have a National Environment Day, celebrated every year, to raise individuals’ environmental awareness and encourage them to practice environmentally friendly behaviours, aimed at preserving natural resources.

Despite the exceptional circumstances imposed by the “Corona pandemic”, the Ministry of Environment held the official celebration of National Environment Day remotely, via electronic communication platforms, and through the “Environmental Salon”, which the Ministry organized through its official page on Facebook, with the participation of Dr. Imad. Al-Din Adly, Head of the Arab Bureau for Youth and Environment, and Dr. Hussein Abaza, Advisor to the Minister of the Environment for Green Economy and Sustainable Development. This year’s celebration carried the slogan “Green Recovery…the Path Beyond Covid-19.”

While the Minister of Environment expressed her gratitude to the Prime Minister, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, for his approval to adopt January 27 of each year to celebrate National Environment Day, starting last year 2020, she confirmed that this approval came in light of the increasing interest in environmental issues, at both levels. Official and national, and in confirmation of the role of civil society in achieving development, and in commemoration of the day on which the first environmental protection law was issued in Egypt, the importance of which lies in establishing the foundations, controls and mechanisms that enable everyone to preserve the environment, and emphasizes the integration of the environmental dimension into the various development sectors.

Fouad considered that what makes this celebration special is that it represents a true partnership between the Ministry of Environment and civil society, represented by the Arab Bureau for Youth and Environment, which was the first to celebrate this day for many years, stressing the vital role of civil society organizations in solving environmental problems. By communicating with the local community, and working to change and modify thought and behavior, and I gave an example of this with the “Shared Bicycles” initiative, which is being implemented at Fayoum University, in cooperation with development partners, and with the support of the Small Grants Program, and a number of civil society organizations, which is an initiative that It contributed to girls accepting the idea of ​​cycling.

She stressed that National Environment Day for the current year 2021, which the Ministry is launching its activities for the second time, comes under the slogan “Green Recovery…the Way Beyond Covid-19,” in order to link it to international developments and the language of the world now after the “Corona Pandemic” crisis, which has proven to people that… Nature does not need him, rather he is the one who needs them, and this means returning to practicing natural activities and traditional development paths with their full productive capabilities, with an unconventional thought, based on interest in preserving natural resources and reducing consumption, so that there is sustainable consumption, with a focus on exploitation. Optimization of resources.

The Minister of Environment added, during her speech on the occasion of the celebration of National Environment Day, that Egypt was the first to call for the concept of “green recovery,” when President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, during the Biodiversity Conference in 2018, launched the Egyptian initiative to link the three agreements on climate change. Climate, desertification and biodiversity, which is a message to the world to return again to nature.

Fouad stressed the importance of the steps taken by the state during the past year, which was represented by the Council of Ministers’ approval to issue environmental sustainability standards, which aim to integrate the environmental dimension into all development sectors, with the aim of reaching an integrated planning system that serves the trend towards transformation in the Egyptian economy. To the green economy, the Ministry of Finance issued green bonds, and allocated the first packages of those bonds to transportation and housing projects, in addition to launching the “Eco Egypt” campaign to stimulate eco-tourism, through developing natural reserves, and integrating the local community into development activities.

The Minister of Environment also touched on the presidential initiative to develop the Egyptian countryside, within 3 years, which confirms the state’s endeavor to implement the concept of “green recovery” on the largest scale, noting that the ministry launched the “biogas units” project in a number of villages, nearly a year ago. , with the aim of benefiting from agricultural waste and animal waste, to provide a sustainable source of energy, noting that work is underway to spread this technology in a number of other villages, and all of these projects require a law and a supportive climate for implementation on the ground.

Regarding the importance of the role of youth in environmental work, Fouad emphasized that youth have an effective role in changing for the better, considering that “without conscious, aware, and enthusiastic youth, we will not be able to achieve the desired change.” She pointed out that there are many projects that have been implemented with the participation of youth, within The “Go Green” initiative, and the campaign to clean the Nile River (Very Nile) to call for banning single-use plastic bags on Zamalek Island, and stressed that “the real message that we aspire to reach is to create an awakening within the Egyptian youth, so that they feel that the environment is part of their lives.”

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While the Minister of Environment indicated that during the coming period, the door for dialogue and consultation will be opened regarding the executive regulations of the Waste Law, she invited all civil society organizations to participate in this dialogue, indicating that in light of the development transformation the country is witnessing, all efforts are being made. It is formulated in the form of numbers and indicators, in accordance with the government’s plan for the period from 2018 to 2022. It is also targeted that the standards of environmental sustainability reach 50% green projects within 3 years. The general framework for the national climate change strategy is also being prepared and is expected to be completed. Within 7 months.

For his part, Dr. Imad Adly, Head of the Arab Bureau for Youth and Environment, thanked the Minister of Environment for adopting the initiative to celebrate National Environment Day, so that it became an official national occasion, and stressed that this occasion is a historic event for all those interested in the environment and sustainable development sector, especially since the history of… January 27, 1994 is the real legislative breakthrough to preserve the environment and its resources, and to preserve the rights of future generations. He added, “The 25th National Environment Day comes upon us this year, and it includes many achievements that have been achieved, in an effort to achieve the desired sustainable development map.”

Adly also pointed out the importance of issuing the waste law, after holding many meetings, consultative circles, and meetings, to be the product of a national dialogue, with the participation of various concerned parties, stressing that “the law was issued in a manner consistent with our behavior, culture, and heritage,” and added that “it was being considered.” To the Minister of the Environment (formerly) that he is the Minister of Welfare, while in fact he is the Minister of Life, stressing that it is necessary for a strong economy, good health, a clean environment and good exploitation of natural resources, and he thanked the Minister of the Environment for the Ministry’s adoption of the “initiative.” “Shared bicycles,” which are being implemented at Fayoum University, with the participation of a number of development partners, with support from the Small Grants Program.

As for Dr. Hussein Abaza, advisor to the Minister of the Environment for green economy and sustainable development, he stressed that “there was no conviction among societal bodies, from the private sector and others, of the importance of integrating the environmental dimension in a way that benefits productive activity, the citizen, and the impact of this on his daily life.” “This is what has brought us to this level of great interest in the environment today.” He explained that during the past stage, state policies, through the Ministry of Environment, in cooperation with all sectors, took the environment to be viewed as an “opportunity” and not an “obstacle,” as the government seeks And civil society to invest in the environment, in a way that maximizes benefits, while preserving natural resources, and stressed that the world has become certain that after the end of the “Covid-19 crisis,” it cannot continue on the path of development, without shifting to the green economy.

A statement issued by the Arab Bureau for Youth and Environment, on the occasion of the celebration of National Environment Day, stated that this year’s celebration, which is organized by the Ministry of Environment in cooperation with the Association, comes in parallel with huge and tangible efforts made by the government, during previous years and until today, represented by the launch of many projects. Nationalism, which takes into account and achieves the concepts of true sustainable development for the people of this country, pointing out that all these achievements came in light of great challenges, including environmental, economic and political, in addition to the repercussions resulting from the spread of the “Covid-19” virus that has afflicted the entire world, and afflicted us without a doubt. 19”, which had, and still has, many negative impacts and consequences on the development sectors in Egypt.

The statement explained that in continuation of stimulating and activating the role of civil society in achieving sustainable development, and in light of the support and endorsement of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, of the importance of the role of civil society in bringing about sustainable development, as it is an essential part of the development triangle in Egypt, the Ministry of Environment, in cooperation with the Association The Arab Bureau for Youth and Environment worked hard on this important national occasion to invite all concerned parties to submit ideas, propose initiatives that would be a successful model for the “Go Green” initiative, and provide future visions towards “green recovery.”

The Arab Bureau’s statement added that this year, the organizers agreed that the slogan of National Environment Day for 2021 would be “Green Recovery…the Way Beyond Covid-19.” This slogan was agreed upon because it is closely linked to all national, regional and international developments, as it appealed to The societal statement, with all its institutions, is that life and its continuation require us to return to practicing normal activities, but with a new development thinking, the rules of which are based on concern for the environment, the inevitability of preserving its resources, and that we work hard to reduce consumption, so that there is sustainable consumption.

The association stressed in its statement: “Therefore, we maximize and value the importance of forming partnerships between state institutions and civil society organizations, so that they join together in protecting the environment and its resources, and that we work with every effort to integrate the youth and women sectors, and that we seek to build their capabilities and enable them in green entrepreneurship. In order to enhance the path of green development,” the statement concluded by saying: “We, as civil society organizations, must maximize our role and strive to deepen the concept of the green economy, and its extension to the concept of green recovery, and the importance of this in improving the environment and preserving its resources, in order to achieve development goals.” Sustainable.”