Egypt combats climate change with 1st waste-to-energy model

CAIRO – 1 December 2021: One of the latest bids by the Egyptian government to adapt to climate change and reduce its negative impacts on the environment is implementing the first project to transform waste into energy through anaerobic gasification.

This project is considered a model for Egypt’s fulfillment of its international obligations in the United Nations Convention on Climate Change, and reflects the ability of participatory work between the state’s executive agencies to set an example of strength by believing in the importance of each party in leaving a distinctive imprint in its sector.

The story started from the headquarters of the Ministry of Environment, in cooperation with the European Union and the Center for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe, to implement, the first model in Egypt to convert waste into energy through anaerobic gasification in the village of Qalhana, in Fayoum Governorate.

The project is another success story, in addition to the success stories that the Ministry of Environment seeks to create as pioneering models that provide solutions to environmental problems.

It is also one of the ways to safely dispose of municipal solid and agricultural waste, and use it to produce Energy and bio-fertilizer, to improve the standard of living of the people of a village in Fayoum Governorate.

 Integrated Waste Management

The project comes within the procedures for implementing two programs of the integrated municipal waste management system, establishing infrastructure, institutional support, community participation, and rapid action to achieve rapid comprehensive development, as the project began building infrastructure in 2018, followed by work on preparing the first waste management law issued in 2020.

Circular economy

The project is a model for implementing the idea of ​​a circular economy, which is based on reusing material, by providing an economic return and job and investment opportunities.

The state was keen to bring in advanced technologies, and national authorities such as the Arab Organization for Industrialization and Military Production localized this technology and worked on its dissemination.

Fulfill Egypt's international obligations

This project is not only helping to solve a local problem for an Egyptian village, but it was also a model for Egypt to fulfill its international obligations and find solutions for the municipal solid waste sector, the third sector that causes greenhouse gases.

It sends a message to the world that Egypt in conjunction with its implementation of development measures , takes into account the environmental dimensions and fulfills its international obligations in the climate agreement.

This project is a clear example of the will and the optimal use of funding, as the right site was chosen for implementation, and to ensure that job opportunities were provided for the youth of the village.

Working in partnership with state agencies

This project reflects the positive model of how the state manages its files through participatory work between its institutions and donor countries, which has proven its success as one of the development axes in the environmental sector.

Christian Berger, the Ambassador of the European Union to Egypt, praised this project as one of the distinguished projects being implemented for the first time in Egypt and considered a great example for the world to follow, confirming Egypt’s progress on the right path towards a green economy, and sustainable investment in agricultural and solid waste.

Educational aspect

The project has integrated the educational side to its axes, where it improved the social life of the villagers, which confirms the importance of integrating the environmental, economic and social axis in line with Egypt’s 2030 strategy to achieve sustainable development.

The project resulted in educating 3,000 men and women about the harms of waste and ways to benefit from it, empowering 100 young people in the village, developing their skills to qualify them for entrepreneurship in the field of investment in waste, providing 15 job opportunities for young men and girls, and training women on separating waste from the source.