'Coming 8 years are crucial to combat climate change': Egyptian president

CAIRO – 11 January 2022: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi said Tuesday that the coming eight years are crucial to combat climate change, stressing salience of cooperation between governments and the private sector.

The president was commenting on the panelists' talk in the discussion titled “The Pathway from Glasgow to Sharm El Sheikh: Combating Climate Change,” held on the second day of the fourth edition of the World Youth Forum (WYF).

“God created humans to be able to build and develop...They will keep building until they think they mastered existence. Only then, existence will be effaced,” President Sisi said.

The chief of state highlighted that although carbon emissions are very low in Egypt, roads have been expanded to reduce congestion, and subsequently, emissions. In the same context, he added that Egypt approached international automotive firms to jointly produce locally-made electric cars.

The president equally showcased other initiatives carried out to eliminate pollution such as the cleaning of lakes nationwide.

With regard to pollution, UNEP Director-General Inger Anderson stressed that to optimally combat climate change, countries where emissions originate the most, must take tougher measures in a fast pace. She added that, otherwise, floods, wildfires, and ensued homelessness will keep happening.

On another level, Ambassdor Amr Nasr, head of Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lamented that developing countries face a shortage in funding needed to mitigate climate change impact. The diplomat further clarified that most funding available is in the form of loans, and not even soft ones.

It is noted that Sharm El Sheikh will also host COP27 later in 2022.