'Egypt, led by Sisi, will make COP27 'turning point' in int'l climate efforts': Environment min.

CAIRO - 7 November 2022: Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad said that Egypt, led by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, will make the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP27) in Sharm El Sheikh city a turning point in international climate efforts.

Fouad said the summit will back Egypt's presence in the main international forums and strengthen its ties with key partners.

She further noted that Egypt was chosen to host the summit as per the UN system of regional rotation, adding it was the turn of an African nation to host the climate summit.

Choosing Egypt to host COP27 reflects the African countries' trust in Egypt and its ability to address African issues and help reach agreements and solutions acceptable to all parties, particularly in light of the residual damage inflicted on Africa due to climate change.

In her interview with MENA, the environment minister underlined that Egypt, as the hosting country of the summit, is keen on addressing urgent issues in the African continent in particular and in developing countries in general, topped by climate adaptation and finance.

She added that Egypt also looks forward to building on the outcome of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26) after finalizing the Paris Climate Action Plan. The Paris Climate Action Plan aims at reducing the city’s carbon footprint in line with the Paris Agreement’s aspirational goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. This Climate Action Plan lays the path for Paris to accelerate its emissions reduction efforts, aiming to be a carbon-neutral city by 2050.

Asked about Egypt's economic and tourism gains from the 12-day summit, minister Fouad said the summit will bring together from 30,000 to 40,000 participants from 194 countries, including 90 presidents, leaders and kings, a matter that will direct the world's attention to "Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit".

Asked about the "Green Sharm El Sheikh", aiming to turn Sharm El Sheikh into a model integrated and ecologically sustainable tourism city of national and international importance, the minister said that the sustainable transport system and roads were activated by depending on clean and environmentally friendly transport using electric vehicles.

She added that 200 stations for charging gas-powered and electric buses were installed in Sharm el Sheikh city.

She also stressed that through the climate summit (COP27), Egypt will urge major countries to implement their pledges at previous UN climate summits, in addition to the 2015 Paris Agreement, in which the signatories pledged to pump dlrs 100 billion annually to help developing and affected countries to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.