Egyptian sustainable development in the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects
Egyptian Sustainable Development in the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects
With an announcement from the “Ministry of Planning and Economic Development,” the work of the second session of the “National Initiative for Smart Green Projectsin the governorates of Egypt” begins, and the session is expected to continue until the end of next May 2023.
Regarding the session’s activities, Dr.Hala Al-Saeed “Minister of Planning and Economic Development” confirmed that the initiative reflects Egypt’s pioneering role in the field of sustainable development, as the initiative demonstrates the extent of the state’s interest in localizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among all governorates of the republic; Pointing out that it is an initiative that focuses on realistic implementation and implementation.
She explained how the initiative is a serious path towards dealing with environmental dimensions and multiple climate variables. In order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as digital transformation by presenting projects targeting developmental methods. Drawing attention to developing a map at the level of Egypt’s governorates for green and smart projects, linking them to financing agencies, and attracting the investments required by these projects.
The “Minister of Planning” indicated the extent of success achieved by the first round of the initiative, as more than 6,200 projects were submitted, and 162 projects were selected. That is: only 6 projects from each governorate, then the selected projects were filtered again. To identify 18 projects that are representative of all the governorates of the Republic, as the best projects that applied to the initiative, and they are the projects that also participated in the “Cop27” climate change conference, which Egypt hosted in Sharm El-Sheikh last November.
The Minister, Dr. Hala Al-Saeed, continued: These projects that participated in “Cop27” have been well received by many, indicating that the Ministry seeks to deepen cooperation and partnership with various institutions. In order to attract the necessary investments that support the initiative. Al-Saeed also confirmed the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s announcement of its support for 6 of the winning projects in the initiative.
In the same context, Ambassador Hisham Badr, “General Coordinator of International Conferences atMinistry of Planning and Economic Development, and General Coordinator of the Initiative,” indicated that the initiative aims to spread awareness of climate change issues and challenges among Egypt’s governorates, and highlight the role of civil society and the private sector in implementing sustainable development strategies; Stressing that the initiative encourages all groups to participate, especially women, whose participation is of interest to the state, as they are an essential partner in the field of development.
He also confirmed the readiness of “The National Initiative for Smart Green Projects” to work in its second session, noting the praise and support of international and international institutions for the initiative, and their interest in participating in the evaluation committee, as well as participating in the initiative’s projects.
Ambassador Hisham Badr called on projects that take into account environmental dimensions across Egypt’s governorates to participate in the second round of the initiative, as it is an initiative that reflects the state’s efforts to achieve sustainable development, and to implement “Egypt Vision 2030,” as well as to implement the “National Climate Change Strategy 2050.”
The initiative stipulated for the participating projects: that the project be within the geographical scope of the governorate, that it be implemented on the ground, that it have results supported by evidence, and that it include a technological component and another component related to “green” environmental sustainability.
Also among the conditions is that the project be in its own category, with a written declaration denying that the project won any award from the first cycle of the initiative 2022, in addition to another written declaration proving the intellectual property of the project, and acknowledging full responsibility for any claims or legal violations, then a third written approval in the event that the project is shared between multiple parties or individuals. Members of the executive committees, as well as members of the arbitration committees, are also prohibited from nominating projects of their own or those of their families, and in the end, the legal personality of the project must be in place before announcing the results of the competition.
It is expected that the projects will be evaluated during the second cycle of the initiative according to criteria, including the extent of the efficiency of energy and renewable energy uses, taking into account the social impacts, economic feasibility, uses of smart technology, the degree of innovation, and technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, then the ability of these projects to expand and replicate, in addition to the mechanisms for sustaining the project results; It is also a criteria that the category of women’s projects be a step towards their empowerment.
