In implementation of the directives of the President of the Republic.. the government begins implementing the Cairo greening project

Green spaces are one of the essential components of sustainable cities, as they play a role in improving environmental quality and reducing the effects of urban expansion, in addition to providing spaces more suitable for daily life. The expansion of tree planting and the establishment of gardens and parks contribute to improving air quality, providing shade, and reducing the effects of high temperatures, as well as giving a more balanced character to the urban landscape.

In this context, Cairo’s greening efforts gain special importance as part of a broader trend towards enhancing green spaces within urban areas, taking advantage of unexploited lands and turning them into breathing spaces that serve the population. The success of these efforts also depends on planningAppropriate to the nature of the local environment, choosing appropriate tree species, and providing sustainable sources for irrigation, which supports the construction of cities more capable of adapting to environmental changes and improving the quality of life.

Adopting a greening project for Cairo

In light of this, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, held a meeting to follow up on the implementation of the mandates of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, to adopt the Cairo Greening Project, which aims to transform any vacated space into green spaces, in the presence of Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Environment, Engineer Randa El-Minshawy, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, and Dr. Ibrahim Saber, Governor of Cairo, And officials of the Ministry of Housing, and consulting offices.

Dr. Mustafa Madbouly directed the immediate start of implementation of this project, so that it will be…Initiating the planting of the ring road, and a number of axes and main roads, with the formation of a working group of relevant ministries, the governorate, and consulting offices, to follow up on implementation, pointing out the necessity of starting to prepare a typical model for planting various main roads and axes, with various trees, according to what is determined by specialized consultants, where the consultant is responsible for determining the required plantings and afforestation, and the types of trees used for planting in the streets.

This trend is consistent with the eleventh goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to building sustainable cities and local communities, supporting the development of safer, more resilient and sustainable urban environments, and making green spaces a part of urban planning and not just a cosmetic element.

Wastewater Treatment

As directedThe Prime Minister decided to restrict any vacant government lands and begin converting them into parks and green spaces, and to compensate the party responsible for them with lands in new cities, in addition to exploiting triple-treated wastewater to irrigate these green spaces and trees.

For her part, the Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities confirmed that work is currently being done with a number of specialized consultants to increase green spaces in new cities and to benefit from triple-treated wastewater to irrigate these areas, pointing out that we already have a number of projects that are being implemented in this regard.

This reinforces the directions of the sixth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which calls for providing clean water and the necessity of following hygiene rules, by supporting the rational use of water resources and reusing water.Processing for purposes that serve the urban environment.

Cairo’s afforestation begins from the main roads

In turn, the Governor of Cairo confirmed that a model for the greening of Cairo has been prepared and implemented, starting in the Nasr City area, and expanding into main axes and roads, in light of the presidential directive, reviewing the followed afforestation pattern and the types of trees selected.

Dr. Ibrahim Saber also pointed out that the vacant lands within the scope of Cairo Governorate will be limited, in accordance with the Prime Minister’s mandate; With the aim of utilizing it and turning it into parks and green spaces.

Review of the work axes for creating gardens

During the meeting, officials from the consulting offices presented a detailed report on the objectives of the Greater Cairo Greening Project, and the plansThe target is within the work axes that include exploiting some of the interspersed areas in creating gardens, raising the efficiency of squares and planting them, as well as afforesting the main axes to make them green, in addition to creating new public parks, and beautifying and improving bridges.

The expansion of tree trees gains additional importance in light of the thirteenth goal of climate action, as increasing vegetation cover contributes to supporting the ability of the urban environment to adapt to the effects of climate change and rising temperatures.

Vacant lands turn into green spaces

The report included presenting models of the interspersed areas that are being exploited for the purpose of agriculture and afforestation in many areas of Greater Cairo, in addition to the existing axes that have plantings and afforestation to intensify trees there and review their position, as well as the new axes that were recently implemented and plans to integrate them withinAfforestation and irrigation system.

This is in addition to the position of inventorying vacant lands within the neighborhoods with the aim of creating public gardens on them, and the proposed designs for implementation, as well as the criteria for selecting appropriate trees for the project, most notably that they use an appropriate irrigation method, provide adequate shade, be fast-growing, and appropriate to the prevailing environmental conditions, as well as the standards for afforestation of the proposed public parks.

Converting these spaces into public parks would support the third goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), good health and well-being, by providing more suitable urban environments for residents, enhancing air quality, and providing open spaces that contribute to improving the quality of life.

In conclusion, starting the implementation of the Cairo Greening Project is an important step in the way of dealing with urban spaces, as through it it is possible to repurpose vacant lands and raise the efficiencyAxes and gardens, and linking afforestation to a sustainable irrigation system.

This trend becomes more important when the selection of trees and the design of green spaces is based on the nature of the local environment, its ability to provide shade and rapid growth, in addition to reliance on treated water for irrigation. Making every new green space an extension of urban planning that is more efficient in managing its resources.

From this standpoint, The Earth Guards Foundation believes that the success of greening Cairo is linked to its ability to move from implementing dispersed models to building a continuous urban system that preserves green spaces and ensures its efficiency in the long term. A greener Cairo gives its residents a more suitable environment for life, and enhances their ability to confront rising temperatures and climate changes, which makes investing in afforestation an investment.Directly in quality of life.