2025 the year of regional leadership, green economy and sustainable development

As the year 2025 approached its end, the sustainable development file was one of the most important national action paths during which Egypt witnessed a qualitative shift at the regional and international levels, after plans and strategies turned into realistic achievements that strengthened the state’s position as a major actor in environmental issues andsustainable development. A year in which the concept of regional leadership was consolidated, linking the protection of natural resources, supporting economic growth, and improving the quality of life of citizens.

During the year, the state continued to implement integrated strategies based on the transition towards a green economy, enhancing waste management, protecting biodiversity, and confronting the challenges of climate change, in addition to applying the concepts of the circular economy and extended producer responsibility, within a framework consistent with the goals of Egypt’s Vision 2030 and relevant international commitments.

The achievements of 2025 confirmed this trend by hosting major international and regional conferences, expanding the declaration and development of natural reserves, implementing innovative projects in waste management, and continuing efforts to combat the black cloud, as well as strengthening environmental monitoring programs and protecting marine and terrestrial life, reflecting the country’s commitment to a balanced development path that puts sustainability at the top of priorities.

Hosting the Barcelona Convention for the Mediterranean Conference

One of the most important achievements of this year is that Egypt assumed for the first time the presidency of the twenty-fourth Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Environment from Pollution (Barcelona Convention COP24) for two years, with the participation of ministers and representatives of 21 countries from the Mediterranean Basin and regional and international organizations, in addition to international experts and representatives of the private sector and civil society.

Therefore, the conference formed an effective platform to discuss multiple environmental challenges, including marine water pollution, loss of biodiversity, the negative effects of urbanization on the coast, and the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems, and it is the most important regional event for protecting the marine environment in the Mediterranean Basin.

The conference was an ideal opportunity to review the pioneering Egyptian experience in managing natural and marine reserves, shed light on national policies that balance economic development with the protection of natural resources, and promote the blue economy as a tool for achieving sustainable development, in addition to addressing the importance of marine scientific research and its role in protecting coral reefs, fish, and rare marine organisms.

The participants, led by Mr. Mitia Priscelli, President of the twenty-third session of the conference, and Ms. Tatiana Hema, Coordinator of the United Nations Environment Programme, praised the Egyptian role in hosting and organizing, and stressed the importance of continued cooperation between the parties to preserve the marine environment and the integrity of ecosystems, while emphasizing Egypt’s decisive role in supporting the implementation of the Barcelona Convention and achieving the sustainability of the Mediterranean for current and future generations.

One of the most prominent outcomes of the conference was the Cairo Ministerial Declaration, which in turn reflected the commitment of the ministers, presidents and delegations of the contracting parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Zone in the Mediterranean and its protocols, to preserve the sustainable use of the Mediterranean Sea and its marine and coastal resources, as they are the cornerstone of stability, prosperity and sustainable development in the region

In addition to the importance of the Mediterranean region continuing as a beacon of multilateral cooperation and peace, the Convention on the Conservation of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) will soon enter into force, as a historic step to protect and manage biodiversity in the high seas, complementing regional efforts within the framework of the Barcelona Convention.

Achievements of the Climate Conference COP30

Confronting climate change

Egypt participated in the Leaders’ Summit held within the activities of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in the Brazilian city of Belém, where Dr. Manal Awad, on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, affirmed Egypt’s firm commitment to implementing the goals of the Paris Agreement to reduce climate change, with a focus on addressing the gap between pledges and actual implementation, and ensuring the provision of the necessary climate financing to developing countries in a fair and easy way to achieve a balance between mitigation and adaptation, and promoting climate justice and the spirit of cooperation. And shared responsibility at the international level.

In addition to emphasizing the priority of adapting to the effects of climate change, especially in the most fragile regions of the African continent, especially confronting drought, water scarcity and rising sea levels, and activating support and financing mechanisms to ensure the protection of communities and the rights of future generations, while strengthening the international role of the Loss and Damage Fund to provide direct grants to support affected countries.

Expansion of the use of renewable energy

With regard to the energy file, Egypt reviewed its efforts to diversify the energy mix and expand renewable energy sources, with a goal of reaching 42% of clean electricity by 2030, implementing projects in solar energy, wind energy, and green hydrogen, improving energy efficiency, developing transportation and distribution infrastructure, and investing in technological innovation to ensure a fair transition to low-emission energy.

Egypt also stressed that the transition in the energy sector must be based on justice and common and differentiated responsibilities, supported by fair international partnerships that provide concessional financing, technology transfer, and capacity building, allowing developing countries to participate equally in the green transition without burdening them with additional burdens.

Switching to green tourism through the “Green Sharm” project

As part of the state’s efforts for green transformation in all sectors, it launched a group of development projects in the city of Sharm El Sheikh to transform into green tourism, thus placing the city as a leading model for green tourism in Egypt.

The project includes expanding the use of renewable energy in the city, as 900 solar-powered lighting poles were installed, and support was provided for the installation of solar panels in 12 hotels, in addition to launching a program to support the hotels’ energy efficiency management system.

In addition to improving the governorate’s solid and hazardous waste management system, launching pilot projects for electronic waste and spent oils, in addition to developing a model plan to reduce pollution in tourist areas.

The project included developing digital applications to monitor marine life and issuing electronic permits for reserves such as Nabq, Abu Galum, and Ras Muhammad, while developing sustainable strategies for managing biodiversity and waste. It also focused on empowering the local community through training in handicrafts, qualifying workers and hotels in environmental management, and activating initiatives to reduce the use of plastic bags and use environmentally friendly alternatives.

Sustainable development and green economy

In continuation of the state’s intense efforts to shift towards a green economy, the state has implemented integrated strategies that include reducing emissions, expanding the use of renewable energy, promoting the circular economy, expanding private sector participation, while raising the recycling rate to 37%, and developing sanitary landfills and environmental facilities.

It also launched the fourth interactive dialogue on the exploitation of agricultural waste, with the aim of opening promising investment horizons in the field of non-traditional animal feed production, thus contributing to bridging the market gap and reducing imports.

This dialogue included presenting practical investment opportunities, and expanded technical and financial discussions with the participation of government agencies, international organizations, and representatives of the private sector, which reflects the ministry’s success in creating an effective dialogue platform that links environmental policies with economic opportunities, and supports the localization of green investments within the Egyptian market.

This move reflects tangible progress in the environmental and climate investment file, and confirms the state’s role towards a just green transformation, maximizing the use of local resources, and reducing pollution and emissions, in a way that serves the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and enhances the competitiveness of the national economy.

Supporting the Grand Egyptian Museum to transform into a green, environmentally friendly museum

Egypt’s achievements did not stop there, as it provided support to the Grand Egyptian Museum in order to transform it into a green, environmentally friendly museum, in preparation for declaring it a Carbon Neutrality museum, through signing a cooperation protocol between the Environmental Affairs Agency and the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority, to implement environmental standards and practices within the museum, and measure and reduce carbon emissions resulting from its various activities, including the trial operation period for the years 2023-2024, the official opening activities, and the first full year. For operation in 2025, in accordance with approved international environmental standards.

This achievement reflects the state’s commitment to integrating the environmental dimension into major national projects, strengthening partnerships with various ministries and bodies, and transforming Egyptian cultural edifices into leading models of environmental sustainability, in a way that supports Egypt’s Vision 2030 and enhances the Egyptian state’s position regionally and internationally in the field of environmental and climate action.

From this standpoint, the year 2025 was the year of Egypt’s transformation into a practical model for regional leadership in sustainable development, as achievements included traditional environmental initiatives, in addition to integrating the green economy with national policies and community investment, passing through international conferences to local projects, such as “Green Sharm” and the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Therefore,The Earth Guards Foundation confirms that Egypt has proven its ability to transform commitments into tangible reality, achieving a balance between economic development and the protection of natural resources, a path that makes 2025 a real starting point for continued social, economic and environmental sustainability in the long term.