The European Bank's plan to transform Cairo into a green city

The European Bank’s plan to transform Cairo into a green city

In recent years, Egypt has witnessed important transformations in terms of sustainable development, as the state has developed an ambitious plan to promote the green economy and protect the environment, within Egypt’s Vision 2030. These transformations come as a result of the increasing environmental challenges facing major cities, especially Cairo, as a vital capital and a major economic and social center.

In this context, the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, in cooperation with the Bank, announced the launch of an ambitious plan to transform Cairo into a green city, with the aim of promoting sustainable development and improving the quality of life. In the following lines,Earth Guards reviews the most prominent features of this plan and its importance in advancing sustainable development, in addition to the role of international partnerships in supporting this vital transformation; So keep reading.

Multiple projects to promote sustainable development

In recent years, Egypt has become a major station for international organizations concerned with climate, by hosting major events such as the COP27 conference, and launching pioneering national initiatives, most notably “Novi” and the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects. The project to transform Cairo into a green city constitutes a focal point in Egypt’s efforts to confront the challenges of climate change, as the plan includes the implementation of 13 projects in the fields of transportation, energy efficiency, and management. Waste.

These initiatives come within the context of the Green Cities Program, which aims to enhance the sustainability of cities and raise their environmental efficiency. By adopting sustainable transportation technologies such as electric buses and accelerating waste recycling, Cairo seeks to improve air quality and reduce pressure on natural resources, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Egypt Vision 2030.

The action plan to transform Cairo into a green city contains various projects aimed at improving the environmental infrastructure, as it includes a construction and demolition waste recycling project, which aims to transform about 80% of this waste into raw materials usable in road and infrastructure projects.

In addition to developing the Badr electric bus stop, modernizing residential neighborhoods in Helwan, and improving energy efficiency in municipal buildings, through the installation of solar energy systems and LED lighting units, which leads to reducing the energy bill by up to 40%, and other initiatives contribute to reducing carbon emissions and improving the quality of life of citizens, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Egypt’s Vision 2030.

Hence, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, confirms that these projects reflect Egypt’s commitment to implementing the National Climate Change Strategy 2050, and enhancing the national trend towards a comprehensive and sustainable green economy. They also contribute to advancing the green transformation process in Cairo. This enhances the city’s ability to confront the challenges of climate change and achieve balanced economic growth. It also aims to increase the proportion of green projects to reach 55% of the total public investments in the economic and social development plan for the year 2025/2026. Which confirms the state’s intention to enhance sustainability in various sectors.

International cooperation enhances government efforts

Cooperation between the Egyptian government and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development represents an essential axis in supporting the implementation of the plan to transform Cairo into a green city, and this cooperation confirms the importance of coordination between the public and private sectors, in addition to civil society and international organizations, to provide resources and transfer green technology.

The Green Cities Program launched by the European Bank in 2016 is considered an important support for cities in their efforts to reduce carbon emissions and enhance their resilience, and by Cairo joining this program alongside other cities such as 6th of October and Alexandria, Egypt’s position is strengthened as a regional center for the transition towards a green economy that achieves a balance between economic development and environmental preservation.

According to official data, the action plan for Cairo is based on clear priorities that include improving public transportation services through the use of electric buses, developing the waste management system, and modernizing water and sewage networks, in addition to improving the efficiency of energy use in government facilities, schools, and hospitals.

Cairo’s green future

Cairo’s accession, after the cities of Alexandria and 6th of October, to the Green Cities Program represents a qualitative shift in urban development policies in Egypt, and in the next stage, the state is moving to expand the scope of green projects to include new urban areas in the capital, in parallel with modernizing environmental follow-up mechanisms.

Artificial intelligence andInternet of Things technologies will be relied uponto monitor air quality, energy and water consumption, and enhance the efficiency of projects in real time. It is also expected to launch a national digital platform for the Green Cities Program by 2025; To serve as an integrated data system for monitoring performance and measuring the social, economic and environmental impact of green projects in all Egyptian cities.

Earth Guards believes that the steps that Egypt is taking to transform Cairo into a green city reflect a strategic commitment to the green transformation; The choice of the capital - with its complex demographic and environmental challenges - demonstrates the state’s seriousness in transforming its green vision into a reality supported by international partnerships, sustainable financing, and advanced technologies, which paves the way for other Egyptian cities to adopt a similar path.