The National Initiative for Smart Green Projects seeks a green economy

The National Initiative for Smart Green Projects seeks a green economy

Highlights of the activities of the Second National Conference of the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects

«The second session of theNational Initiative for Smart Green Projects witnessed an unparalleled turnout of entrepreneurs, and also witnessed the presence of owners of innovative projects that offer promising solutions in addressing the challenges ofclimate change, and enhancing efforts to transition towards a green economy, reflecting… Egypt’s keenness and endeavor to attract and encourage environmental investment opportunities, while adopting environmentally friendly solutions, and adapting to – as well as reducing – the severity of climate changes in all governorates of the Republic.”

This is what the Minister of Planning and Economic Development – Dr.Hala Al-Saeed– said in her words at this ceremony, which was concerned with launching the activities of the National Conference for the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects in its second session, and this was under the auspices of the President of the Republic, and in the presence of Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, “Prime Minister,” and many ministers and governors of the governorates, as well as in The presence of Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, “The Climate Pioneer for the Egyptian Presidency at the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Climate Change Convention COP27”,And Ambassador/ Hisham Badr “Assistant Minister of Planning for Strategic Partnerships, Excellence and Initiatives, and the National Coordinator of the Initiative”, “Alessandro Fracasetti” “Representative of the United Nations Development Program in Egypt”, representatives of the parliamentary councils, and representatives ofInternational development organizationsAnd local partner institutions.

There, Al-Saeed indicated that the initiative – the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects – is one of the Egyptian state’s trends towards integrating the dimensions of the environment and climate into the state’s strategies. In order to achieve theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is consistent with the goals of “Egypt Vision 2030”, as it is a governing framework for all national development programs, initiatives and projects, as achieving integrated and sustainable environmental systems is one of the goals of the updated vision strategy.

In the same context, the Minister of Planning added, saying: “In this context, the state seeks to make this strategic goal realistic development projects, bygreening the investment plan, and increasing its green public investments from 40% this year to 50% of the total investments by 2024/2025.”

Al-Saeed saw that the goals of the initiative are in balance and consistency with the goals of the National Climate Change Strategy in Egypt 2050; Because Egypt has been working for a long time to link this strategy with the various levels of planning and national strategies, by shifting investments towards adaptation and mitigating the effects of climate change. Noting that about 420 billion pounds have been directed to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change in the 2023/2024 investment plan.

The Minister stressed how the initiative is a pioneer in the field of sustainable development, and one of the fruits of theEgyptian Presidencyat the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Climate Change ConventionCOP27; This is considered one of the most successful Egyptian climate initiatives that yielded a large number of gains and results locally and regionally.

For his part, Dr.Mahmoud Mohieldin said in a session in which the names of the winners of the competition for the second session of the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects were announced: “This initiative is a model for localizing climate and development work, and it is a national model that can be used as guidance in this field regionally and internationally.” The United Nations Special Envoy for Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the climate pioneer for the Egyptian presidency at the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change COP27, also confirmed that it is an unprecedented initiative, and that it received direct sponsorship fromPresident Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and the interest and organization of the Prime Minister, and distinguished joint work between the ministries, governorate councils, and concerned local authorities, so that its level of organization is distinguished. All of this was a contribution to its success and development over a period of two years.

Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin explained at the National Conference of the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects – the second session – that the participating projects indicate increased awareness of climate and development issues, and that they contributed to the implementation of an investment map among all governorates, a map that works to supportthe Egyptian economy, as it created a database that includes 12,000 existing projects. On sustainable technology; In order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), includingEnvironment and climate goals.

He stated that those projects participating in the initiative helped support participatory work between the governmental and private sectors, and between development partners regionally and internationally. To localizedevelopment and its catalysts, and transfer distinctive Egyptian ideas and experiences. Then the climate pioneer added, saying: “Egypt succeeded – through its presidency of the twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties (COP) – in consolidating the approach to climate action in a comprehensive manner, as it is an integral part of development work, then moving climate action towards the stage of actual implementation, and then strengthening the regional dimension and the local dimension of climate and development action alike.”

Mohieldin then hinted that Egypt’s hosting of this conference was a path to launching regional platforms related to climate projects, including: the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects, as well as the launch of the Loss and Damage Fund, whose final touches are being discussed in setting its frameworks; To benefit from it practically in the near future.

It is worth noting that the conference announced 18 winning projects, with three projects in each of the six competition categories. It ranges between a large project, a medium project, or a small local project – such as a decent life – and startup projects, in addition to development projects targeting women, their economic empowerment, and climate change. 27 projects were selected to be ambassadors for the governorates, one project for each governorate.

At the conclusion of his speech, the United Nations Special Envoy for Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development explained how Egypt has the elements of success and indicators of promising development and economic work; Because it possesses human power and creative ideas, which are ingredients that are not available to many countries, in addition to diligent work in addressing financing problems, thenEncouraging investment.