In our world today, it is evident that environmental sustainability needs to be a crucial focal point in future governmental talks. Now more than ever, people are calling for more “green” approaches to everyday aspects of life that have typically been overlooked. People can decide to use less water or to bike to work instead of driving, but that is just one person’s effort.
In order for people to see the results they want, it is going to take more global efforts from large global entities. The United Nations, for example, released a report in 2015 about the impact of “ozone-depleting substances,” which got the attention of countries around the world. It is reports like this that can give concrete evidence to world leaders who can step up and change what others may not be able to. Countries like Denmark are doing what should be done by other countries as well. They have been able to cut back on their air pollution, drastically reducing it in only 2 years. They are also on pace to be on clean, renewable energy by 2030, and hope to one day be off of fossil fuels. Other countries such as Finland and New Zealand are making similar strides. Some world leaders are still not coming to a consensus on the importance of this matter, but with countries like these leading the way, it is a sure sign that countries can still be economical while also prioritizing the environment.
In Egypt, the country has committed itself to working towards a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly future. They have a 3-pronged approach in order to improve the general sustainability of the country, which includes social, environmental, and economic sustainability. On the environmental side, they are currently working to upgrade their renewable energy sector, and plan to increase their capacity for such energy by nearly 50% in the next 15 years. Organizations like the Egyptian Energy and Environment Association work so that Egypt can look towards a future full of clean energy. Conserving water has also been an issue in Egypt in the past. The Government of Egypt has stressed considerable importance towards providing clean water to all its citizens. Egypt has been more fortunate in the water crisis than other African countries, but they still have room to grow. The Egyptian Government has made a commitment to reach all of its people with clean water, and to continue to provide clean water in the coming years.
However, one of the biggest crises that needs to be addressed by Egypt is their poor air quality. Cairo ranks among the worst cities in the world. The air, noise, and light pollution in Cairo, as well as other parts of Egypt, are quite abysmal. Some organizations have sprouted up in Egypt to combat this issue though. Greenish, an Egyptian based company, works on educating people on alternative methods of disposing of waste, with specific stresses on using it for expressive thought, such as art. Another company, Mobikya, has started making products out of recycled boxes and tires, instead of burning them or disposing of them incorrectly. Another company, Up-fuse, takes recycled plastic bags, and turns them into high-quality hand-bags. This cuts down on the amount of unused plastic polluting the cities in Egypt.
Companies like this paralleled with efforts from the Egyptian government, show that Egypt has intentions of moving forward with environmental sustainability. They still have quite a distance to go, but the foundation is evident, and progress hopes to be made.
Click to access 2015wess_ch5_en.pdf
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/memberstates/egypt
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