Cairo: Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad announced the start of the installation and operation of the latest air pollutant and greenhouse gas monitoring equipment at 12 environmental monitoring stations across Cairo. The move marks the first initiative of its kind in Egypt and the region to monitor short-lived climate pollutants and ultrafine particles, strengthening the state's efforts to improve air quality and combat climate change.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the work is being carried out under the Greater Cairo Air Pollution Management and Climate Change Project, implemented by the Ministry of Local Development and Environment with financing from the World Bank. The project is in cooperation with a number of international and local consulting firms and experts specializing in air quality and climate change.

Awad stated that the advanced monitoring and measurement equipment for the project has already arrived in Egypt and is currently being installed throughout the environmental monitoring network extending from northern Cairo near the Delta region to Helwan in the south. She added that the project also includes upgrading the air particulate monitoring system with more advanced and accurate equipment.

Awad emphasized that introducing measurements for black carbon, greenhouse gases, and ultrafine particles represents a pioneering step in the Arab region and the Middle East. It further strengthens Egypt's position as a regional center for air pollution and climate monitoring while supporting the country's international commitments in the fields of climate and environmental protection.