Cairo: Egypt is advancing its National Adaptation Plan (NAP), transitioning from climate risk assessment to practical adaptation strategies, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment Manal Awad announced. This initiative is supported by the Green Climate Fund in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
According to State Information Service Egypt, Awad emphasized the necessity of basing climate policies on scientific evidence during a coordination meeting with national research centers. These centers are integral in conducting climate risk assessment studies aligned with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Their work focuses on developing locally tailored adaptation strategies and integrating cross-sectoral efforts in areas such as water, agriculture, food security, and urban development, as well as early warning systems for extreme weather.
The Environment Ministry is committed to data sharing and providing technical support to ensure the research outputs form a solid foundation for engaging international financing institutions. This will facilitate the transformation of the NAP into green development projects, effectively shaping Egypt's climate investment landscape.
UNDP Resident Representative Chitose Noguchi highlighted the importance of science-driven climate policies. She referenced previous successful collaborations with Egypt, specifically the implementation of low-cost, nature-based coastal protection along 69 kilometers of the Nile Delta. Noguchi advocated for expanding these tested adaptation solutions and deepening partnerships with Egyptian research centers.
Officials stressed the importance of completing sectoral climate risk assessments by early May to finalize the NAP and obtain necessary approvals by year-end. The meeting underscored the ongoing coordination through technical working groups under the National Council for Climate Change to ensure the development of a unified and effective national adaptation strategy through 2100.