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Egypt’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, has called for the launch of comprehensive training programmes to strengthen national expertise in calculating emissions reductions and acquiring carbon certification. The initiative comes amid growing global emphasis on carbon markets and Egypt’s efforts to align with international climate commitments.
Dr. Fouad made the announcement while chairing the 66th session of the Board of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), held to review the country’s environmental priorities and strategies for sustainable resource management. The session was attended by Dr. Ali Abou Sena, CEO of the EEAA, along with board members, ministry officials, and environmental experts.
“The agency must organize training courses to raise national capacity in calculating reduction percentages and obtaining carbon certificates, and tighten oversight on the bodies entitled to issue carbon footprint certifications,” Dr. Fouad said during the meeting.
She also thanked current and former environmental experts and EEAA presidents, commending their collective contributions during her seven-year tenure as minister. “I am proud of the period I served as chairperson of the agency’s board. Tremendous efforts have been made to develop Egypt’s environmental sector,” she noted.
Board members, in turn, expressed their appreciation for the minister’s leadership, highlighting her achievements in transforming Egypt’s environmental landscape both domestically and internationally.
Dr. Abou Sena reviewed the outcomes of the agency’s 65th session, focusing on decisions related to natural reserves and the conservation of resources. One of the session’s key discussions involved revising the equation used to determine environmental compensation for petroleum-related water pollution, in line with recommendations from the Supreme Committee for Environmental Compensation.
Dr. Fouad also reiterated the ministry’s commitment to opening Egypt’s nature reserves to eco-tourism investment in collaboration with the private sector. “The ministry has worked hard to utilize protected areas by offering diverse tourism activities that match the nature of each site. This is part of the state’s strategy to support investment in partnership with the private sector and benefit from global and regional experiences,” she said.
The session further examined updates to the rules and procedures governing the Registration and Accreditation Committee, following amendments to Article 13 bis of the executive regulations of Environmental Law No. 4 of 1994, as amended by Law No. 9 of 2009.
“The ministry has made great strides through the Registration and Accreditation Committee in selecting applicants for environmental consultancy roles. We have established rigorous academic and technical requirements to choose the most qualified professionals,” Dr. Fouad explained, emphasizing the need for consultants to possess both scientific knowledge and awareness of socioeconomic issues, reflecting the integrated nature of today’s environmental challenges.
