The impact of COVID 19 on air pollution levels and other environmental indicators - A case study of Egypt

بحث أكاديمي

2021

أرصاد جوية  الصحة 

The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) not only affected health and economics, but also its effect extended to include other aspects, such as the environment. Using Egypt as a case study, this paper presents the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on air pollution levels by studying nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter represented in absorbing aerosol index (AAI), carbon monoxide (CO), and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The paper also highlights the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on other environmental indicators including environmental noise, medical and municipal solid wastes. The paper presents the Egyptian COVID-19 story from its different angles including the development of confirmed COVID-19 cases, containment measures from the government, the impact on the country’s economy and the national energy consumption so as to effectively evaluate the effect on both the air pollution levels and the other studied environmental indicators. For the other environmental indicators, a strong link was observed between COVID-19 lockdown and the reduction in environmental noise, beaches, surface and groundwater pollution. For environmental noise, this has been confirmed by officially governmental announcements which reported that the level of environmental noise in Egypt was reduced by about 75% during the lockdown period. On the other hand, there are some negative effects, including an increase in medical solid waste (from 70 to 300 ton/day), municipal solid waste, as well as a less efficient solid waste recycling process. For air pollution levels, the data were obtained from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency satellite data sets. The data for the lockdown period in 2020 have been extracted and compared to the corresponding months in the selected baseline period (2015–2019) to identify the effect that the lockdown period had on the air pollution levels in Egypt with focus on Cairo and Alexandria governorates. It was found that the AAI decreased by about 30%, the NO2 decreased by 15 and 33% over Cairo and Alexandria governorates, respectively, and that the CO decreased by about 5% over both governorates. In addition, the GHG emissions in Egypt were reduced by at least 4% during the pandemic. In contrast, ozone levels increased by about 2% over Cairo and Alexandria governorates. It can be concluded that the implemented containment measures during COVID-19 pandemic had resulted in both positive and negative environmental impacts. The positive environmental impacts are not sustainable and deterioration on them is expected to occur after the lockdown as it was before the pandemic. Therefore, stricter laws must be enacted to protect the environment in Egypt.

جامعة القاهرة

د.جميل جمال عبد المعطي

gamil.gamal@cu.edu.eg

Developing a MSc Program in Climate Change, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security

بحث أكاديمي

2016

2019

The motivation for integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into an MSc for Climate Change, Sustainable Agriculture, and Food Security (CCSAFS) programme (Makrakis and Kostoulas-Makrakis 2020) comes from the environmental and socio-economic characteristics of the Southern Mediterranean countries where it has been implemented. The objective of the project was to respond to the needs of an inter-disciplinary programme that will promote the entirety of the Sustainable Development Agenda, not just part of it. Students in the region need skills and tools for developing agricultural practices, policies, and measures to address the challenges that climate change poses to agriculture and food security in the region, without sacrificing progress on other SDG-related targets. The wider objectives of the project is to respond to the needs identified through the development of an inter/multidisciplinary MSc programme in Climate Change, Agricultural Development and Food Security that will help promote the Sustainable Develoment Goals, especially SDG 2, by providing students with the skills and tools for developing agricultural practices, policies and measures to address the challenge that climate change poses for agriculture and food security in the two target countries and in the MENA region, in general The project started in 2019 and ended 2019. it included 13 partners universities from Egypt, Jordan and EU The specific objectives are: Carry out capacity building for the involved staff from the partner institutions: a) to design post-graduate curricula in line with the Bologna process; b) to design and develop inter/multidisciplinary course curricula at the post-graduate level; and c) to apply innovative and flexible teaching and learning methods. 2. Develop a platform for blended learning supplemented by laboratories to support the MSc. programme and function as life-long learning resources and develop Centers of Excellence in CCSAFS in each partner country university. 3. Develop an inter/multidisciplinary MSc. programme in Climate Change, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, comparable and compatible with EU equivalent programmes in cooperation with EU and PC Universities, NGOs, local agricultural/food industry, government agencies and higher education accreditation commissions. It will be worth of 120 ECTS (90 ECTS course work & 30 ECTS thesis) where Suez Canal University, Egypt and Jerash University, Jordan will serve as the main hubs. The program is exclusive where it has some distinguished characteristics: Has an interdisciplinarity nature , It comprises curricula from different sciences. The philosophy of this program is that the study of environmental problems is not limited to knowledge of one field or discipline. But on the ability to apply critical thinking skills, link and synthesize knowledge and skills from different sciences, and acquire new knowledge. The program enables the transferability of knowledge to the real world through practicing new teaching methodologies: community-based learning and project-based learning. Since the MSc Program was developed collaboratively by eight universities, staff from participating institutions have the chance to provide lectures and training in a number of courses. Visits to agro-industry including farms, companies and factories are part of activities that students must perform to accomplish course load The program launched in February, 2019 with 8 students enrolled in the program. a total of 22 students have enrolled since starting the program running.

Suez Canal University

Co-funded by the Erasmus + project of the EU

Manal M. Hefny

manalhefny96@gmail.com

أكاديمي -بحثي

بحث أكاديمي

2015

2022

الطاقة المتجددة إعادة التدوير الحد من آثار التغير المناخي 

Supervising thesis 1 – M.Sc.Thesis entitled “Preparation of biolubricants from nonedible oils for low temperature applications using different homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts”. 2 - M.Sc.Thesis entitled “Preparation and characterization of nanoparticle-based deoxygenation catalysts for renewable fuel production “ 3 – Ph.D. thesis entitled “Co-hydroprocessing and hydrocracking of alternative feed mixture (vacuum gas oil/used lubricating oil/waste cooking oil) for Production of high-quality fuels”. 4 -Ph.D. thesis entitled “Production of petroleum- like fractions from non-edible oils”

معهد بحوث البترول

معهد بحوث البترول

سامية عباس حنفى محمد

samia7bbas@gmail.com

- Possibility of using Vertical Axis Marine Current Turbine in Egypt

بحث أكاديمي

2015

2016

الطاقة المتجددة الحد من آثار التغير المناخي التكيف مع أثار التغير المناخي 

design of vertical axis low speed wind turbine suitable for coastal area in Egypt

Port Said University

Strathclyde University and Desert Research Centre

STDF and Newton Fund

Islam Ahmed Amin

dr.islamamin@yahoo.com

- Mobile Reverse Osmosis Floating Desalination Platform Powered by Hybrid Renewable Energy

مشروع تنفيذي

2017

2020

الطاقة المتجددة الحد من آثار التغير المناخي التكيف مع أثار التغير المناخي water desalination

design and fabricate floating desalination system powered by marine renewable energy (pilot station 5 m3)

Port Said University

Strathclyde University and Desert Research Centre

STDF and Newton Fund

Islam Ahmed Amin

dr.islamamin@yahoo.com

- An integrated smart system of ultrafiltration, photocatalysis, thermal desalination for waste water treatment

مشروع تنفيذي

2020

2022

الحد من آثار التغير المناخي التكيف مع أثار التغير المناخي المياه 

design and fabricate smart wastewater treatment plant suitable for small and medium comminutions far from the national grid

Port Said University

Strathclyde University and Desert Research Centre

STDF and Newton Fund

Islam Ahmed Amin

dr.islamamin@yahoo.com

- A Novel Partially Floating Photovoltaic Integrated with Smart Energy storage and Management System for Egyptian North Lakes

مشروع تنفيذي

2020

2022

الحد من آثار التغير المناخي التكيف مع أثار التغير المناخي الطاقة المتجددة 

design and fabricate floating PV system integrated with comprised air storage system for reduce lakes evaporation and generate clean energy

Port Said University

Strathclyde University and Port Said University

STDF and Newton Fund

Islam Ahmed Amin

dr.islamamin@yahoo.com

- Adaptation to the Climate Change through Integration of Non-conventional Water Resources with Renewable Energy (COP26 Roundtable events in line with COP26 conference )

بحث أكاديمي

2021

2021

الحد من آثار التغير المناخي التكيف مع أثار التغير المناخي المياه 

roundtable of water and energy experts in line with COP 26

Port Said University

Strathclyde University

British Council

Islam Ahmed Amin

dr.islamamin@yahoo.com

- Smart water-energy management system integrated with floating solar chimney for seawater desalination “Going Global Partnerships”

مشروع تنفيذي

2022

2022

الحد من آثار التغير المناخي التكيف مع أثار التغير المناخي المياه 

design and fabricate floating solar chimney for sea desalination

Port Said University

Strathclyde University and Desert Research Centre

British Council

Islam Ahmed Amin

dr.islamamin@yahoo.com

- Towards a sustainable strategy framework to confront climate change for the water sector powered by renewable energy in Egypt (Climate Change Partnerships “COP 27 events with British Council”)

بحث أكاديمي

2022

2022

الحد من آثار التغير المناخي التكيف مع أثار التغير المناخي المياه 

put sustainable strategy framework to conflict climate change for water sector

Port Said University

Strathclyde University and Desert Research Centre

British Council

Islam Ahmed Amin

dr.islamamin@yahoo.com