Common Country Analysis National

Environmental Summaries (NES)

September - 2025

Background

part of Africa, Egypt is considered as the third populous country in Africa1. Environmental sustainability forms a crucial component of the country’s development trajectory. For instance, Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy “Vision 2030”2, launched in 2015 and currently being updated by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, considers environment as one of its three focal areas of progress. The strategic plan highlights areas of development opportunities through programmes, policies, and measurable indicators aimed at increasing Egypt’s prosperity in a sustainable manner. Among them are environmental priorities which have been captured by the Country’s Ministry of Environment in its 2017 report3. These priorities include air quality, renewable energy, water quality, waste management, protection of ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, and responding to the potential impacts of climate change. Environmental dimensions of Sustainable Development, among its other facets, are also on the higher political agenda of the Egyptian government, as epitomised in their voluntary national reviews and other strategic-level documents3,4. 
Sustainability of the Egyptian environment is intertwined with its spatial demographics4,5, agricultural development and food security2,6, and various income opportunities7, among other sectors of its economy7–9. Egyptian Strategy for Integrated Sustainable Energy 2035 has emboldened it to take significant steps on improving measures for clean energy and energy efficiency, including a 37 per cent target for renewable energy of the electricity mix by 203510. The move is expected to modernise its energy sector, which currently has up to 90 per cent of it hinged on fossil fuels10. This is in addition to enhancing the country’s commitments to the Paris Agreement on climate change5. Water, another of the country’s priority areas, is facing major stresses4 with reports of the dwindling capacity of its surface and underground water resources11. If left unchecked, the water situation will have broad ramifications in many parts of the Egyptian economy and society. Besides, huge demographic shifts projected to lead to a national population of 150 million by 205012 Figure 1) coupled with increasing urbanisation, and their particular strain on the country’s natural capital present a considerable risk to the Egyptian environmental limits4
However, and despite the mounting ecological issues, the Egyptian government has demonstrated keenness to espouse sustainability in its key practices3,4. Among them are various legislative and policy interventions, as well as partisanship to regional and global conventions aimed at protecting the environment and heritage. This, in addition to a fully-fledged Ministry of Environment, mandated to take the lead on environmental matters, jointly with its Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) and various other specialised entities of government operating in the field of environment3,4.

Environmental Governance

2023 is the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day. This year the host is Côte d'Ivoire in partnership with the Netherlands. Over the past five decades, the day has grown to be one of the largest global platforms for environmental outreach. Tens of millions of people take part along with governments, companies, cities and community organizations.
This year we spotlight solutions to plastic pollution. Stay tuned to find out how you can #BeatPlasticPollution.hgjh zzx

My deep thanks to the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, or SDPI, for the invitation to talk to you about what we need to do, as a global community, to end plastic pollution.

Allow me to begin by expressing my deepest condolences to families affected by the terrible terror attacks in Peshawar. 

Plastic pollution is drowning and poisoning the planet. Nine billion tonnes of plastic were produced between 1950 and 2017. Of this, seven billion tonnes became waste. Today, 11 million tonnes of plastic flow into our oceans. Plastic pollution is in our waterways, our food, our soil, animals and in us.

This plastic pollution aggravates the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. It hinders the right to a healthy environment. It slows sustainable development. And it hits hardest at the heart of vulnerable communities.

Pakistan is, like every nation on the planet, no stranger to plastic pollution. Pakistan produced 3.9 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2020, over 65 per cent of which was mismanaged. 18 per cent of municipal solid waste produced in Pakistan is plastics. Only 3 per cent of plastic used by the manufacturing industry in Pakistan is recycled material.

This all has obvious consequences. For example, open burning of plastic waste causes air pollution and respiratory impacts, as the residents of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad know all too well. And floods can be aggravated by plastic pollution, as it clogs sewers. 

Thematic Environmental Issues 
Climate Change 
Problems

In APA 7, format the DOI as a web address. Active hyperlinks for DOIs and URLs should be used for documents meant for screen reading. Present these hyperlinks in blue and underlined text (the default formatting in Microsoft Word), although plain black text is also acceptable. Be consistent in the formatting choice for DOIs and URLs throughout the reference list. (Note that this guidance has changed from APA 6 where all hyperlink formatting was removed and no active links were included. In APA 6, the URLs appeared in plain, black type and did not link out from the document.

Friends, we know we have a problem. But the fifth United Nations Environment Assembly, or UNEA 5.2, showed that the international community is getting serious about this problem.

At UNEA 5.2 early last year, nations overcame geopolitical tensions to take the historic step of agreeing on the need for an international legally binding agreement on plastic pollution. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee tasked with creating this agreement must finish its work by 2024. If we can agree and start implementing this deal, it will help drive a movement to a circular plastic economy that could reduce the volume of plastics entering the ocean by over 80 per cent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent. We are already on our way, with the committee meeting for the first time in Uruguay in November 2022.

We have seen strong support from Pakistan on this process and on ending plastic pollution in general.

Thematic Environmental Issues 
Climate Change 
Causes

Illuminate issues that are driven by geography. In this story, maps and visualizations connect present-day environmental inequalities to redlining policies.

GIS delivers real-time situational awareness. The maps in this story help us understand the spread of COVID-19 and the global impact of the pandemic.

Thematic Environmental Issues 
Climate Change 
Responses

Documentation is any communicable material that is used to describe, explain or instruct regarding some attributes of an object, system or procedure, such as its parts, assembly, installation, maintenance and use.[1] As a form of knowledge management and knowledge organization, documentation can be provided on paper, online, or on digital or analog media, such as audio tape or CDs. Examples are user guides, white papers, online help, and quick-reference guides. Paper or hard-copy documentation has become less common.[citation needed] Documentation is often distributed via websites, software products, and other online applications.
Documentation as a set of instructional materials shouldn't be confused with documentation science, the study of the recording and retrieval of information.

Documentation development may involve document drafting, formatting, submitting, reviewing, approving, distributing, reposting and tracking, etc., and are convened by associated standard operating procedure in a regulatory industry. It could also involve creating content from scratch. Documentation should be easy to read and understand. If it's too long and too wordy, it may be misunderstood or ignored. Clear, concise words should be used, and sentences should be limited to a maximum of 15 words. Documentation intended for a general audience should avoid gender-specific terms and cultural biases. In a series of procedures, steps should be clearly numbered

Thematic Environmental Issues 
Climate Change 
Opportunities

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Pollution and Health 
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Pollution and Health 
Causes

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Pollution and Health 
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Pollution and Health 
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Water 
Problems

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Water
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Water
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Water
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Biodiversity,Forests and Land Management
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Biodiversity,Forests and Land Management
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Biodiversity,Forests and Land Management
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Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 1: No Poverty

Blue foods – foods produced from the ocean and lakes and rivers – have an essential role to play in achieving food security, ending malnutrition and building healthy, nature-positive and resilient food systems. Yet they are often neglected in food discussions. It is critically important that sustainable blue food systems are fully integrated into the UN Food Systems Summit agenda and into game- changing solutions.

More than 3,000 species of aquatic animals and plants are captured or cultivated for use as food. They are produced through a wide variety of systems – from ocean-going factory trawlers to small, freshwater fishponds. Blue foods are already a cornerstone of the global food system, providing a vital source of nutrition for more than 3 billion people worldwide and livelihoods for hundreds of millions. They have even greater potential.

Blue foods can play a central role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the goals of the Summit – in supporting healthier, more sustainable, more equitable food systems globally and in many of the most climate-challenged and food-insecure communities.

1 - Access to safe and nutritious food for all: Blue foods can be a powerful tool for public health. Many blue foods are rich in essential micronutrients, such as omega-3s, zinc, iron and vitamins A, D, and B12, that can reduce infant and maternal mortality, stunting and cognitive deficits. Blue foods can also offer a healthy source of animal protein, offering lower risks of heart disease and other non-communicable diseases than some other sources. (Supporting SDGs 2 and 3).
2 - Boosting nature-positive and sustainable food production: Blue foods vary in their environmental footprints, but most blue food systems provide animal-source protein with relatively low greenhouse gas emissions and impacts on biodiversity. Some systems – such as aquaculture of mussels and clams – actually improve the environment in which they’re raised, filtering excess nutrients out of the water. (Supporting SDGs 12, 14, 15).

3-Advancing equitable livelihoods and culture: Hundreds of millions of people derive their livelihoods from small-scale fisheries. Small-scale fisheries produce most of the fish supply for human consumption, providing a high diversity of species to support healthy diets, and offering communities resilience in the face of climate change and market fluctuations. With appropriate policies, they can offer important opportunities for women – almost half of the total workforce in small-scale fisheries are women. (Supporting SDGs 1, 5, 8, and 10).

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 2: Zero Hunger

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Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 3 : Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

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Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal 4_1: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal 4_2: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 5 : Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 5 : Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 5 : Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 6 : Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 6_1 : Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 6_2 : Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

SDG 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Nearly all Egyptian populations have access to electricity4. The demand for energy in other sectors of the country’s economy, however, continues to rise7. In 2018, AFEX10 showed Egypt’s installed renewable sources of energy totaling up to 4813 MW (Figure 4), were primarily made up of hydro (59.2 per cent), wind (23.4 per cent) and solar photovoltaic (PV) (15.6 per cent). The rest were Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Biogas/ Biomass/Waste to Energy (W2E), both of which constituted less than two per cent. Importantly, 2018 records were an improvement from the previous year (2017), which documented 3856.8 MW, being 8.48 per cent of the country’s total installed capacity in the same year. This indicates the country’s more than 90 per cent of its installed capacity is fossil fuel-linked compared to a global average of about 74 per cent10.  
However, Egypt envisions to have a 44 per cent (54,000 MW) increase in its installed renewable energy capacity by 20354,10. This target is likely to be accelerated by policy and institutional interventions that have been put in place by the government (Figure 5). Among them are strategic policies to incentivise the country’s private sector to effectively participate on its low emissions development pathway and the overall championing of effectiveness in its wider management systems2,4. In addition, the need for alternative and renewable transportation fuels continues to be high on the country’s sustainability agenda. Replacing the current diesel fuel used in Egypt with renewable energy will help mitigate greenhouse gases and improve air quality.

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 8 : Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Goal 8 : Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Goal 8 : Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 16 : Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Goal 16 : Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Goal 16 : Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals-Environmental Dimension
Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development