Egypt reduces carbon emissions by 30% in 4 years

CAIRO – 7 January 2024: Head of the Air Quality Enhancement Sector at the Ministry of Environment Mostafa Morad told Al Shorouk newspaper Sunday that Egypt had reduced emissions by 30 percent over the past four years.

The official added that pollution by solid matters with a diameter of less than 10 micrometers declined by 31.8 percent in Greater Cairo and Delta in 2022 surpassing the goal set for 2025 and that was 25 percent. Also, pollution by solid matters with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers dropped by 50 percent during the same year compared to 2015.

The achievement is mainly attributed to improving the garbage collection and processing systems in addition to investing $120 million in a facility in Giza's Abou Rawash to generate 30 megawatts/hour of electricity from waste daily.

It is noted that Egypt aims for upping the share of renewables in the energy mix by 42 percent by 2030, which is estimated to lower carbon emissions by 70-80 million tons.

According to Worldometer, the amount of Egypt's fossil CO2 emissions recorded 219,377,350 tons in 2016 with a world's share of 0.61 percent. The sources were the power industry (32 percent), transport (22.7 percent), industrial combustion (18.7 percent), non-combustion activities (18.7 percent), and buildings (9.9 percent).