Egypt’s Environment Minister Yasmin Fouad has called on the international community to work to restore confidence in multilateral cooperation to achieve the slogan of peace with nature, which carries the Biodiversity Conference COP16, at a time when the world is silent about what it is about. is happening in Palestine, which is the destruction of natural resources, not just biodiversity.
This came during a speech by Egypt’s Environment Minister on behalf of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during the Ministerial Dialogue on the Implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework as part of the High Level Segment of the UN Framework Convention on Biological Diversity. The COP16 conference held in Colombia.
The Minister of Environment said that Egypt has made significant progress in implementing the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework at the national level. As part of its commitment to the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), Egypt has submitted an update to its National Biodiversity Plan to the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, focusing on ecosystem restoration, promoting sustainable agriculture and scaling up frameworks. nature reserves.
He added that Egypt has developed Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) as an important part of the National Biodiversity Program that contributes to combating climate change and sustainable development. In Egypt, these solutions include projects in coastal areas, restoration of deserts and urban green spaces, as nature-based solutions are essential to simultaneously confront biodiversity loss and climate change.
The minister pointed out that Egypt’s efforts in the implementation of the global biodiversity framework also included supporting nature reserves with the necessary infrastructure that enables the optimal use of natural resources to support local communities, and 9 tribes have been integrated into economic and social activities in nature reserves, while; preserving their heritage and culture by announcing their willingness to issue a formal declaration for the Great Barrier Reef along the Red Sea coast, believing in the importance of marine conservation and protection actions as a guarantee of a sustainable future for future generations.
Fouad explained that Egypt, internationally, was a pioneer in integrating the biodiversity dimension into the climate change file during Egypt’s hosting of COP27, which included the launch of the ENACT Initiative for Nature-Based Solutions with and in partnership with Germany. With the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a growing network of over 18 partners from countries across the continents.
The partnership released its inaugural report on the status of nature-based solutions goals at the sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly in March 2024.
At the Arab level, the Minister of Environment noted that Egypt, during the current presidency of the Board of Trustees of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Regional Authority, significantly contributes to the review of ways to conserve natural resources. and necessary measures for defense in the Red Sea, such as the activation of the Red Sea as a special area, in addition to Egypt’s hosting of a Peace Center in Hurghada to ensure the fight against oil spills in the region.
Fouad then emphasized several important messages, especially the importance of funding, which is still limited compared to the goals and targets set by the Global Biodiversity Framework, and for countries, members and donors to fulfill their responsibilities in supporting the implementation of the Global Plan. The Biodiversity Framework will halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and restore ecosystems by 2050.
He also called for strengthening synergies in efforts to combat climate change, biodiversity and desertification, and to work towards developing innovative methods from all sources, including innovative financial mechanisms and international cooperation, to enable the implementation of ambitious renewed biodiversity programmes. The Minister of Environment also pointed out the need to integrate biodiversity with climate change.