Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad stated at Colombia’s high-level dialogue on the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) that Egypt has made notable strides in achieving GBF goals.
That came in Fouad’s speech, delivered on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, at the 16th Conference of Parties to the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) under the theme "Peace with Nature,” according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Environment.
The conference brings together scientists, government representatives, international organizations, civil society, and other key stakeholders to discuss global challenges hindering biodiversity conservation and sustainability.
Fouad highlighted Egypt’s commitment towards updated national biodiversity plans. These plans entail ecosystem restoration, sustainable agricultural practices, and expanding protected areas.
Egypt’s efforts extend to local and regional levels, Fouad stressed, shedding light on projects integrating nine indigenous tribes into protected area activities to support local communities and preserve cultural heritage.
She also mentioned Egypt's initiative to declare the Red Sea's Great Fringing Reef a protected area, reinforcing its commitment to marine conservation.
“Egypt has integrated nature-based solutions (NBS) as a key component of its national biodiversity strategy, contributing to climate change mitigation and sustainable development,” she said.
Fouad noted that these solutions in Egypt include projects in coastal areas, desert restoration, and urban green spaces, with NBS recognized as essential for simultaneously addressing biodiversity loss and climate change.
On the international level, the minister also urged collective action to restore credibility to multilateral cooperation, especially considering the current destruction of natural resources in Palestine.
Moreover, she called for robust financial support, highlighting that current funding levels are insufficient given the ambitious targets set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and to restore ecosystems by 2050.
Source: Al-Ahram Online
