Egypt, Turkey discuss expanding environmental cooperation ahead of COP31

Egyptian Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad met with Turkish Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum in Turkey from July 16-17. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the D-8 Ministerial Meeting on Environment, focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in environmental sectors. This discussion is part of preparations for the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31).

The ministers explored strengthening their existing memorandum of understanding, aligning with a joint declaration by Egyptian and Turkish leaders to boost cooperation across various fields. Key areas for collaboration include waste management, drawing on Turkey's experience, and climate change adaptation and mitigation. This involves implementing green projects to cut carbon emissions, facilitating technology transfer, securing climate finance, and promoting sustainable urban development.

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The proposed areas of cooperation include waste management and benefiting from Turkey’s experience in addressing waste-related challenges, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation through the implementation of green projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions, facilitating technology transfer, securing climate finance and promoting sustainable, climate-resilient urban development.

Further cooperation possibilities encompass nature conservation, biodiversity protection, environmental education, monitoring systems, early warning systems for extreme weather, combating marine pollution, and developing eco-friendly technologies. Egypt's Climate and Environment Investment Unit (CLEIU) was highlighted as a platform offering investment opportunities in waste management, recycling, renewable energy, ecotourism, and sustainable agriculture.

Awad and Kurum also discussed Egypt's experience hosting COP27, as Turkey prepares for COP31. Awad expressed optimism for a successful Turkish-hosted conference, emphasizing tangible climate action and adaptation efforts. Kurum announced plans for a visit to Egypt to study its COP27 hosting experience, aiming to leverage it for COP31.

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We aspire to deepen environmental cooperation with Egypt and plan to visit the country to study Egypt’s experience in hosting COP27 and benefit from it in organizing COP31.