Expert Round Tables on Sustainable Development Goals
The role of civil society organizations in achieving the thirteenth goal of the sustainable development goals related to climate action
Round Table Details
Sep 27, 2022
The Foundation calls on decision makers to support the work of civil society in confronting climate change and to consider its recommendations
"Baha'i Magic":
244 NGOs invested 3 billion and 290 million pounds in projects to confront climate change
"Mohamed Mamdouh": This campaign comes from the belief of "Misr Al-Kheir" that the private sector is one of the sides of the triangle of the sustainable development process in partnership with the government sector and the private sector
Dr. Iqbal Al-Samalouti, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Misr Al-Kheir Foundation, said that the Misr Al-Kheir Foundation adopts a solid scientific methodology to activate the role of civil society, and not just to activate the role of Misr Al-Kheir, as the Foundation interacts with thousands of associations in Egypt, stressing the importance of activating various partnerships between civil society associations and other sectors such as the private sector, in the field of confronting climate change, and other fields as well, so that results can be achieved. Amazing.
Al-Samalouti added that the Foundation has prepared many discussions, practical workshops, and seminars, in addition to collecting various opinions and recommendations from all civil society organizations, civil society organizations, international experts, and specialists and people with experience in relevant government institutions, to come up with a report and an executive plan for civil society’s work in confronting climate change, in order to convince the political decision-maker in Egypt of this plan, and adopt its implementation on the ground, so that there is a paper. Specific policies that are convincing to all parties concerned with sustainable development in Egypt.
Al-Samalouti continued that there are many actual practices of civil work, in the field of confronting climate change and preserving the environment, and there are international partnerships that welcome working with civil society in this direction, to serve development, and then the matter requires the support of decision makers.
For her part, Dr. Sahar Al-Bahaei, Director of the Center for Planning and Environmental Development at the National Planning Institute, said that the Institute prepared a report on the role of Egyptian NGOs in climate action with the aim of identifying the expected effects of climate change at the global and local levels, and then the role of the state, the role of civil society organizations, and the proposals expected to be presented, noting that the report presents possible expectations for climate changes at the local level, in addition to Presenting the international vision of the Egyptian efforts on the issue of climate change, and the national efforts made by the state to confront climate change.
Al-Baha'i added that the world is facing difficult effects of climate change, as there will be a rise in temperatures from one to two degrees in 2059, and 3 degrees by the end of the century, and 25% of cities will be submerged by the year 2100, in addition to the erosion of 14% of the world's beaches, increased desertification, and other harmful effects.
Al-Bahaei continued that Egypt began early to confront the harmful effects of climate change, and is seeking through many current steps to mitigate the severity of climate impacts and adapt to climate changes, as Egypt plans for 50% of projects to be environmentally friendly in 2025, and has issued $750 million in bonds in the green economy, and so far there are 437,000 cars that have been converted. To work with natural gas, there are 850 natural gas stations, and 99% of straw and rice waste are collected and compressed, thus eliminating the major crisis caused by burning rice straw.
Regarding civil society associations, Al-Baha’i said that the number of civil society organizations working to confront climate change reached 244 associations, while the volume of investments made by civil society organizations in this field amounted to 3 billion and 290 million investments, 59% of the projects are projects to mitigate the effects of climate change, 29% of them are projects to adapt to the environment, and the remaining percentage combines The two fields.
Mohamed Mamdouh, Head of the NGO Development Sector at the Misr El Kheir Foundation, said that this table is the second table that takes place within the framework of activating the activities of the “Sustainable Climate” campaign launched by the sector in conjunction with the interest of the Egyptian state and civil society organizations concerned with environmental issues in preparing for Egypt to host the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27), which is scheduled to be held in November 2022. In the city of Sharm El-Sheikh, the campaign aims to educate civil society workers about the dangers of climate change, and their role in mitigating and adapting to those changes.
Mamdouh stressed that this campaign comes from Misr El Kheir Foundation’s belief that the civil sector is one of the sides of the triangle of the sustainable development process in partnership with the government sector and the private sector, and that civil society organizations have many experts and cadres in various fields through which they can support the state in advancing and elevating society.
Dr. Hussein Abaza, an international consultant in the field of international economics, said that it is necessary to link the various strategies of the state to produce the expected results, and one of the most important strategies is to. The link between them is the link between the state’s strategy to confront the impact of climate change, and Egypt’s vision for sustainable development 2030, in addition to coordination between state agencies, the private sector, and civil society in this direction.