Magd: Egypt in effort to reach 24% renewable energy by 2035

Dr. Islam Abu El-Magd, Deputy Chairman of (NARSS), said that climate change is recognized at the First World Climate Conference in 1979

Dr. Islam Abu El-Magd, Deputy Chairman of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS), said that climate change is recognized at the First World Climate Conference in 1979 and went through a lot of conventions and meetings and ended in 2016 with the Paris Agreement when 196 countries started to put pressure on policymakers to cut down zero emissions by 2050.

He added, in an interview with (To The Point), that world leaders agreed to limit temperature rise to the critical threshold of 1.5C warning that by reaching 2 degrees the 60% of vertebrates will be declined, 4% of birds will be decreased, 37% or more of coral reefs will be damaged, a lot of ecosystems will be declined and the food security will be affected.

The industrialized countries now believe what they have done in the last 56 years that has made a lot of changes and they start to understand the consequences of the climate change on their business as well, he said, stressing that both developed and developing countries have to fulfill their commitments to reach 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.

Assuming that the battle now in COP26 is how to get a final pledge from the developed countries to secure the 100 billion US dollars per year for the climate finance to the developing countries, he said that Africa is the most affected continent over the globe by the climate change and the least contributor to emissions which means that 55 member states are under the high risk of climate change and they contributed zero to this risk.

Hailing Egypt's forthcoming hosting of a big event of COP27, he stressed that it reflects that both the government and the people understand how much climate change is affecting the world, "Egypt is ready with its strategy that is for Africa too".

Admitting the paramount importance of the education sector, he said that Egypt is looking at technological education in the future for creating jobs and promoting the social economy. We are now reaching six percent of Gross domestic product (GDP) for pre-university education, the highest percentage in Africa, So, he went on to illustrate, all contribution to scientific social education is creating a very good environment. We have to put a plan on a scientific basis to protect our national resources and extend it to the region as well, he added.

Stressing Egypt's concerted effort in education, science and technology in a way that increases intra-African trade, he substantiated that in line with Egypt's keenness on inviting more than 1000 African trainees and offering a number of scholarships for graduates and undergraduates, it is a quite good avenue for Egypt to extend its experience and growth of economy in the continent.

When we talk about environmental repercussions, Africa is always classified as the most vulnerable continent, he mentioned, illustrating that the continent looks like an island of more than 30 thousand kilometer of coastline. A large number of the population lean on fishing which is definitely affected by the rise of temperature. Increasing temperatures and sea levels, changing precipitation patterns and more extreme weather changes will largely influence food and health in Africa, Abu El-Magd spotted.

Thus, each country has to put a plan to secure its food, the deputy chairman concluded, giving an example of Egypt that launched the New Delta project on nearly a million feddans to strengthen the state's strategy in agricultural and urban expansion, achieving food security, and establishing new agricultural, urban and industrial societies.

(To The Point is) aired Tuesday on Nile TV International and is presented by Dina Othman.  It is directed by Reda Mansour and Assistant Director Yasser Youssef.