Our planet is teetering on a precipice, facing unprecedented challenges, mostly of our own making. Recent years have seen an increase in worldwide awareness and willingness to tackle global warming, plastic waste, deforestation, pollution, coastal inundation, and erosion issues head on, but some may say it is a case of ‘too little, too late’. Amongst the countries that have committed to a more environmentally responsible approach to address the issues, Egypt has taken a number of proactive steps, including:
- Following the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Egypt has put forward its own goals for sustainability, based on its 2030 Vision. Initiatives have been launched to address the environmental, economic, and societal concerns.
- Within the scope of sustainable development, the focus is on the efficient use and investment of natural resources to protect the rights of future generations. One of the pillars of sustainable development is urban development, which focuses on developing land to accommodate people and improve their lives.
- Recently, the spotlight has been placed on ‘green’ buildings in Egypt where special measures are applied from the building design phase all the way through to construction and operation of projects to produce environmentally responsible structures. Given that several governmental organizations, public bodies, and international corporations are embracing this philosophy, it is certain to gain momentum in the coming years.
