Governance and Institutional Structure
of Climate Change in Egypt
Mohamed A. S. Abdel Monem and Phoebe Lewis
Abstract A cross-cutting issue like climate change, cannot be managed by one government department or single ministry. Assessing of the impact of climate change
and effectively integrating adaptation and mitigation measures has to involve almost
every sector in government with their administrative system mainstreaming climate
change into their strategies and development policies and plans. Successful climate
change governance systems should ensure the implementation of climate policy integration at the national level. All Egypt’s economic sectors are linked in one way or
another with climate change because they emit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
or are themselves impacted by climate change. Notable industries include energy,
transport, urban communities, water, agriculture, health and tourism. Environmental
governance of these sectors started with the establishment of The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) in 1982 as the highest national authority in the country responsible for promoting and coordinating all efforts related to environmental
protection. Achievements have been made at the strategic level with the engagement
of relevant stakeholders to develop: (1) the National Environmental Action Plan
of Egypt 2002–2017, (2) several rounds of Egypt’s National Communication on
Climate Change, (3) Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) to the
Paris Agreement, (4) Egypt’s National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change
and Disaster Risk Reduction, (5) the country’s National Energy Efficiency Strategy.
Each of these developments has contributed to the mainstreaming of climate change
in Egypt’s institutional structures. However, while a framework for climate change
adaptation exists in Egypt, local level policies and actions need to be strengthened
to ensure effective implementation of adaptation and mitigation effects. There is
also a need to formulate integrated climate change strategies, to enable access to
climate finance mechanisms, and to develop and strengthen the policies, institutions,
capacities, knowledge and transformative change required to build climate-resilient
communities. The existing role of public and local civic institutions needs emphasis,
M. A. S. Abdel Monem (B) · P. Lewis
Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa, Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations, FAO, P.O.Box: 2223, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
e-mail: mohamed.abdelmonem@fao.org
M. A. S. Abdel Monem
Soil and Water Department, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E.-S. E. Omran and A. M. Negm (eds.), Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food
Security in Egypt, Springer Water, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41629-4_3
45
of Climate Change in Egypt
Mohamed A. S. Abdel Monem and Phoebe Lewis
Abstract A cross-cutting issue like climate change, cannot be managed by one government department or single ministry. Assessing of the impact of climate change
and effectively integrating adaptation and mitigation measures has to involve almost
every sector in government with their administrative system mainstreaming climate
change into their strategies and development policies and plans. Successful climate
change governance systems should ensure the implementation of climate policy integration at the national level. All Egypt’s economic sectors are linked in one way or
another with climate change because they emit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
or are themselves impacted by climate change. Notable industries include energy,
transport, urban communities, water, agriculture, health and tourism. Environmental
governance of these sectors started with the establishment of The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) in 1982 as the highest national authority in the country responsible for promoting and coordinating all efforts related to environmental
protection. Achievements have been made at the strategic level with the engagement
of relevant stakeholders to develop: (1) the National Environmental Action Plan
of Egypt 2002–2017, (2) several rounds of Egypt’s National Communication on
Climate Change, (3) Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) to the
Paris Agreement, (4) Egypt’s National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change
and Disaster Risk Reduction, (5) the country’s National Energy Efficiency Strategy.
Each of these developments has contributed to the mainstreaming of climate change
in Egypt’s institutional structures. However, while a framework for climate change
adaptation exists in Egypt, local level policies and actions need to be strengthened
to ensure effective implementation of adaptation and mitigation effects. There is
also a need to formulate integrated climate change strategies, to enable access to
climate finance mechanisms, and to develop and strengthen the policies, institutions,
capacities, knowledge and transformative change required to build climate-resilient
communities. The existing role of public and local civic institutions needs emphasis,
M. A. S. Abdel Monem (B) · P. Lewis
Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa, Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations, FAO, P.O.Box: 2223, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
e-mail: mohamed.abdelmonem@fao.org
M. A. S. Abdel Monem
Soil and Water Department, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E.-S. E. Omran and A. M. Negm (eds.), Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food
Security in Egypt, Springer Water, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41629-4_3
45