11 CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY IN THE ARAB REGION
321
The country’s latest national communication to the UNFCCC, from
2016, refers to a National Strategy for Climate Change, but does not
provide details. The only publicly available post-2010 policy document is
a UNDP-sponsored National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change
and Disaster Risk Reduction, from 2011. 78
Despite Egypt being among the few Arab countries to submit a NAMA
support of the Copenhagen Accord around the year 2010 (see also the
section on Morocco), the country’s NDC from 2015 does not contain
any quantitative economy-wide emissions-related targets. Instead, the
NDC contains a number of descriptive sectoral adaptation and mitigation actions and policies, to which the document assigns a total price tag
of US$73 billion in the period 2020–2030. 79 Given the 2030 timeframe,
it could be interpreted that Egypt is not obligated to communicate a new,
more ambitious NDC until most likely 2025.
Institutional Framework
The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), the executive arm
of the Ministry of Environmental, serves as the focal point vis-à-vis the
UNFCCC. 80 The same institution also leads on climate change policy and
chairs the National Climate Change Committee, which was established in
1997 and restructured in 2007. The Committee has representatives from
several government agencies, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs,
Petroleum and Electricity and Energy. It prepares, reviews and activates
climate change-related plans and strategies, and coordinates international
financial and technical assistance to climate action projects. 81
In the energy sector, the Supreme Energy Council headed by the
Prime Minister oversees national energy policies. The Egyptian Electricity
Holding Company (previously Egyptian Electricity Authority) and the
New and Renewable Energy Authority (established back in 1986) are
responsible for implementing the renewable energy plans.
Experts attribute an important share of Egypt’s climate change-related
institutional capacity to external support. For example, according to
Sowers, the EEAA was created in 1982 by ‘local experts with donor assistance’. 82 In 2008–2013, a US$4 million UN/World Bank project led to
the establishment of a CDM unit at the EEAA, an energy efficiency unit at
the Ministry of Energy and a national Energy Efficiency roadmap. 83 International donors have similarly supported institutional development for
321
The country’s latest national communication to the UNFCCC, from
2016, refers to a National Strategy for Climate Change, but does not
provide details. The only publicly available post-2010 policy document is
a UNDP-sponsored National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change
and Disaster Risk Reduction, from 2011. 78
Despite Egypt being among the few Arab countries to submit a NAMA
support of the Copenhagen Accord around the year 2010 (see also the
section on Morocco), the country’s NDC from 2015 does not contain
any quantitative economy-wide emissions-related targets. Instead, the
NDC contains a number of descriptive sectoral adaptation and mitigation actions and policies, to which the document assigns a total price tag
of US$73 billion in the period 2020–2030. 79 Given the 2030 timeframe,
it could be interpreted that Egypt is not obligated to communicate a new,
more ambitious NDC until most likely 2025.
Institutional Framework
The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), the executive arm
of the Ministry of Environmental, serves as the focal point vis-à-vis the
UNFCCC. 80 The same institution also leads on climate change policy and
chairs the National Climate Change Committee, which was established in
1997 and restructured in 2007. The Committee has representatives from
several government agencies, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs,
Petroleum and Electricity and Energy. It prepares, reviews and activates
climate change-related plans and strategies, and coordinates international
financial and technical assistance to climate action projects. 81
In the energy sector, the Supreme Energy Council headed by the
Prime Minister oversees national energy policies. The Egyptian Electricity
Holding Company (previously Egyptian Electricity Authority) and the
New and Renewable Energy Authority (established back in 1986) are
responsible for implementing the renewable energy plans.
Experts attribute an important share of Egypt’s climate change-related
institutional capacity to external support. For example, according to
Sowers, the EEAA was created in 1982 by ‘local experts with donor assistance’. 82 In 2008–2013, a US$4 million UN/World Bank project led to
the establishment of a CDM unit at the EEAA, an energy efficiency unit at
the Ministry of Energy and a national Energy Efficiency roadmap. 83 International donors have similarly supported institutional development for