World Bank announces $9.13 mln grant to support Egypt’s climate change efforts

Doaa A.Moneim , Wednesday 1 Mar 2023

The World Bank announced on Wednesday a $9.13 million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to expand the scope of the Greater Cairo Air Pollution Management and Climate Change Project.

The World Bank building. AFP
File Photo: The World Bank building. AFP

 

The grant will reinforce the environmental benefits of the original project, both at the local and global levels, by improving the management of electronic and healthcare waste, the World Bank stated.

The project expansion aims to support the country’s national action plan on the unintentional persistent organic pollutants (UPOPs), with a focus on strengthening the regulatory framework, data collection, management and monitoring, awareness raising V-safe handling capacity (an active surveillance programme to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines), and the capacity of management of special types of waste and recycling.

The original project, approved in 2021, supports Egypt’s efforts to reduce pollution in Greater Cairo, with a focus on reducing vehicle emissions, improving the management of solid waste, and strengthening the air and climate decision-making system.

The generation of healthcare waste is rapidly increasing in Egypt, as in other countries, as a result of COVID-19, expanding healthcare systems, increased utilisation of single-use items, and poor waste segregation practices, said the World Bank.

Egypt also generates large amounts of e-waste, which has been further compounded by the country’s national ICT expansion and digital upgrading efforts.

Moreover, the current treatment and disposal practices of healthcare and e-waste need to be improved in order to reduce the release of more UPOPS, which are a group of chemicals that persist in the environment and can lead to serious health effects and adversely affect environmental quality when released into the air, water, or soil.

Public health studies indicate that exposure to UPOPs poses many health threats including respiratory problems, skin disorders, acute brain damage, stroke, asthma, coughing, bronchitis, reduced lung development, and high blood pressure. Workers who collect and process this waste are at the greatest risk as they come into direct contact with hazardous material.

“Expanding the Greater Cairo Air Pollution Management and Climate Change Project falls within the government of Egypt’s commitment to a green transition by utilising innovative methods to enhance the management of electronic and healthcare waste, primarily taking into account the health of citizens. The project’s development will support Egypt’s climate strategy 2050 by creating a regulatory environment with data-driven decisions and awareness on the management of waste and recycling,” said Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat.

“Advancing both the healthcare and digital sectors are key priorities for Egypt. In parallel, we need to ensure that these vital efforts do not compromise the health of citizens,” said Yasmine Fouad, the minister of environment. “This project aims to do so through supporting Egypt’s e-waste and healthcare waste improvement efforts. It focuses on strengthening the sector’s regulatory framework as well as providing more jobs within this very important sector.”

“We are committed to supporting Egypt’s broader environmental preservation efforts,” World Bank Country Director for Egypt, Yemen, and Djibouti Marina Wes stated.

She added that this project is also in line with the World Bank’s upcoming Country Partnership Framework with Egypt for 2023-2027, which puts people at the centre of its strategy, and aims to support the country’s efforts to improve climate resilience while greening the economy.

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