The dialogue capitalises on Egypt’s presidency of the UN Climate Change Conference COP27, which will be held in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh in November, to inform the public about the challenges resulting from the global phenomenon, Fouad, also the COP27 ministerial envoy and coordinator, added.

The national dialogue will comprise a set of activities for Egypt’s youth, women, and children, including launching the first training programme for university students on climate change, in addition to a competition on climate action for school and university students, Fouad noted.

Fouad made the announcement during a meeting in m Cairo with the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Patricia Espinosa.

Fouad and Espinosa discussed Egypt’s preparations for hosting COP27.

The minister Fouad also reviewed the main elements of the country's National Climate Change Strategy 2050, which she said is based on improving the standard of living in business management.

During COP26 in Glasgow late last year, Egypt launched its National Climate Change Strategy 2050 with five main objectives, including cutting emissions in various sectors to maintain sustainable economic growth, promoting the use of renewable energy sources, producing energy from waste, and using alternative energy forms like green hydrogen.

Fouad said that Egypt has embarked in recent years on climate-focused programmes, launching a package of economic tools to finance green projects in the fields of renewable energy, and electric vehicle manufacturing.

Egypt also launched initiatives for substituting plastic bags with single-use ones.

Fouad added that another package is set to be launched in the field of waste management, with the participation of the national banking sector in climate finance.

In recent months, Sharm El-Sheikh city has embarked on several green projects to coincide with COP27, including increasing green spaces and promoting electric vehicles to lower carbon emissions. These projects include plans to construct three solar power plants to charge cars, operate hotels, as well as tourist and government facilities.

The environment minister added that these steps are being implemented in cooperation with the ministries of electricity, tourism, environment, the banking sector, and the United Nations Development Programme.

Meanwhile, Espinosa lauded Egypt's efforts to create a national momentum that will encourage all citizens to participate in climate action while simultaneously creating new partnerships on the regional and global fronts.

On Saturday, Espinosa met with Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Foreign Minister and President-designate of COP27 Sameh Shoukry, where she expressed her hope that the conference will be a turning point in climate action.

Egypt has been in talks with a host of international partners concerning the preparations for COP27.

El-Sisi said Egypt will adopt during its presidency of COP27 a comprehensive and neutral approach, stressing that the summit will support efforts to reduce emissions and provide funding for developing countries to deal with climate change.

Egypt has formed a high level committee headed by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly that includes several ministers and officials that will organise the event.

Last month, Egypt appointed the distinguished Egyptian economist Mahmoud Mohieldin – who has been serving as an executive director at the International Monetary Fund – as the country’s high-level champion for climate action at the COP27.