Egypt ranks 2nd globally in exposure to sea level rise, official warns

Egypt is the world’s second most vulnerable country to sea level rise after Bangladesh, Fatma Ali a specialist in the Environmental Performance Unit at the Egyptian Organisation for Standardisation and Quality said Wednesday.

Ali made the remarks during a panel titled The Future of Egyptian Exports Amid Global Environmental Challenges at the Environmental Sustainability and Egyptian Exports: Towards a Low-Carbon Economy Conference, hosted by the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI).

She highlighted the environmental threats facing Egyptian exports, especially those posed by climate change, which she said affects the availability of resources and economic activity. In response, a range of international, regional, national and local initiatives are being developed and implemented to mitigate the impact.

Ali pointed to key frameworks such as the Climate Pact, the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement, and the European Green Deal – the latter of which aims to make Europe the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

She also drew attention to two key mechanisms designed to curb climate-related impacts:

• Emissions Trading System (ETS): A market-based approach where governments cap total emissions and allow companies to buy or sell allowances depending on their emission levels. The system encourages firms to cut emissions in the most cost-effective way.
• Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): A policy instrument developed by the European Union that imposes a carbon price on imports of certain goods from outside the bloc. It aims to prevent “carbon leakage” and ensure imported goods face the same climate costs as those produced in the EU.

Ali further mentioned Egypt’s Voluntary Carbon Market, launched in August 2024, which enables companies to offset their carbon emissions by purchasing carbon certificates. A total of 4,500 certificates have been traded through the platform so far, providing a promising opportunity for businesses to meet their sustainability targets.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser