Egypt bears $2.4bn annually due to pollution

Over the past years, Egypt has been suffering from an increase in pollution, which prompted the government to take a package of measures to prevent the crisis from worsening and preserve the environment.

According to World Bank estimates, the environmental degradation resulting from air pollution costs Egypt about 5% of the annual GNP, or about $2.4bn annually.

Many ozone-depleting substances that were used in consumer, industrial, and agricultural products have been phased out.

Additionally, a national strategy has also been prepared to stop the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) used in many different sectors, the most important of which are the foam, thermal insulation, refrigeration, and air conditioning industries.

The green economy is an opportunity to skip development stages and apply advanced technologies to achieve food security, provide energy in rural areas, as well as a clean water supply, housing, sanitation facilities, and public transportation, which can create job opportunities and contribute to the eradication of poverty.

Hany Aziz — a consultant on environment and green economy — believes that the government must prioritise the transition to a green economy, and that the green economy should be based on resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production patterns.