Egypt's Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad met on Wednesday with the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ghada Waly, and her accompanying delegation to review the outcome of the COP27.
During the meeting, they discussed the best ways to counter environmental crimes, and implement the initiatives launched at the COP27, as well as outlining a roadmap for the upcoming international climate summit, COP28.
According to a statement, Fouad said that the international climate summit, COP27, which took place in Sharm el Sheikh last year, had raised question marks about the file of waste and its direct relation with climate change.
A global waste initiative, entitled “50 by 2050”, was launched to ensure that at least half of all African waste is treated and recycled before 2050, Fouad said, adding that more than 100 countries, international institutions, NGOs and the private sector have shown interest in joining the initiative.
In the same context, the minister said that biodiversity is yet another top-priority file of the COP27, pointing to milestones taken in this regard, such as setting an international date to mark biological diversity. A nature-based solutions initiative was also launched during the COP27, she reminded. Fouad also talked about cooperation with the presidency of the COP28 to activate the nature-based solutions initiative.
She explained that his initiative is not only meant to find solutions from the nature to the effects of climate change, but to also sustain the quality of life for local communities, such as fishermen, to help them adapt to the impact of climate change.
In turn, Waly said that the UNODC is looking forward to working with the Egyptian Ministry of Environment to implement the nature-based solutions initiative.
She also handed over to Fouad the first copy of an Arab framework plan of action for the next five years.
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