The General Coordinator of the Smart Green Projects Initiative discusses with the Minister of Higher Education the joining of university students to the second round of the initiative

Dr. Ayman Ashour calls on university students to quickly submit projects that preserve the environment within the national initiative of smart green projects

Ambassador Hisham Badr: The participation of universities and research centres in the initiative is a paradigm shift in providing innovative solutions to the problems of climate change in Egypt

Cairo,April 27, 2023

Ambassador Hisham Badr, General Coordinator of the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, met with Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; This is to discuss university students joining the second round of the initiative, which will continue until the end of May 2023 on the website www.sgg.eg

During the meeting, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research stressed the need to pay attention to the mechanisms of spreading the culture of climate change, green transition and sustainability in Egyptian universities, and to increase university students' awareness of climate change and expand their awareness and culture, by organizing seminars, lectures and workshops related to environmental and climate issues, and implementing research projects.

In addtion, Dr. Ayman Ashour pointed out the importance of encouraging green innovation to mitigate the effects of climate change, as well as paying attention to green infrastructure. To enhance the resilience of urban areas in facing climate change, and to meet the needs of the public and private sectors in all priority areas such as (agriculture, food, health, medicine, water and energy) With the aim of enhancing the country’s gross domestic product, as well as developing innovative technologies and applied solutions in the field of environment, energy and water, and developing national technologies for recycling and others.

The minister directed university students to quickly submit projects that preserve the environment through the website www.sgg.eg within the "National Initiative for Smart Green Projects"; To find smart solutions to societal problems using clean technology, and to find solutions to the challenges of climate and environmental change to create a state of national awareness and solidarity to reduce the effects of climate change and deal with its effects.

For his part, Ambassador Hisham Badr explained that this initiative targets many areas, foremost of which are projects that take into account environmental sustainability standards, which lead to a reduction in carbon emissions and pollution, and preserve natural resources, indicating that it is a qualitative cultural and economic shift in the direction of the state with regard to empowering citizens. By presenting projects that preserve the environment and achieve a greater economic return for citizens.

As well , Ambassador Hisham Badr emphasized that the participation of universities and scientific research centers in the initiative is a quantum leap in providing innovative solutions to the problems of climate change in Egypt, referring to the conditions for participation, which include that the project be within the geographical scope of the governorate and that it has already been implemented and has results supported by evidence, and that it includes a technological component. And a component related to environmental sustainability, pointing out that the first phase of this national initiative for smart green projects was launched in the governorates of the Arab Republic of Egypt under the auspices of the President of the Republic, and in accordance with the Prime Minister’s Decree No. 2738 of 2022, and under the supervision of Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development.

The General Coordinator of the Initiative also explained that at the conclusion of the second cycle of the Initiative, the winning projects will be represented by the COP28 Climate Conference of the UAE, receive financial awards from the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and link the winning projects to various financing and investment entities.