Egypt and global warming

By Mohsen Zahran

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Early December, representatives of 190 countries attended the Montreal United Nations Conference on Climate Change, which lasted for two weeks, in order to address the alarming issue of global warming and to agree upon an agenda and plan for action after 2012, when the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 expires. With lukewarm support from the United States, which refrained from signing Kyoto, the conference adopted unanimous resolutions to pursue Kyoto commitments after 2012, with certain reservations. The goal was to accommodate US reluctance and maintain present momentum towards curbing the immanent threat and apocalyptic consequences facing human civilisation.

In Montreal, attending nations were classified into three categories: the first inclusive of 30 industrial nations fully committed to Kyoto; the second consisting of China, India and Brazil and others whose annual economic growth surpasses eight per cent and are pursuing means to control emissions while maintaining industrial momentum and the third group inclusive of Third World countries whose gas emissions are below the world average due to their limited industrial activities. These countries may trade the differential of low emissions with nations exceeding the world average. After ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, Egypt could gain $20 million annually by trading its low emission certificates with countries like India whose emissions exceed the average. It can also benefit from international cooperation in the adoption of clean energy production methods, to reduce emissions further, and the sharing of clean technology expertise, know-how and capabilities.

This week's Soapbox speaker is professor of planning at Alexandria University.