National Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) in Egypt.

This National Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) is a nationwide multisectoral document aiming to support Egypt’s development efforts in achieving sustainable consumption and production practices in its key economic sectors, including Energy, Agriculture, Water, and Waste by promoting the efficient allocation and use of water and energy resources, enhancing sustainable agriculture development as well as waste management, including prevention, reduction, recycling, reuse, and recovery. The NAP when implemented, will mainstream the newly introduced concepts and tools of SCP into Egypt’s overall sustainable development policy framework and gradually alter unsustainable patterns by replicating better-informed decision-making processes. The Action Plan builds on the Government's efforts to (i) promote green policies and integrate environmental considerations in some sectors; (ii) to monitor the current challenges and opportunities that face increasing rates of urbanization and the need to provide housing for the different segments of the population and associated physical and social services. The Plan explores the interlinkages between the four priority selected sectors (energy, agriculture, water, and municipal solid waste) and how addressing the challenges related to each sector can be addressed to promote synergies, complementarities, and supportiveness thus contributing towards the development of Sustainable Integrated Communities in Egypt. Furthermore, promoting SCP together with the enhancement of resource efficiency will also contribute to efforts leading to achieving food security as well as waste reduction and minimization.
For the energy sector, the key strategic goal is to ensure sector sustainability by promoting both Energy Efficiency and the use of Renewable Energy by (i) ensuring the security of supply, through diversified energy sources; (ii) ensuring both the technical and financial sustainability of the sector; (iii) modernizing the system, improving its governance and promoting private sector investment.
Regarding the agriculture sector, the key strategic goal is to promote sustainable rural agricultural communities. To achieve this key strategic orientation, the strategy aims to (i) introduce solar-powered water pumps to replace traditional water pumps, and use solar energy to power water desalination stations for agricultural cultivating purposes; (ii) use agricultural waste to produce energy and biofuel; (iii) use new modern grain storage mills to cut on wastage and promote more sustainable storage practices.
The key strategic goal for the water sector is to extend wastewater treatment for agricultural purposes. The strategy aims at (i) promoting the efficient and sustainable use of water from all sources, underground, Nile water, rainwater, and treated wastewater; (ii) using desalinated seawater; (iii) changing the legal codes for desalination and wastewater reuse for agricultural purposes.
As for the municipal solid waste sector, the key strategic goal is to develop an integrated solid waste management system. To achieve this key strategic objective, the following actions should be undertaken (i) promote good governance; (ii) promote research and development (R&D) and innovation; (iii) support public awareness and community engagement; (iv) restructure certain public institutions and update legislation; (v) provide access to finance and encourage investments; (vi) expand the recycling sector; (vii) endorse the concept of polluter pays principle and adopt the process that promotes the reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery of waste.
As for Governance, the Action Plan sets out the following priority actions to be undertaken by the Government to facilitate SCP across sectors (i) create a coordinating mechanism between different sectoral ministries to monitor the implementation of strategies and action plans, evaluate outcomes, and introduce corrective actions as appropriate; (ii) undertake a review of existing laws and regulations, as well as market incentives and assess their impact on SCP and reformulate and or introduce regulatory reforms supported by incentive measures that promote SCP across sectors; (iii) regulate by law the requirement for government bodies to purchase equipment, supplies, and services to be produced in an environmentally sustainable manner; (iv) promote the integration of SCP considerations in sectoral strategies9; (v) launch a public awareness campaign; (vi) ensure the integration of SCP and green economy concept in the education curricula.