Ministry of Irrigation Safeguards Coastlines Against Climate Change

The Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources is rehabilitating Egypt’s coastlines to mitigate the effects of climate change, such as flooding and erosion. The government has concluded work on 210 kilometres of the North Coast, and is currently replenishing 50 kilometres of shores across the country. The project will eventually reach 69 kilometres in five coastal governorates, namely Port Said, Damietta, Daqahliyah, Kafr El-Sheikh, and Beheira. 

Set to be completed in 2023, the project’s main focus is to safeguard the citizens residing in these areas and protect existing investments at industrial, agricultural, and tourist zones. The government will establish Early Warning Centres for weather disasters on the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, another project by the Ministry of Irrigation will enhance adaptation to the impacts of climate change on the North Coast and the Nile Delta to counter the rise in sea levels and severe weather conditions that affect low-lying coastal areas and the incursion of seawater.

Such measures are essential, according to experts. The rise in sea levels places the Nile Delta at risk of being lost to the sea or losing its fertility due to the interference of saline water, affecting the quality of groundwater and possibly leading to the displacement of millions of Egyptians residing in the north of the Delta.

The ministry seeks to implement an integrated management plan of the North Coast to preserve investments and natural resources. It launched the Strategy for National Climate in May, as it aims to cut emissions in various sectors to maintain sustainable economic growth, promote the use of renewable energy sources, produce energy from waste, and utilise alternative energy like green hydrogen.