STATE OF ENVIRONMENT: EGYPT

STATE OF ENVIRONMENT: EGYPT
Ahmad K. Hegazy
Professor of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science,
Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
For Presentation Before
GEO South-Eastern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean
Symposium
On
Earth Observation Services for Monitoring the Environment
and Protecting the General Public
8-10 June 2009
Athens, Greece
Background
Socioeconomic
development
in
Egypt
associated with overpopulation and limited
natural resources puts pressures on the
environment.
This status environmental report covers the
nine societal benefit areas of GEOSS:
ecosystems, weather, climate, disasters, health,
energy, water, biodiversity and agriculture.
(1) Ecosystems
The major ecosystems
of Egypt occur in five
main regions:
(1) Eastern Desert
(2) Western Desert
(3) Sinai
(4) Nile land and the
Delta
(5) Coastal and marine
habitats
Biogeographical regions of Egypt
Ecosystem services
 Ecosystems of Egypt contribute significantly
through the provision of ecosystem services. These
have been divided into four categories:
(1) Provisioning (e.g. food, fiber, fuel, water),
(2) Regulating (e.g. water quality, flood and erosion
control,),
(3) Cultural (e.g. recreation, aesthetic and spiritual
values), and
(4) Supporting services (e.g. carbon sequestration,
water, nutrient cycling).
 Due to large-scale developmental activities, all of
Egypt’s ecosystems have been significantly changed
in the last 50 years, where their capacity to provide
services declined significantly.
(2) Weather
The climatic
provinces in
Egypt
Province
I. Semi-arid
II.1. Arid
II.2. Arid
III.1. Hyperarid
III.2. Hyperarid
III.3. Hyperarid
Rainfall
(Time & amount/year)
Mean temperature
Winter
Summer
Winter (220-100 mm)
Winter (50-30 mm)
Spring (50-10 mm)
Winter (5-0 mm)
Winter (20-10 mm)
Winter (50-10 mm)
Mild (15-18°C)
Mild (17-22°C)
Mild (18-22°C)
Mild (10-22°C)
Mild (15-22°C)
Cool (8-14°C)
Mild (23-28°C)
Hot (27-30°C)
Hot (28-33°C)
Very hot (30-35°C)
Hot (27-30°C)
Hot (25-30°C)
Weather in Egypt is characteristic of the arid
regions with major fluctuations in the inland
and coastal regions.
Three rainfall belts are distinguished in Egypt:
the Mediterranean coastal belt, the middle and
Upper Egypt.
 The relative humidity is affected mainly by the
proximity to the Mediterranean and the Red
Sea.
Wind circulation is controlled by a permanent
high pressure belt over the Sahara high
pressure system.
(3) Climate
Coastal and inland ecosystems in Egypt are
vulnerable to climate change through:
 Loss of most grazing lands and biodiversity
Shifting sand dunes in the western desert
Loss of most coastal ecosystems
There may be an increase in less desirable or
invasive species.
Spatial and temporal change in crop distribution
Seasonal temperature distribution in Egypt in the year 2005 and the
projected years 2025, 2075 and 2100 (after Hegazy et al. 2008)
Winter
Spring
Summer
Autumn
2
0
0
5
2
0
2
5
2
0
5
0
2
0
7
5
“Business-asusual scenario”
Range of projected
annual changes:
2025 = 0.5 – 1.0
2050 = 1.5 – 2.0
2
1
0
0
2075 = 2.0 – 3.0
2100 = 2.5 – 4.5 oC
Projected temporal and spatial distribution of Wheat cv. Gemiza 9 during
the years 2005, 2025, 2050, 2075 and 2100
2005
2025
2050
Contraction in arable
land area and Shift in
cultivation time
2075
2100
(4) Disasters
Natural disasters comprise drought, torrential
floods, river and coastal floods, draining of
wetlands, sand windstorms, earthquakes and
infestations which may expose people,
ecosystems and biota to threats.
There were more than 300 local earthquakes
for the period 1803-1995; however, about 83
events were reported to have caused damage of
variable degrees.
Disasters can directly or indirectly related to
anthropogenic factors such as overpopulation,
uncontrolled
urbanization,
intensive
agricultural practices and land use patterns,
and oil, chemical and toxic spills.
Because of the limited natural resources of
Egypt, the country is vulnerable to disasters
and has limited capacity to prevent or cope
with the expected disaster’s impacts.
(5) Population & Health
(A) Population
With a population of 74 million in 2005, Egypt
has the 16th largest population in the world.
Egypt's population increases every year by
about 1.5 million people, and projections
indicated that the population will reach 95.6
million by 2026
(B) Health
Overpopulation and the poor quality of the environment
are directly responsible for 25 percent of preventable
diseases.
The country has more than 4,000 primary healthcare
centers and facilities with appropriate infrastructure.
Health spending totaled about 4% of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) in 2000, equivalent to US$45 per capita.
Public health financing is provided mainly from general
taxation, private financing, social insurance, funding
raised by firms, and syndicates.
Government health insurance covers around
50% of the population.
The increasing incidence of non-communicable
diseases (NCDs), e.g., cardiovascular diseases,
diabetes, cancer and renal, genetic and
respiratory diseases and the scourge of vectorborne diseases – places a huge burden on
healthcare resources.
The Egyptian government launched the mobile
clinics project in 1997 in an effort to strengthen
the basic health services to populations living in
remote rural areas.
(6) Energy
Energy Resources (2004/2005):
Crude oil (50.4%)
Natural gas (43.6%)
Hydropower (4.75%)
Coal resources (1.25%)
New and renewable energy resources (0.2%)
Energy consumption
The transport sector is the major oil consumer
(35.5%), followed by the industrial sector
(27.8%), electricity (18.7%), residential and
commercial (14.2%), and the agriculture sector
(0.4%).
The electricity sector is considered the major
consumer of natural gas (61.9%), followed by
industry (29.3%), the petroleum sector (6.8%)
and the residential sector (about 2%).
Egypt will become a net oil importer during the
near future which would increase the share of
NG in the energy supply local matrix.
Energy sector faces some challenges due to
subsidized conventional energy prices and the
absence of well defined legislation supporting
renewable energy.
(7) Water
 The total annual use of fresh water is 80.5 Billion m3 per year,
and by the year 2017 Egypt will need about 100 Billion m3 per
year.
 About 95% of all fresh water are derived from the Nile River
(Egypt’s share of Nile Basin water is 55.5 Billion m3).
 The average water availability per capita per year in Egypt is
less than 1000 m3 and expected to be 500 m3 in the few coming
years
 Other water sources:
 Rainfall input (1.3 Billion m3 per year)
 Non-renewable fossil water resources (0.9 Billion m3)-Nubian
sandstone aquifer
 Renewable water sources (6.1 Billion m3)
 Recycling of agricultural wastewater (7.5 Billion m3)
 Treated domestic waters (1.4 Billion m3)
 Recycling of treated industrial water (7.8 Billion m3)
 Desalinization of seawater (1% of total water use)
The agriculture sector consumes 58.65 Billion m3 per
year (85% of water resources), industry sector uses
7.50 Billion m3 per year, domestic use 4.75 Billion m3
per year, Nile tourism and energy and other sectors
consume 9.60 Billion m3 per year.
The current annual rates of groundwater withdrawal
is more than 400% of the recharge rate, which has led
to reduction in water table levels.
Overexploitation of groundwater from the Delta
shallow aquifer has led to increased water salinization
and rapid inland advance of salt water interface.
Despite the considerable efforts to develop
the water resources and related infrastructure,
large number of the population remain without
or with limited access to water for domestic
use, and many farmers have very limited access
to water for irrigation.
(8) Biodiversity
The variation of terrestrial, aquatic and marine
habitats has created different ecosystems that
support biological diversity.
Biodiversity quality is more important than
quantity.
Biodiversity “hot spots” face threats of habitat
change.
Management and conservation of
biodiversity
 Iin-situ conservation- e.g., protected areas and biosphere reserves,
and species rehabilitation (Acacia, Avicennia and Rhizophora, and
captive breeding trials for the Egyptian tortoise).
 Ex-situ conservation- e.g., establishment of gene bank for wild
plants and crop cultivars
 Total of 27 protected areas (PAs) have been declared in Egypt.
The present legally protected area network covers over 10% of
Egypt's land area. It is planed that PA network by 2017 reaches
40 PAs to cover 17% of total country area
 About 70% of wild plant species are known to be of potential
value, and about 10% have the potential for commercial
exploitation. Many species are known as under-utilized and have
multipurpose value.
Distribution of the declared
protected areas
Avicennia marina
Rhizophora mucronata
Acacia trees
Egyptian tortoise
The major threats to biodiversity
Drought & Tourism
Poaching
Habitat change
Fossil Wales
Over-collection
Changing life style of local people
(9) Agriculture
About 95% of the lands are deserts, while arable land
reaches only 2.6% of country area
Rainfed areas suffer from prolonged drought.
The increasingly concentrated patterns of human
settlement around the Nile River has greatly reduced
the opportunity for geographic expansion.
By 2050, land-person ratios will decline from an
average 0.3 hectares per person to 0.1-0.2 hectares.
Intensification of production—obtaining more output
by multiple cropping increased soil degradation.
The cultivated area is 7.5 million hectares, and the
cropped area 13.8 million hectares.
Agricultural land suffers from loss of soil fertility and
soil degradation
About 30-40% of cultivated land in Nile Delta is now
salt affected
Only 5% of cultivated lands are in excellent condition,
40% good, and the remaining 55% are either medium
or poor.
Agriculture comprises 17.3% of Egypt’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP). Almost 50% of the Egyptian
population relies on agriculture for income generation
and employment opportunities.
The total value of agricultural production is about LE.
42 billion (US$ 8 billion).
Agricultural exports represent about 5% of total
exports.
Forests
 Egypt does not have natural forests in the strict meaning.
However, some wooded areas as represented by the natural
vegetation in desert valleys and depressions support forest-like
stands (open forests) of trees.
 The reeds in wetlands and cultivated trees as windbreaks or
hedgerows around farms, along roads and canals constitute
another forest-like resource. Mangroves or tidal forests (coastal
woodlands) occupy small areas of the Red Sea and Gulf of
Aqaba coasts.
 Significant afforestation activities, especially, depending on
treated sewage water. About 2500 hectares are planted by both
the governmental and the private sectors for purposes of
protecting soils, water-courses and farms from winds and
storms.
 The total forest area in Egypt represents about 0.03% of the
total area of the country.
Legislation and Institutional Framework
National legislation
More than 20 national laws, beside many Presidential, Prime Ministerial,
Ministerial and Governor Decrees were declared to support or fill gaps in law
implementation.
International Treaties
Egypt signed about 60 international conventions, agreements and
protocols. According to the constitution, all international treaties signed have
the power of national legislation.
Legislation enforcement
Environmental legislation implementation in Egypt faces some challenges
including:
 Lack of coordination among stakeholders and concerned authorities
 Lack of financial resources
 Laxity in law enforcement
 Lack/ absence of incentives for investment in environmental protection projects
 Lack of awareness at different levels from public to personnel responsible for
law implementation
Policies and challenges
The policies and challenges include:
 Rearranging land and ecosystem use patterns
 Improving environmental monitoring and forecasting systems
such as using remote sensing technology
 Integrated and more efficient resource management considering
products life cycle and impacts on environment
 Revision of the policies to reduce the degradation of ecosystems
 Restoration of the degraded habitats and ecosystems.
 Adoption of integrated environmental management plans
 Increasing national and international coordination
 Introducing the appropriate environmental technology
 Improving the use of information-based knowledge on
ecosystems development
 Public-private partnership for investment in environment
related development and infrastructure
 Continuous support for capacity building, legislation and
institutional coordination
Rating of the available knowledge on the
societal benefit areas of GEOSS
No.
Sectorial areas of
GEOSS
Very good
1
Ecosystems
2
Weather
3
Climate
4
Disasters
5
Health
6
Energy
X
7
Water
X
8
Biodiversity
9
Agriculture
Good
Data available
but many gaps
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Conclusions
Because of the overpopulation and limited natural
resources in Egypt, the country faces many
environmental challenges and has limited capacity to
prevent or cope with the existing and emerging
problems.
Despite the considerable efforts, large number of the
population remain with limited access to resources to
meet their needs- an important cause of
environmental degradation.
Policies, challenges and future outlook consider the
knowledge-based sustainable use of resources.
Thank you