A Look at Some of Egypt’s Pressing Environmental Concerns
The land of Egypt is actually 97% desert. Only about 5% of the land is conducive to human occupation and no more than 4% is arable, that is, suitable for agriculture. The population densities along the Nile River and its tributaries surpass 1,000 people per square km. The Nile River is the only source of fresh water for all the people, animals and plants in Egypt, for all personal, irrigation or industrial uses. It is also the source of power for the huge hydroelectric generator at Aswan. The heavy reliance on the Nile means that it has long been contaminated with human wastes, chemical pollutants and heavy metals from industrial and agricultural runoffs.
The population density itself has taken a toll on the water system. The urban public utility infrastructure including freshwater delivery, and wastewater removal services, are outdated, overwhelmed by increasing demand, and unable to service the existing population. This has inevitably led to many environmental problems, and the Government has not provided ongoing investment in building or maintenance of the necessary infrastructure.
Egypt’s environmental law and regulatory policy has developed over the past 15 years. Starting in 1994 with the passage of “Law 4”, which made efforts to preserve the environment, the legislation has restructured the environmental ministry and created the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). Their mission has been to draft appropriate legislation, devise, monitor and enforce regulatory standards, establish action plans for environmental management, coordinate the local, regional and national environmental protection efforts, and regularly report on the state of Egypt’s environment. The Environmental Protection Fund was established the same year.
Another important environmental issue facing Egypt is its heavy air pollution, carbon emissions, energy consumption, and the preservation of coastal areas with their important coral reefs. The limits of the natural resources are being stretched severely as urbanization devours valuable agricultural land. Desertification, which is the extreme deterioration of land in dry areas due to loss of vegetation and soil moisture results from activities such as over-grazing, and the diversion of water for human consumption and industrial uses. Salinisation is also a problem.
That condition is a byproduct of irrigation because almost all water, including rain, contains salts that accumulate in soil. Poor drainage and reusing saline water also contribute to the problem.
It comes as no surprise that Cairo, with its population of 15 million, would have the worst air pollution in the country. There are the exhaust fumes from the 1.2 million private vehicles, plus particulate matter (including lead and sand) that blows in from the desert, creating a nearly constant haziness. The urban air also has very high levels of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which together cause “acid rain”.
In the past the American Government provided environmental assistance to Egypt to establish a system of laws, regulations, and enforcement, as well as improved monitoring and the adoption of best practices and technologies. It will continue to provide technical training for further air quality improvements, but the responsibility has now been turned over to the Government of Egypt.