Al-Mashat reviews efforts to strengthen international partnerships to support green transformation and implement energy pillar projects within the NWFE program.
The Minister of International Cooperation H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat participated in the 2nd Meeting of the Global Leadership Council (GLC) of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) within the activities of the meetings of the UNGA78 in New York, to follow up on the initiatives launched to stimulate the transition to green transformation and renewable energy.
The alliance was launched last year during UNGA77 where Al-Mashat was a founding member, along with an elite group of government officials, international financial institutions, development partners, and philanthropic organizations.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Støre, President of the RockFire Foundation, Rajiv Shah, CEO of the GEAPP, Simon Harford, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Achim Steiner, Vice President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Kevin Kariuki, President of the Bezos Earth Fund, Andrew Steer, President of the Green Climate Fund, Mafalda Duarte, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, President of the European Investment Bank, Werner Hoyer, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (UN SRSG) for Sustainable Energy for All, Damilola Ogunbiyi, Executive Director of the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, and other members of the Council.
In her speech, Al-Mashat highlighted that despite the increased reliance on renewable energy sources compared to previous decades, they represent only 29% of the electrical energy capacity globally in 2021, while renewable energy witnessed an increase of about 8% in 2022. H.E. stressed that reducing emissions by 2050 and enhancing the pace of green transformation requires accelerating the pace of the transition to renewable energy.
Al-Mashat also pointed out the importance of GEAPP initiatives that increase countries’ reliance on renewable energy, and support the capabilities of developing countries and emerging economies to rely more on renewable energy and clean energy systems that promote comprehensive and sustainable economic growth.
H.E. further touched on the efforts to transition to renewable energy through the implementation of the National Climate Change Strategy 2050 and the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), were updated to advance the goal of increasing the proportion of renewable energy to 42% by the year 2030 instead of 2035, as Egypt launched the Nexus for Water, Food and Energy Platform, the NWFE program, which includes, including the energy pillar, which aims to establish renewable energy projects with a capacity of 10 gigawatts by 2028. Al-Mashat stated that increasing investment in storage systems will be crucial to ensuring the effective use of renewable energy.
The GEAPP aims to expand the just transition to sustainable energy around the world, and keep the Earth’s temperature below 1.5 degrees, through cooperation between international leaders, and enhancing joint work between relevant parties from non-profit institutions, governments in emerging and advanced economies, technology companies, and international financial institutions. They also aim to push the transition to a green economy, especially in developing countries, as well as enabling access to sustainable energy in order to achieve comprehensive, equitable and sustainable economic growth. Egypt was chosen last year to become one of the first countries to benefit from the coalition’s initiatives.
The alliance sets goals, including creating 150 million jobs over the next decade, reducing 4 gigatonnes of carbon emissions, and expanding access to clean energy for about a billion people worldwide by creating the appropriate environment, stimulating private sector participation, and supporting innovative solutions through entrepreneurship in cooperation with philanthropic organizations.