Egypt announces the creation of a "green zone" for civil society at COP27
Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmin Fuad, has assured that the COP27 Climate Summit, to be held next November in the Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, will have a "green zone" for civil society.
The COP27 "will have a green zone that the government is dedicating to civil society, to youth organisations and to the exhibition of companies", said the minister and COP27 coordinator and envoy in a video in the framework of the Voice of Egypt dialogues, under the title "The Road to the Summit".
"The conference is a big moment and the green zone will see interesting side events," she said, adding that they do not want "youth or civil society to participate one day and leave."
A Water Day
The minister also indicated that there will be "for the first time" at a summit a day dedicated to water: "the final part is to organise a Water Day, which will be the first time at a COP, based on political leadership," she said.
In addition to the "green zone", the COP will have a "blue zone" for country delegations and international organisations, and will be fully webcast, except for "closed sessions", he said.
The COP will open with a presidential summit, led by Egyptian President Abdelfatah al Sisi, on 7-8 November.
Each day of the COP will be dedicated to a field, such as the economy or agriculture, led by the different Egyptian ministries responsible for that area.
"There is an Agriculture Day that will address the issue of food security, something the whole world is now witnessing. With food prices rising, we must ask questions about the impact of climate change on food shortages," she said.
She also said they are working to organise "an international sustainable fashion show using recycled garments and fabrics presented in a different way", as well as "painters and musicians to present the impact of climate change on stage every day".
Fuad points out that these are "ideas that were not previously there", referring to past COP organisations, but are "of great importance to show the world".
