In honour of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27, Schneider Electric has opened a new sustainability centre in Sharm El Sheikh | |
Staff Writer |
While in Sharm El Sheikh for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP27, Schneider Electric made the official announcement of the opening of its Sustainability Hub in the presence of Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment on behalf of H.E. Dr. Mostafa Madbouly. The Prime Minister of Egypt; Lieutenant-General Kamel El Wazir;
General Hisham Amna; Governor of South Sinai; Major-General Khaled Fouda; Chairman of the New Administrative Capital for Urban Development; Eng. Khaled Abbas; Marc Baréty; Ambassador of France to Egypt; Gwenaelle Avice-Huet; Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Schneider Electric; Walid Sheta; Zone President, Schneider Electric Middle East & Africa; Sebnem Mostafa In addition to launching several green initiatives in the fields of digital transformation and energy management, the relationship with South Sinai Governorate resulted in the Schneider Electric Sustainability Hub, making Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt's first Green City.
Commenting on the inauguration, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, said “The inauguration of Schneider Electric’s Sustainability Hub showcases the strong ties between Egypt and France on whether a governmental level or the partnership between public and private sectors. This was demonstrated in the joint meeting between H.E. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and his French counterpart President Emmanuel Macron during the financing session as well as in previous bilateral meetings. The Egyptian Presidency decided to call this COP round “The Round of Implementation” gathering the efforts of the government, experts, academics, NGOs, private sector, youth, and women under the slogan “Together for Implementation” to combat climate change. This Hub acts as a model for the role and responsibility of the private sector to promote education and raise awareness to contribute in the fight against climate change.”
Lieutenant-General Kamel El Wazir, the Minister of Transportation in Egypt, praised the continuous cooperation between the Egyptian government and French enterprises operating in Egypt, as well as the scope of collaborative projects in the transportation sector. He detailed the ministry's strategy to cut carbon dioxide emissions and protect the environment through the construction of new mass transit lines, ports, railways, and other green modes of transportation. At the Sustainability Hub, he gushed over the Schneider Electric solutions for environmentally friendly and efficient mobility.
The Governor of South Sinai, Major General Khaled Fouda, emphasised the significance of Sharm El Sheikh's hosting this cutting-edge hub in conjunction with COP27. Through their innovative products and cutting-edge solutions, Schneider Electric has helped turn Sharm el Sheikh into a green city, demonstrating the value of public-private collaborations in hastening the implementation of sustainability programmes across the country and lessening urban carbon footprints.
The New Administrative Capital's Chairman for Urban Development, Eng. Khaled Abbas, has declared that the city's Government District is a sustainable urban prototype because it meets 30% of its energy needs through solar power. Furthermore, he said, "We are happy that many top enterprises participating in COP27 regard the New Administrative Capital as a truly integrated paradigm for sustainability."
Located in the middle of Central Park in Sharm El Sheikh is the 2,000 square metre Schneider Electric Sustainability Hub. Schneider Electric is highlighting cutting-edge digital solutions and projects in the areas of climate, environment, and social issues through the Hub. The Hub draws inspiration from the SDGs and showcases Schneider Electric's sustainable solutions for resource, energy, and infrastructure management, among other critical drivers for sustainable cities.
By highlighting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate actions aimed at mitigating global warming, showcasing Schneider Electric's latest innovations in sustainability, and encouraging those interested in sustainability issues to create partnerships and initiatives, the Schneider Electric Sustainability Hub hopes to contribute to four main goals.
"Schneider Electric Sustainability Hub includes interactive activities and panel discussion sessions, in addition to a specialist staff to address diverse enquiries," said Sherif Abdelfattah, vice president of government affairs for Schneider Electric Egypt and Northeast Africa. The centre hosts meetings and roundtable talks between Schneider Electric and potential business partners. Some of the most significant sustainability-driven solutions to environmental problems and climate change are showcased here.
The six components of Schneider Electric's Sustainability Hub are constructed on the company's six long-term commitments to deliver its sustainability goals and reflect the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. These vows include working toward a world with a positive impact on the climate, conserving and maximising available resources, honouring the trust placed in it, providing access to opportunity for all, tapping into the wisdom of past, present, and future generations, and giving voice to underserved neighbourhoods and groups.
Schneider Electric has provided EVlink chargers as part of its effort to help turn Sharm El-Sheikh into Egypt's first "green city" by aiding the government's rapid efforts to combat pollution and cut carbon emissions. This action coincides with the city's Ministry of Electricity's statement that it will move forward with a proposal to wire charging stations for vehicles with electricity.
In the last six years, Schneider Electric has completed a number of sustainability-oriented projects in the governorate of Sharm El Sheikh. These include the installation of the first five-megawatt solar power plant in the city, a project to extract water using solar energy for irrigation and drinking purposes in Wadi Silva, Ras Sedr, and the installation of a system to extract water from wells using solar energy in Ramla village.