Page 34 - issue 66 en

ELITE
ELITE

Despite the government’s promises at
COP27, local communities in places like
Beni Suef are living proof of how little
has been done. Here, residents are
suffering from pollution caused by
industrial wastewater and toxic fumes
from factories, with no solutions in

sight. The government blames
everything from traffic congestion to Who pays the bill?
low wind speeds, but the people know
better. The same story is unfolding in Pollution in Egypt isn’t just an eyesore;
neighborhoods like Ain Shams, where it’s an economic disaster.As Egypt’s air
residents are suffocating under the quality continues to decline, the
stench of industrial emissions from healthcare system is left to pick up the
nearby oil refineries. And it’s not just tab. Health costs are soaring, with
the air that’s suffering. Thousands of diseases like respiratory illnesses, heart
trees are being ripped out across Cairo problems, and cancer on the rise—
for urban expansion, leaving the city estimates put the health burden in
even more exposed to the sun’s Cairo alone at around 47 billion
relentless rays. Egyptian pounds annually (according to
a 2019 World Bank report). And that’s
just the start. Meanwhile,Egypt’s
tourism industry is feeling the burn too;
afterall, polluted air and water are
hardly the ideal selling points for a
vacation destination. So, what's
stopping us from saving ourselves from
this mounting economic mess?

Cutting Corners Today, Paying the
Price Tomorrow

In its rush to attract foreign
investment, Egypt has made it easier
for businesses to bypass
environmental regulations. Recent
amendments to Egypt’s Environmental
Law (No. 338 of 1995) were touted as a
way to boost the economy by
simplifying the approval process for
investors.

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