Last updated: November 2024
Alexandria is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable cities, facing serious environmental challenges that threaten its landscape, culture, and livability. The city is grappling with rising sea levels, pollution, extreme fluctuations in temperature, and the intensifying urban heat island effect, all of which are worsened by climate change. The past decade has seen a steady decline in Alexandria’s parks and green areas, a trend that has raised significant concerns among environmentalists and the public. The shrinking green spaces are largely due to rapid urban expansion and the development of commercial projects, which are gradually pushing Alexandria's environmental balance and cultural heritage to the edge. In recognition of these pressing issues, Egypt launched the "100 Million Trees Initiative" in 2022 as part of its Egypt Vision 2030, a national plan for sustainable development. The initiative aims to increase the per capita share of green space throughout the country, with objectives that include improving air quality, enhancing public health, countering the urban heat island effect, and reducing greenhouse gases. The initiative is also focused on improving the beauty and cultural value of Egypt's urban areas, aligning with broader goals to build sustainable and climate-resilient cities. Alexandria, being a coastal city that is both environmentally sensitive and culturally significant, has been a focal point of these efforts. As part of this national campaign, the Governor of Alexandria was tasked with overseeing the enhancement and expansion of green spaces across the city, focusing on both the aesthetics and cultural aspects of the urban landscape. In 2023, these efforts took root in the Al-Muntazah 2 neighborhood, where 596 trees were planted as a contribution to the 100 Million Trees Initiative. This project included the Al-Samad Preparatory and Secondary Schools campus as one of its primary planting sites. (1-5)
Tree planting
https://www.aldawlanews.com/1069408
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Green playgrounds and school grounds
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Improving physical health
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
- Social interaction
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Heat stress & Extreme temperatures
- Environmental Degradation
- Air pollution
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Rapid urbanization
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature)
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks), Strategy, plan or policy development, Creation of city-wide or neighborhood climate adaptation or mitigation strategies/programs, Creation of city-wide or neighborhood green and blue infrastrcuture protection or enhancement strategies/plans
Project objectives
The goal of the Al-Samad Preparatory and Secondary Schools Tree Planting project as part of the 100 million trees presidential initiative were to:
1. Increase green spaces and plant fruit trees in all neighborhoods to reduce environmental pollution and be a natural outlet for citizens (2-3).
2. Double the per capita share of green space, improving air quality, reducing greenhouse gases, heat island effect, sequestering carbon and achieving the maximum economic benefit from trees and improving the general health of citizens (2-3).
3. Provide green space to encourage social activities, such as sports, reading, playing, entertainment and other practices within the public domain (2-3).
Implementation activities
As part of the 100 Million Trees Presidential Initiative, significant steps are being taken to expand Egypt’s green spaces and promote environmental sustainability. For the fiscal year 2023/2024, the Egyptian government has allocated EGP 98 million through the Ministry of Local Development to plant three million trees across the country. This initiative emphasizes both the importance of combating climate change and enhancing the quality of life in urban areas.
In Alexandria, the Al-Muntazah 2 district is a focal point of this green transformation. Building on the presidential initiative, efforts have been made to increase and improve green spaces throughout the neighborhood. One notable project included planting 596 trees at the Al-Samad Preparatory and Secondary Schools campus, bringing a variety of species to the area: 56 lemon trees, 50 guava trees, 50 olive trees, 30 orange trees, and a substantial addition of 410 Saudi bazarumia trees, along with several calistemon trees. These diverse species were chosen for their adaptability to the local climate and their ability to contribute both environmental and aesthetic benefits to the school grounds.
Alongside tree planting, additional beautification work has been ongoing to maintain and improve existing greenery. This includes the pruning and tiling of 9 Pritcharda palms and 4 Baladi palms, preparing four new planting basins, cutting and trimming grass, removing weeds, and ensuring the regular irrigation of plants. (1-6)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect
Climate change mitigation:
- Increase the availability of green urban space for carbon storage (street tree cover)
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Coastal communities, Urban heat islands
Main beneficiaries
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- National government
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
National government: The project is part of the 100 Million Trees initiate which was brought into action by the Egyptian Government (2-3). The Ministry of Local Development allocated the funds to support the implementation of the initiative (6). The Ministry of the Environment is mostly responsible for enacting the initiative and has identified the types of trees that are planted in the 100 Million Trees Initiative, starting with being crops of economic return (2-3).
Local government/municipality: As part of the initiative the Governor of Alexandria is responsible to take care of the green spaces and improve the aesthetic and civilizational level, within the scope of Alexandria's neighborhoods and centers (2-3). The parks department was responsible for implementing the tree's on the school grounds (4-5). Rabab Madani, head of the Second Montazah neighborhood lead the oversight of the project (4-5).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The presidential 100 million trees initiative (2-3). )
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(This project comes within the framework of the directives of Major General Mohamed El Sherif, Governor of Alexandria, to take care of the green spaces and improve the aesthetic and civilizational level, within the scope of Alexandria's neighborhoods and centers (2-3).)
Type of enablers
Change agents (individual with major role influence on launching), Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Expected lowered local temperature
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Expected improved air quality
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Generation of income from NBS
- Expected generation of income from NBS
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Expected increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Expected improved physical health
- Education
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
- Expected increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Mohammed, S., and El Raey, M. (2018). Assesses the Resilience Index to Sea Level Rise Risk of Alexandria Governorate, Egypt June 2018. [Source link];
2.
State Information Service (2022). 100 Million Trees Initiative. [Source link];
3.
Bakr, M. (2022). Egypt’s 100 million trees. [Source link];
4.
Muhammad, R. (2023). Planting 596 trees in the Second Montazah Gardens in Alexandria as part of the presidential initiative. [Source link];
5.
Bassiouni, A. (2023). The 100 Million Trees Initiative continues in eastern Alexandria. [Source link];
6.
State Information Service (2024). Egypt allocates EGP98 million to plant 3 million trees nationwide. [Source link];
7.
City population (n.d.). Al-Iskandariyah Governorate in Egypt. [Source link];
8.
The City for Humanities and Social Research (2024). Changes in Green Spaces in Alexandria . [Source link];
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.