Egypt has declared the Grand Egyptian Museum carbon neutral, marking the first application of carbon footprint accounting to a national mega project. Officials described the move as a key milestone in the country's green development push, following the handover of a verified carbon footprint report for the museum's opening ceremony.
Egypt announced on Sunday that the Grand Egyptian Museum has achieved carbon neutrality, a step hailed as unprecedented for national projects. Acting Minister of Environment Manal Awad and Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy stated that the declaration stems from the completion of a verified carbon footprint report for the museum's opening ceremony, allowing its official designation as a carbon-neutral facility.
Awad called the achievement a reflection of presidential directives to incorporate environmental and climate factors into major developments. She noted its alignment with Egypt Vision 2030 and the National Climate Change Strategy 2050. "Achieving carbon neutrality at the Grand Egyptian Museum demonstrates Egypt’s ability to deliver world-class cultural landmarks that meet international sustainability standards," Awad said.
The minister added that environmental certificates from the Ministry of Environment, registered with the United Nations, bolster Egypt's global reputation and aid tourism and investment. This marks the first Egyptian site with its environmental commitments legally documented and independently verified by a nationally accredited body, per international standards. The process extends prior emission offset efforts during trial operations in 2023 and 2024, with ongoing technical collaboration planned.
Fathy highlighted coordination among environmental, tourism, and investment bodies, emphasizing that the opening ceremony was designed to minimize impact and adhere to global benchmarks. He stressed environmental responsibility in tourism, pointing out that over 50% of Egypt's hotels already implement standards like renewable energy use and plastic reduction. Similar measures are set to extend to museums, archaeological sites, and tourism activities.
Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority, said the verified report affirms the museum's dedication to robust emission measurement for major events, tying heritage preservation to environmental protection. Audits were performed by an accredited unit under Egypt's General Organization for Export and Import Control, covering operational and ceremony-related emissions in line with international norms.