Arab Republic of Egypt
Ministry of communications
and Information Technology
Egyptian Green ICT strategy
One Step Towards A Sustainable Future
ITU Symposium on Progressing the Climate Change Agenda
Through Green ICT Standards
Seoul, September 19th , 2011
Research and Studies Unit
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology- Egypt
Strategic Objectives
•
Contributing to the National Sustainable Development
Approach In Egypt.
•
Reducing the adverse environmental effects resulting
from the expansion in the use of Communications and
Information Technology equipments.
•
Exploiting the enabling impact of the communications
and
information technology in mitigation and
adaptation to CC, in other sectors (building, energy,
etc...).
Objectives

Setting fundamentals and national policies for Green
ICT.

Bridging the gap between ICT, Environment, policy
maker and stakeholders.

Raising public and consumer awareness about “ICT&
Environment” threats and
opportunities.

Building capacities and cadres in Green ICT field.

Maximizing the diffusion of green ICT between all
sectors
Work Pillars
1
• Forming The Green ICT National committee.
2
• Raising Community awareness about the potential of
green ICT, and ICT Green Standards in general.
3
• Seeking smart & Green ICT solutions for a sustainable
future.
4
• Promoting national, regional and international
cooperation.
5
• Life Cycle Sustainable Management of ICT Resources
with special focus on E-waste.
1. Forming an Egyptian Green ICT National
Committee
2. Raising Community Awareness on
Green ICT Potentials
Organizing workshops and sessions to raise community awareness
about green ICTs (target segments: universities, schools, NGOs,
Youth, children)
Green ICT Workshops for
Children
The 5th ITU Symposium on
“ICT, the Environment& Climate
Change”November,2011
Schools & Universities Awareness Campaigns
2. Raising Community Awareness on Green
ICT Potential
Egypt’s Green ICT Portal and Info
Share
Green ICT Youth –Face book
Group
Guide booklets “Green IT in daily life”
3. Seeking Smart & Green ICT Solutions For
a Sustainable Future
1. Smart Buildings
◦ Research & Development: Developing a report with ITU on “ICT’s Potential for
Energy Saving and GHG Emissions reduction in the Built Environment-Egypt”.
◦ Leading by Example: MCIT, Ministry of Electricity, new and renewable Energy
Authority, and Smart village company cooperating now, to implement a pilot
project of “solar photovoltaic powered LEDS fixtures for street lighting system
in Smart Village in Egypt”.
2. Smart Transportation
◦ MCIT in cooperation with Ministry of transport, and IBM-Egypt signed an MOU
on “building an intelligent transportation system “. The main work pillars of the
ITS are:
1. Building Intelligent road management and control system
2. Offering Asset management solutions to optimize the operational
performance of assets and ensure high reliability and availability.
3. Establishing safety, security, Anti-collision system and surveillance.
4. Developing operations control solution
4. Promoting National, Regional and
International Cooperation
The World Bank...”Cooperation in the framework of
knowledge Transfer”:
◦ Development of the framework of a National Green ICT strategy.
◦ Design of an E-waste pilot project
◦ Design of An Awareness, information dissemination and
knowledge development campaign on E-waste management .
◦ Design of a curriculum for e-waste management and ICTs and
climate change.
Completed the TOR on “the diagnostic analysis and potentials for
establishing an E-waste recycling industry in Egypt”.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)...”Egypt
as an Active party in relevant international issues”:
Organizing the 5th ITU Symposium in November 2010 and issuing
The Cairo Roadmap on “ICT and Environmental Sustainability”.
5. Life Cycle Sustainable Management of
ICT Resources with Special Focus on EWaste
E-waste Management Activities in Egypt
(source: CEDARE)
Legal
Framework
Level 1 –
LOW
Level 2
Level 3
Inventory
Level 5 –
HIGH
Recycling & Reusing Technology
No legal framework,
strategy, or norms
There is no inventory
There is no collection
There is no recycling/reusing mechanism
Iraq, Kuwait,
Lebanon*, Syria,
Yemen
Egypt, Iraq, Jordan,
Lebanon*, Kuwait
Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon*,
Yemen
Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, UAE*, Yemen
There is only plan to
develop legal
framework
There is the inventory for
municipal solid waste, but no
designated inventory for Ewaste.
E-waste is locally collected by
local recyclers, scavengers, etc.
without any legal framework.
Only recyclable E-waste is well
collected
Only recyclable and reusable E-waste is recycled and
reused by local stakeholders
Bahrain, Egypt, Syria
Bahrain, Syria, UAE*,
Yemen
Kuwait, Syria, UAE*
Jordan
A legal framework is
being prepared and will
be issued/enforced in
very near future
E-waste inventory is being
prepared
E-waste is well collected by local
collection mechanism. Pilot
separation and collection
systems have been setup
There is a plan to set up E-waste facility
Tunisia*
Bahrain, Egypt
E-waste inventory is
conducted, but lack of
information and data
Collection system for E-waste is
operational and includes
environmentally sound disposal
There is E-waste
Recycling facility, but not achieve to full operation for all
E-waste in the
country
Morocco*, Tunisia
Bahrain
E-waste inventory is fully
conducted and available on
website
Collection systems are fully
operational. Our collection is
recognized as a model system by
other countries
Jordan, Tunisia*,
UAE*
Level 4
Collection
Enforcement, but the
legal framework is not
well conducted
Full enforcement and
model legal framework
for other countries
Source: CEDARE
E-waste recycling facility is fully operated for all E-waste
in the country and the model as the stat oft the-art recycling
facility
Tunisia*
5. Life Cycle Sustainable Management of ICT
Resources with Special Focus on E-waste
Legal Measures:










Trade Measures:
1994 - Ratification of Basel Convention.

1994 - National Environment Law
(amended 2009).
1995 - Waste Executive Regulations
(amended 2005).

2002 - Waste Identification Act (amended
2009).
2004 - Ratification of the Ban Amendment.
2004 - Ratification of Bamako Convention.
2006 - Ratification of hazardous waste

protocol of Barcelona Convention.
Development of trade policies and
regulations.

Egypt commitments at CTE/WTO
Egypt-EU Partnership Agreement/ EgyptEU Free Trade Agreement.
Identification of used
products/articles allowed for
import.
Continuous determination of
industry needs (secondary raw
materials e.g. used plastics,
paper, glass…)
Limitation of imports of used eproducts.
Specific measure to protect local
manufacture of EEE. (quality
control, efficiency, incentives..…)
5. Life Cycle Sustainable Management of ICT
Resources with Special Focus on E-waste
Capacity Building and Education
 Building capacities and skills in the field of E-waste to
meet the demand for skills and expertise at all levels and
industries.
 Harnessing the concepts of Green ICT and E-waste
management in the educational syllabus at all levels.
 Compiling Green ICT course with a special focus on
sustainable management of E-waste for school students.
 Compiling E-waste management course for engineering
students.
 Developing E-waste management diploma for
postgraduates.
5. Life Cycle Sustainable Management of ICT Resources
with Special Focus on E-waste
E-waste Recycling Activities in Egypt:
Company Core business: Refurbishment; re using; and remanufacturing ink and toner cartridges
E-waste Recycling Practices in Egypt:
EERC: Core business:
 Refurbishing process for old ICT products.
Total Recycling / E-Waste Program
EERC services:
 Complete IT upgrade services


On-site data erasure

Prepare old Equipments to be ready for Recycle

Certified data erasure, packing old equipment.

Environmental secure disposal

Detailed report for every unit showing serial numbers,
time, economics, process
E-waste Recycling Practices in Egypt:
Printers cartridges’ collection and recycling pilot project
Re-use is an option to recycling because it extends the lifespan of a device
.
Mobinil leads awareness campaigns to provide enough information on that.
Mobinil availed collection boxes and put them in companies to collect
waste cartridge .
Thousands of waste cartridges were collected using this method.
E-waste Recycling Practices in Egypt:
Printers Cartridges Collection and Recycling Pilot Project
Avoiding the dumping of cartridges in landfills- Providing jobsSaving the air by reducing CO2- Customizing and selling Cartridges
to Charitable associations and Hospitals , Saving customers’ money
by reduce the cost of cartridge by 50% .
Measures Taken by Egypt
Trade Measures:
- Identification of used products/articles allowed for
import.
- Continuous determination of industry needs.
(secondary raw materials e.g. used plastics, paper,
glass…)
- Limitation of imports of used e-products.
- Specific measure to protect local manufacture of EEE.
(quality control, incentives..…)
Source: MSEA
Measures Taken by Egypt
Technical Measures:
- Reviewing of Documents.
- Seals and locks of the containers.
- Scan system.
- Mobile Scan system.
- Inspection of containers.
- Open the container (Chick labels, certificate of
origin, production date)
- Target list of origins.
- Ex-experiences of traders.
- Vessel Control System.
Source: MSEA
Measures Taken by Egypt
Institutional Measures:
- Protocol between environment and ICT sectors
- Institutional Development Program (Twinning - Germany).
- Inter ministerial committee.
- Board of council of the Egyptian Environment Agency.
- Supreme committee for environment.
- Green custom initiative practice.
- National committee for trade and environment.
- National canter for training custom officers.
Source: MSEA
Egyptian Green ICT Strategy: Next steps
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Developing an Info share platform to engage the public in the framework
of setting the work plan of the Egyptian Green ICT strategy.
Developing a proposal for setting up Green conditions and specifications in
the public procurement of ICT goods, in line with global trends.
Conducting a national E-waste assessment study .(the study expected to
focus on the following (assessment of potentials for establishing an Ewaste recycling industry in Egypt, Identifying economic incentives ,
assessing the current amount of E-waste)- Proposal made to South Korea
Designing of an Awareness, information dissemination and knowledge
development campaign on E-waste management in cooperation with WB
for government officials.
Compiling Proposal for introducing & implementing take back system or
“polluter pays principle” either in legislations or customers bills with EMPA
and CEDARE.
Compiling Proposal for setting and updating the appropriate legislations
and regulations to support the rational management of E-waste in Egypt.
“ITU- T SG5- Question 23; A Step Forward Towards
Helping Developing Countries in Adapting to Climate
Change”




What are the standardization requirements for ICTs to enable
adaptation to climate change?
How can ICTs, in particular fiber submarine cable networks,
be used more effectively to monitor the global
environment/ecosystem and what new standards are
required?
How can ICT standards be used and adapted to more
effectively disseminate information on both natural and manmade disasters (early warning) to communities (e.g.
supporting GDACS under the UN framework?
Identification if new ICT standards are needed to address food
security, water transportation and supply in close
collaboration with D sector.
SG5/Q23

How can ICT standards better enable water management under
accelerating climate change conditions to improve the overall efficiency
of water use, leading to a more sustainable use of water resources?

How can ICTs be used to reduce CO2e emissions by better waste
management through a ‘cradle to cradle’, i.e. ‘closed loop’ approach
whereby more efficient recycling means fewer raw materials need to be
mined?

How can ICTs be used in education and to raise awareness on climate
change and what standards development is required?

What e-health standards are needed for more effective healthcare, as
diseases spread due to changing climatic conditions, and to ensure
interoperability?
SG5/23 Questionnaire: ITU SURVEY ON ICT AND
CLIMATE CHANGE