The Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh will host the annual conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The 14th formal meeting of parties to the UNFCCC — the Conference of the Parties (COP14) — is being held under the title “Investing in Biodiversity for People and Planet” and will assess progress made in dealing with climate change. The convention, which will run until 29 November, includes participants from 196 countries. “Egypt is the first Arab and African country to hold such a big UN conference,” says Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad. Ministers of housing, health, petroleum and industry from around the world will “discuss the regulations needed to protect biodiversity and ensure common standards are applied when it comes to mining at land and sea, infrastructure building, the inclusion of herbs in medical supplements and in building factories in environmentally sensitive areas”. Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli held a cabinet meeting on 14 November to discuss strategies to preserve Africa's biodiversity and policies capable of maintaining a healthy ecosystem and combating environmental degradation, climate change and migration. During the UN conference Egypt will call for the integration of three separate international agreements on biodiversity, climate change and desertification. Nine-thousand participants will attend the conference, says Emadeddin Adli, national coordinator of the event. “Egypt stands to benefit from the many spin-offs involved in hosting COP 14. It offers a chance to promote tourism, increase visits to archaeological sites and tourist destinations and enhance Sharm El-Sheikh's profile as a venue for international conventions. By hosting the conference Egypt solidifies its image as a safe and stable country.” Crafts linked to the folk heritage of Egypt's nature reserves will be showcased on the sidelines of COP 14 in an exhibition organised by the Ministry of Environment. The Egyptian-Italian Environmental Cooperation Programme (EIECP), will also hold workshops alongside the conference to develop makers' skills. The EIECP, says Fouad, has been working together with the Ministry of Environment to support the local communities living in nature reserves. The workshops aim to strengthen the ability of communities to generate income from traditional crafts and increase awareness of sustainable development. Preserving and developing the craft products of local communities and linking them to market mechanisms that allows for more sales will serve to increase the communities' awareness of the importance of preserving biodiversity, says Fouad. Training programmes were put in place following a round of product assessment and marketing for handicrafts made in the villages surrounding nature reserves. The studies identified challenges and opportunities and the best way of developing local crafts based on the environmental and heritage factors of each location. EIECP Director Yossreya Hamed says workshops in the programme will target the development of accessories and leather products using natural materials and include sessions on how the design of traditional items can meet international standards. Packaging, pricing and the marketing of products will also be addressed in individual workshops.
