Egypt's Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad launched, on Sunday, the construction of the country's first green road within the Green List and World Heritage List site in Wadi Al-Hitan Protectorate in Fayoum governorate. The green road comes within the framework of the ministry's plan to develop and manage natural reserves according to international systems, in order to achieve the preservation of natural resources while maximising economic, recreational and social development opportunities. It also aims to provide a distinct and enjoyable experience for visitors to the protectorate, which contributes to the promotion of eco-tourism in Egypt. Extending for 34 km, the construction of the Wadi Al-Hitan road depends on a new method of recycling and the use of special emulsions to mix them with the soil and paving the way by relying on modern technologies for recycling. The project uses environmental methods that are concerned with reducing heat emissions as well as reducing noise while preserving the natural color of the soil. The Minister of Environment added that this road is an icon for the optimal use of recycling and building green roads due to the benefits that return to the environment. These benefits include preserving resources by recycling the same materials of roads and providing raw materials because the existing soil is mixed with the emulsions of the executing company without the need to increase the raw material. It also reduces heat and noise emissions, in addition to spreading the culture of using green roads, and that protecting the environment does not conflict with development, but rather complements it. Fouad expressed her hope that the development witnessed by nature reserves will be a real start to awareness of the importance of natural capital represented in our natural reserves and the importance of the role of youth, society and environmental partners in protecting the environment and biological diversity for us and for future generations. In 2018, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed Wadi Al-Hitan on its Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas. The IUCN Green List is the first global standard of best practice for area-based conservation. The list includes about 36 protected sites from all over the world.
