Egyptian MP Abdel Moneim Imam, head of the Justice Party, submitted on Thursday a request for a briefing to the Prime Minister, Minister of Environment, Minister of Planning, and Minister of Local Development regarding “tree cutting across Egypt.”
Imam stated that a large number of trees have been cut down in various governorates in recent times without any suitable alternatives to compensate for the loss of green spaces, according to Pulse Mubasher website. This has led to numerous complaints from citizens and civil society, who have expressed their concern about the negative consequences of these operations.
The MP’s request highlights the growing public concern over the issue of tree cutting in Egypt. Deforestation can have a significant impact on the environment, leading to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and air pollution. It can also have negative consequences for human health and well-being.
“I demand that the necessary measures be taken to stop cutting down trees, and to work on providing environmental alternatives to compensate for the loss and achieve environmental balance,” Imam said, adding that, “I also demand to know the reasons behind cutting down trees across Egypt and the extent to which this is justified, especially in light of the ‘Prepare for Green’ initiative launched by the President. We have noticed that these operations lead to rising temperatures and increased air pollution, which harms the environment and public health.”
On Thursday, the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture denied reports circulating on social media and some news outlets about the cutting down of trees at the Giza Zoo.
In a statement, the ministry said that Minister of Agriculture Sayed el-Quseir had tasked a committee of ministry experts to visit the zoo and inspect the situation.
The committee confirmed that the reports were false in their entirety and that the pictures circulating on social media showed a crane pruning trees, not cutting them down. The pruning is being carried out to maintain the trees, shape them, and prevent them from dying.
The Egyptian Ministry of Environment has officially responded to reports circulating about the cutting down of trees at the famous Mirland Park in Heliopolis, Cairo.
Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, confirmed that there is no tree cutting in Mirland Park after inspecting it more than once last month and following a complaint received on May 17th regarding the cutting of trees in the park.
The Minister of Environment issued her directives to not carry out any tree pruning or trimming work inside Mirland Park except after coordination with the concerned authorities and taking urgent action on the complaint received by the Ministry on May 17, 2024, which stated that Mirland Park officials had cut down trees in one of its areas in preparation for the establishment of a number of cafes and cafeterias.
