An Egyptian nonprofit conservation group is launching a large project to protect thousands of migratory birds from the threats posed by electricity power lines in the Gulf of Suez, it announced on Thursday.
Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) developed the initiative in partnership with Dubai-based AMEA Power, one of the largest renewable energy companies operating in the region, and its subsidiary Amunet Wind Power Company, which runs a wind project in Ras Gharib.
The initiative, defined as the first of its kind in Egypt for biodiversity in the energy sector, aims to reduce the negative environmental impacts of electricity generation by leveraging technologies that will prevent negative impacts on migratory species.
“The importance of this project highlights the conservation of Egypt’s biodiversity, especially migratory birds, which are considered an important asset of the ecosystem,” NCE said in a statement on LinkedIn.
“Moreover, the project represents a step towards the mission of achieving corporate development, as well as partnership between the private sector and civil society organisations in the field of nature conservation.”
In May, AMEA Power launched a separate initiative in partnership with NCE, consulting firm Safe Soar, the International Finance Corporation, and the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency to safeguard the habitats of the spiny-tailed lizard, a species classified as “vulnerable” under the IUCN Red List.
The Red Sea coast is considered the second most important flyway for migratory birds, including raptors, storks, and pelicans.
Egypt is of great importance to global migrations of different species such as waterfowl, pasarines, and various fish due to its geographical location between Africa, Asia, and Europe.
NCE was among the parties participating in the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), hosted in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in February, aiming at increasing cross-border commitments to implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
During the meeting, the UN released the first ever “State of the World’s Migratory Species” report, showing that Africa and Asia are among the most affected areas by the species’ decline in abundance between 1970 and 2017, with -66% on average in Asia and -27% on average in Africa.
Overall, 44% of migration species are facing a decrease in the population worldwide, with human activities identified as the main driver of the loss.
By Giada Ferraglioni – giada@carbon-pulse.com
** Click here to sign up to our twice-weekly biodiversity newsletter **
