“Open dialogue on environmental sustainability and carbon footprint”

Today, Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at Menoufia University, under the auspices of His Excellency Prof. Dr. Ahmed Farag Al-Qased, President of the University, and under the supervision of Mr. Prof. Dr. Sobhi Sharaf, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs.

Within the framework of the efforts of the Community Service and Environmental Development Sector at Menoufia University to achieve environmental sustainability and localize its concepts.

Today, Mr. Prof. Dr. Sobhi Sharaf, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs, received Prof. Dr. Fawzy El-essawy Younis, Head of the Adaptation Physiology Unit at the Desert Research Center and Director of the Open Dialogue on Climate Change in Egypt after COP27
and a number of faculty members and assistants at Menoufia University and a number of students who were nominated to attend the open meeting organized by the Community Service and Environmental Development Sector on the carbon footprint and how to apply its axes and policies within Menoufia University.

Prof. Dr. Sobhi Sharaf, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development, began the meeting by emphasizing the importance of raising awareness and defining the carbon footprint and localizing this policy within the university and its various units, which is one of the priorities of the sector.

Organizing such seminars is of great importance in training distinguished young cadres of faculty members and students to play a leading role in localizing these policies.

Then, the attendees listened to a lecture by Prof. Dr. Fawzy Younis on environmental sustainability and calculating the carbon footprint, in which he discussed defining it and the danger of thermal and carbon emissions and the environmental problems that it leads to, which we are all affected by, represented by global warming and its environmental damage.

His Excellency also provided an explanation of the methods of measuring the carbon footprint and the good practices that support this and adopt a number of mechanisms to reduce the carbon footprint, such as: Reducing the carbon footprint includes taking a set of measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to protecting the environment. Here are some basic mechanisms to achieve this:

1. Switching to renewable energy:

– Replacing fossil fuels such as coal and oil with renewable energies such as solar, wind, and hydropower.

2. Improving energy efficiency:

– Using more energy-efficient technologies in homes, buildings, and industries, such as using highly energy-efficient appliances and thermal insulation applications.

3. Sustainable transportation:

– Using public transportation, bicycles, or electric and hybrid cars instead of traditional cars that run on fossil fuels.

– Encouraging walking and reducing the use of cars.

4. Sustainable agriculture:

– Reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and adopting agricultural practices that preserve carbon in the soil, such as organic farming and the use of natural fertilizer.

5. Afforestation and Reforestation:

– Planting trees and preserving forests as they act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

6. Waste Management:

– Reducing, reusing, and recycling waste to reduce the amount sent to landfills, thus reducing methane emissions.

– Promoting waste recycling programs and reducing the consumption of plastic materials.

7. Awareness and Education:

– Raising awareness among individuals about the importance of reducing the carbon footprint and encouraging them to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle.

8. Government Policies:

– Supporting government policies that encourage the use of clean energy, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and applying a carbon tax to increase the cost of carbon emissions.

These mechanisms can contribute significantly to reducing the carbon footprint at the individual and societal levels.

His Excellency also reviewed the method of calculating the carbon footprint in its various types, whether for individuals or institutions, as well as the methods of collecting data and methods of analyzing data to calculate the carbon footprint.

Prof. Dr. Sobhi Sharaf, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development, stressed the need to hold a series of workshops on this topic due to its extreme importance and the priority it represents for Menoufia University.

The attendees also suggested forming a carbon footprint unit within Menoufia University that would have a specific role and operate within the general policy of Menoufia University and have a number of axes and goals to achieve.

Sincere wishes for success, fulfillment, and permanent excellence.