As Egypt prepares to host the UN climate summit Cop27 in Sharm El Sheikh in November, there have been calls from the government for everyone to get involved, including young people and start-ups.
A new generation has been bringing innovative ideas to the table to combat climate change, whether in the field of mobility, waste management, renewable energy or sustainable agriculture.
While Egypt produces only 0.6 per cent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, there is still much to be done on the road to net zero.
Here are five Egyptian start-ups making a difference in the Arab world’s most populous country by encouraging people to make small changes in their daily lives.
Rabbit Mobility
Rabbit Mobility, not to be confused with 20-minute delivery platform Rabbit, is a micro-mobility sharing app for short-distance transport using electric bikes and electric scooters.
About 500 vehicles are available across Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Mansoura, Tanta and Port Said. The next target market is Sharm El Sheikh, where about 150 of Rabbit’s fleet will be available for Cop27.
Rabbit Mobility, founded by chief executive Kamal El Soueni, chief operating officer Mohamed Mansoury, and chief technology officer Bassem Magued in 2019, was inspired by similar start-ups such as Byrd and Lime.
It was also meant to tackle the problem of being stuck in gridlocked traffic, despite 50 per cent of trips in Egypt being less than three kilometres and 80 per cent less than eight.
“When we started out the company, we wanted to solve traffic in an enjoyable and environmentally friendly way,” Mr Mansoury tells The National.
Rabbit offers an Unlock & Go model, as well as a Day Rentals model whereby users can request a rental vehicle for a minimum of two days to be delivered to them.
The service was introduced in gated communities last year then it expanded into central city districts.
The start-up has raised around $900,000 in funding from investors, including 500 Global and Falak Startups backed by the Egyptian Ministry of International Co-operation.
Rabbit became cash-flow positive over the summer, but the founders are most proud of the impact their start-up has had on carbon emission reductions.
The average person in Egypt emits about 2 tonnes, or 2,000 kilograms, of CO2 emissions, according to Our World in Data.
“Our estimate so far is that we’ve saved 50,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions by replacing car trips,” Mr Mansoury says. “Our vision is to maybe reach 500,000 kilograms of CO2 emissions saved … so we’re at 10 per cent of the goal and still going.”
Tagaddod
Tagaddod, which is Arabic for “renew”, converts used cooking oil collected from Egyptian households and restaurants into biofuel.
Rather than discarding the oil as waste, biofuel can be used as a low-carbon alternative source of energy. For example, biodiesel can be a substitute for traditional petroleum diesel.
Tagaddod’s services include tech-enabled collection of waste oils and fats, used cooking oil refining and feedstock trading.
Founded in 2013, Tagaddod connects waste collectors with consumers through an app. Collectors get a reliable source of income and consumers receive incentives such as new bottles of vegetable oil.
Chief executive Nour El Assal told CNN in November that the company processes thousands of orders daily.
“I think biofuels can be used here in Egypt in the very near future, mainly to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and to be able to be part of the climate change movement,” he said.
The start-up raised around $1m in a seed round last year from Kepple Africa Ventures and LoftyInc Capital Management, according to crunchbase.
Shamsina
Egyptian sisters Sarah and Deena Mousa founded Shamsina in 2014 to bring affordable rooftop solar-powered water heaters to low-income households around the country.
About half of Egyptian households lack access to modern water heaters due to the high electricity expense, Shamsina said.
Chief executive Sarah had discovered while volunteering in Cairo as a high school and college student that many families use hazardous and polluting methods to heat water, such as kerosene burners, gas tanks or makeshift fires.
“By replacing these with a solar water heater, a household uses at least one less gas tank per month. That is the equivalent of 10 fewer pounds (4.5 kilograms) of CO2 emissions,” she tells The National.
“Multiply that number by millions of households, month after month, and we hope that this relatively simple intervention can play a tangible role in the fight against climate change.”
Shamsina started out by recruiting an engineer to help build a low-tech water heater and established a workshop in Al Darb Al Ahmar district. The 100-litre capacity prototype heaters were sold for about $210 to families.
The company has since developed the fourth version of its water heater and is on the cusp of a larger pilot programme before going to market.
Shamsina is supported by pre-seed grants totalling around $25,000 and was selected in April to be part of Harvard Innovation Labs' Climate Entrepreneur's Circle, an incubation programme for high-potential ventures working to address climate change.
ReNile
ReNile is an AgriTech start-up that works in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT), providing farmers with products such as fish farming smart devices and monitoring systems. The company helps make sure environmental solutions that save water and resources, such as hydroponics and aquaponics, are successful.
For example, last year ReNile was recruited by the government to provide its technical solutions for the Fayrouz fish farming project in Port Said. The devices help monitor water quality, save feed consumption and produce high-quality fish.
Since 2020, ReNile has helped 170 clients save 30 to 35 per cent of their operating costs, ReNile chief executive and founder Hazem El Tawab tells The National.
“There is a gap in the market for technological solutions to help farmers,” he says.
The start-up has helped decrease carbon dioxide emissions by reducing farmers' reliance on diesel fuel and optimising resource use.
ReNile is self-funded and operates mainly in Egypt and the Gulf, including Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Recyclizer
Founded by environmental researcher Aya Mohamed in 2019, Recyclizer converts plastic waste into plastic mulch films. These agricultural films protect crops from harmful sunlight radiation and soil pathogens, and reduce the evaporation rate of irrigation water.
The company collects plastic waste from homes and partners, cleans and disinfects it, and sorts it according to colour and size. Finally, the waste is put into a plastic recycling extrusion machine to produce the films.
Recyclizer estimates it eliminated around 500,000 kilograms of plastic waste in Egypt between 2019 and 2020.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Sri Lanka Test squad:
Dimuth Karunaratne (stand-in captain), Niroshan Dickwella (vice captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Mohamed Shiraz, Lakshan Sandakan and Lasith Embuldeniya.
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Januzaj's club record
Manchester United 50 appearances, 5 goals
Borussia Dortmund (loan) 6 appearances, 0 goals
Sunderland (loan) 25 appearances, 0 goals
Scoreline
Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')
Al Ain 2 (Ismail Ahmed 3', Marcus Berg 50')
Red cards: Ismail Ahmed (Al Ain) 77'
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
BLACK%20ADAM
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
The currency conundrum
Russ Mould, investment director at online trading platform AJ Bell, says almost every major currency has challenges right now. “The US has a huge budget deficit, the euro faces political friction and poor growth, sterling is bogged down by Brexit, China’s renminbi is hit by debt fears while slowing Chinese growth is hurting commodity exporters like Australia and Canada.”
Most countries now actively want a weak currency to make their exports more competitive. “China seems happy to let the renminbi drift lower, the Swiss are still running quantitative easing at full tilt and central bankers everywhere are actively talking down their currencies or offering only limited support," says Mr Mould.
This is a race to the bottom, and everybody wants to be a winner.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Results
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How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
