Egypt is still aiming for renewable energy to reach 42% of its electricity generation mix by 2030, but that goal will be at risk without more international support, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told the COP29 conference on Tuesday.
Currently, solar, wind, and hydropower make up only 11.5% of Egypt’s electricity generation, according to a July cabinet report.
The country has in recent years relied heavily on natural gas, which it defended during the United Nation’s COP27 conference in 2022 as a “transitional fuel” at a time when it was a net exporter of gas.
But last year, Egypt faced prolonged power outages as natural gas production was hit by financial constraints and declining local extraction.
That prompted a government search for foreign investment in renewable projects alongside increased fossil fuel exploration.
Last year, the government set a goal for renewable energy to reach 42% of its electricity generation mix by 2030, and in June this year, then-Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker outlined a plan to push that share to 58% by 2040.
Shortly afterwards, however, Egypt’s petroleum ministry said the target share for renewables was 40% by 2040, with the country maintaining a major reliance on natural gas.
In his COP29 address, Madbouly stuck to the original goal, but highlighted the challenges Egypt faces in meeting its climate ambitions, attributing them largely to insufficient international support.
“Without the necessary backing, critical infrastructure improvements remain out of reach, placing our target at serious risk,” he said.
Madbouly called on developed nations to fulfil their climate finance promises, adding that the commitments of developing countries would otherwise remain “ink on paper”.