Egypt Launches Green-Roof Initiative Across Government Buildings

Egypt’s Ministry of Environment has announced the launch of a new green-roof initiative that will see the roofs of government buildings planted with various types of flora, according to Egypt Today.

The first building that the initiative will be applied to is the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, which will be planted with ornamental, medical and aromatic plants, revealed Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad.

“Planting roofs of buildings and facilities is a civilised manifestation and a new form of agriculture in the cities to reclaim greenish spaces as a natural breath for citizens,” Fouad is quoted as saying, adding that, in the long term, she hopes that the initiative will help reduce pollution, help decrease high temperatures and contribute to enhancing the aesthetic view of the buildings in question.

This is not the first time that government buildings have been subjected to a green-roof initiative. In 2018, three governmental buildings in Hurghada that fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture had their roofs planted.