Data and Information Incubator at IDSC: Ensuring Information Flow to Support Decisions of the Supreme National Committee for Integrated Coastal Zone Management
In the context of implementing the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan, the working team of the "Enhancing Climate Change Adaptation in the Nile Delta and Northern Coast in Egypt" project held an important meeting at the Cabinet headquarters. The meeting, chaired by Dr. Mohamed Hassan FelFel, Director General of the Climate Change Department at the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), brought together representatives of the IDSC’s Climate Change Department with the Project's executive leadership: Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Ali (Executive Director), Dr. Yousry El-Koumi (Strategic Expert and ICZM Plan official), and Dr. Mohamed Soliman (Monitoring System official).
The meeting featured a detailed presentation of the Project's core outputs, which constitute a cornerstone for effectively addressing the climate challenges facing vital coastal areas. The presentation included a review of the coastal protection works implemented, and hazard maps that accurately identify the most vulnerable areas. The National Monitoring System, which is nearing completion of its installation along the Mediterranean coast of the Arab Republic of Egypt, was also presented. Furthermore, the latest updates on the pilot application of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan in Damietta Governorate were highlighted.
Discussions focused on the pivotal role of the IDSC within the institutional framework for Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Emphasis was placed on the critical importance of establishing a Data and Information Incubator within the center. This incubator will ensure the accurate and timely flow and exchange of information among all partner entities, whether at the central level, the coastal governorate level, or among relevant research centers and universities. This informational integration aims to enhance the State's capacity to make informed decisions in the face of climate change impacts.
The meeting concluded with an affirmation of the necessity of sharing data and information accurately and comprehensively with all relevant entities, and escalating it to the ministerial level, specifically to the Supreme National Committee for Integrated Coastal Zone Management. This step guarantees that the Committee's decisions are based on the latest and most accurate scientific and practical data available, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the ICZM Plan in protecting the Egyptian coasts and boosting adaptation to the increasing effects of climate change.
