THIS AIN’T KANSAS: PROMOTING HIGHER EDUCATION SUSTAINABILITY IN EGYPT Marc Rauch Sustainability Director The American University in Cairo [email protected]@aucegypt.edu.

Going Green Investing in Sustainability as a Strategic Imperative

THIS AINT KANSAS:PROMOTING HIGHER EDUCATION SUSTAINABILITY IN EGYPTMarc Rauch Sustainability Director The American University in Cairo [email protected]

1Agenda For TodayEstablishing ShotsPatting Self on BackThe Interesting StuffChallengesMore ChallengesEven More ChallengesWrap-UpQ&AAUWhat?About AUCFounded in 1919, independent, non-profit institutionAmerican-style liberal arts education6,500 undergraduate and graduate students, 500 faculty, and 2,500 staffAccredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education In September 2008, moved its operations from 9 acres of campuses centered on Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo to an all-new, state-of-the-art 260-acre campus in the desert satellite city of New Cairo, 21 miles away. Built space jumped from 732,000 to 2,200,000 square feet and operating budget more than doubled4Campus Plan

After a decade of planning and more than five years of construction5

Campus Aerial PhotoAUCs Sustainability Program: Highlights

7Carbon Footprint Report

The 1st such report by a higher education institution in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).aucegypt.edu/about/sustainabilityEnergy SavingsA 3-year (2011-2014) energy efficiency and conservation program has reduced energy consumption university-wide by 35%, saving $2-2.5 million annually in energy costs.This initiative will be featured as a case study in the 2014 Greening Universities Toolkit to be published by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

Water ConservationAUC has adopted a sustainable water management plan that substitutes recycled water for fresh water wherever possible, and is on track to reduce fresh water consumption by 60%.Sustainable TransportationNearly 70% of students, faculty, and staff commuted to AUC by bus in FY 2012.For the balance who commute by private car, AUC encourages carpooling by waiving campus parking fees for carpoolers.Trash Sorting/Recycling13 full-scale trash sorting/recycling stations and 30 mini-stations have been installed on campus.

Full-scaleMiniRankings/Recognition

The fourth annual UI Green Metric worldwide survey of universities, released in January 2014, ranked AUCs energy and climate change programs 25th out of 301 universities surveyed, and its water management programs 39/301. CHALLENGES1. BIG DATA (MESS) DUE TO UNPLANNED SHUTDOWNSFind the Egyptian Revolution:

2011 January RevolutionFind the Events

2013 July-August Events

Find the Water Shortage 2012 Water ShortageUnplanned ShutdownsUnpredictable campus closures caused by political events and infrastructure breakdowns complicate energy and water savings analyses.What we are trying to do about it: tracking unplanned closures.

Tracking Unplanned Closures

2. FLY-BY-NIGHT UTILITIES (ELECTRICITY, FUEL, WATER)Electricity Egypt suffers regular blackouts due to worst energy crisis in decades. the guardian, 20 august 2014Natural gas shortages at electricity plants prompted the government to cut power several times per day Egypt Daily News, 6 September 2014

Diesel Fuel Lines in Egypt, 2013

FuelWater Shortages

Consequences for Sustainability ProgramUnreliability of public utilities and fuel supply means that vital time and energy must be spent just to make sure that utilities and services are available to keep the campus operating, before attention can even be paid to efficiency and conservation.

3. Deck stacked against sustainability26

Carboun, 2011Government Energy Subsidies

Impacts of Energy Subsidies on Consumer Prices

Energy Subsidies as Percentage of Gross Domestic Product

Egypt: $24.4 billion annually Subsidies vs. SustainabilityEnergy subsidies in Egypt consume 20-25% of governments budgetGovernment policies of deeply subsidizing energy and water:Undermine individuals motivation to conserve and increase efficiency, acting as perverse incentives to overuse scarce resourcesAre renewable energys Public Enemy #1Leave government without funds to promote energy efficiency and renewable energyFortunately, at least as far as subsidies go, things are starting to change!4. Buy Car now; be sustainable later31How the big questions, like whether to prioritize economic development or environmental sustainability, play out in Egypt. Map of Ring Road: The Dream

Traffic on the Ring Road: The Reality

Why will Egyptians keep buying cars?

Wrap-Up: This Aint Kansas

Challenges for Promoting Higher Education Sustainability in EgyptUnpredictable Closures Skew Data AnalysisUnreliable Fuel and Utilities Counter-Productive Government PoliciesPublic Attitudes towards Sustainability

Q & AThank youMarc RauchSustainability [email protected]