generated from burning coal, which is waste containing several extremely hazardous substances,” Baraka added.
On the business sector, the idea is totally welcomed by business owners who find coal usage the only alternative to the current daily losses in plants production.
The current big deficit in power supply caused 20 percent losses in strategic industry of cement capacity production, 3.7 tonnes (1.3 billion Egyptian pounds) during the past four months, said Jose Maria Magrina, Chief Executive Officer of the Arabian Cement Company (ACC).
On the other hand, environment experts said that the Egyptian government’s trend (tendency) to rely on imported energy sources lacks any clear logic in light of Egypt’s rich natural renewable sources for energy production.
“We have not heard about the expansion of investments related to energy generation from wind and solar energy sources, areas where Egypt has a comparative advantage,” environment experts said.
The warning statement said that the actions have been inherited from the era of Mubarak as policies seeking to maximize the value of investment alongside rapid returns, without the slightest regard for sustainability or taking notice of the environmental impacts caused by these policies, which result in severely burdening the current and future generations.
According to signatory organizations, the government supports switching to coal to reduce power consumption in cement factories, which are already subsidized by the government and do not need any more subsidies compared to other private companies in the market. Private companies are not subsidized since they are responsible for the cost of switching to coal.
This is a crime of great proportions against the Egyptian society’s present and future generations.
Before the fuel crisis, the Egyptian government encouraged plants in 2010 to use natural gas as an alternative energy source. But the current escalation in the fuel crisis led the government to switch to other energy sources such as coal, a trend that widely spread worldwide in countries such as China and the United States who are the biggest coal consumers.
A research that was published last November suggested that 1,000 new coal-fired power plants are planned worldwide, with 363 in China and 455 in India. If all the plants were built, it would put the world on “a really dangerous trajectory” for climate change, experts at the World Resources Institute said.
Protesters seal Tahrir Square off to vehicles
Protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square sealed off all streets leading to the square to stop vehicles from passing through on Friday.
The protesters barricaded square entrances at the Egyptian Museum, Qasr al-Nil Bridge and Falaki Street, the state news agency correspondent reported.
Groups of citizens spread at the square’s entrances to secure demonstrators and check the IDs of everyone heading to the square.
A number of political parties organised the demonstration to demand withdrawing confidence from President Mohamed Morsi and holding early presidential elections.
Update: Thousands of Islamists demonstrate at Rab’aa Square to support Mohamed Morsi
Thousands of Islamists rallied at Rab’aa al-Adaweya Square in Cairo’s Nasr City to voice their support for President Mohamed Morsi on Friday.
The demonstrators demand protecting constitutional legitimacy which is one of the most important revolution’s gains, the Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported.
While chanting pro-Mohamed Morsi slogans, the demonstrators called for standing up to “the attempts of the former regime remnants to ignite strife in the country”.
They are expected to hold an open-ended sit-in.
The demonstrators also set up a large platform in front of Rab’aa al-Adaweya Mosque’s main gate, MENA said.
Participants in the million-man demonstration entitled “Legitimacy is a Red Line” include the Muslim Brotherhood and its Freedom and Justice Party, the Building and Development Party, the al-Azala Party, the al-Watan Party and the hardline Islamist al-Gamaa al-Islamiya group.
Hundreds rally at Mostafa Mahmoud Square for anti-Mohamed Morsi march
Dozens of youths staged a demonstration at Mostafa Mahmoud Mosque in Cairo’s Mohandessin on Friday to call for ousting President Mohamed Morsi.
Scores of protesters joined the demonstration which will then head to Tahrir Square.
The protesters chanted anti-Muslim Brotherhood slogans while holding red cards for Mohamed Morsi.
They also waved Egypt’s flags and held pictures of Mohamed Morsi with the words “Down with the Brotherhood’s rule on June 30” on them, the state news agency MENA reported.
The demonstration will march to al-Batal Ahmed Abdel Aziz Street, passing by Sphinx Square to finally reach its destination in Tahrir.
Thousands march in Alexandria to demand ousting Mursi
Thousands of demonstrators marched in the coastal city of Alexandria on Friday to demand ousting President Mohamed Mohamed Morsi and holding early presidential elections.
Two groups of demonstrators marched from al-Qaed Ibrahim Square and Gihan Square towards the Sidi Gaber area on what they called “The Last Warning” Friday.
The participants lifted red cards with the word “Leave” on them.
They also held banners that said “Down with the Brotherhood’s Rule” and “The People is a Red Line” and chanted anti-Mohamed Morsi slogans.
