Sustainable AASTMT

Progress Towards Carbon Reduction Target

AASTMT Strategic Pathways to Sustainability

and Carbon Reduction

Introduction

Purpose: This Climate Action Plan underscores the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport's (AASTMT) commitment to sustainable practices, aligning with Egypt's national energy goals and the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) for Climate Action. By actively integrating sustainable practices across operations, education, and community initiatives, AASTMT seeks to make a measurable impact on reducing carbon emissions and advancing climate resilience.

Vision: AASTMT aims to achieve a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2040, taking a leadership role in renewable energy adoption and environmental stewardship. This goal is aligned with Egypt's national renewable energy plan, which targets 40% renewable energy by 2040. By fostering sustainable practices within academic, operational, and community frameworks, AASTMT promotes education on climate action and builds partnerships to encourage collective responsibility toward a more resilient, sustainable future.

Carbon Emissions Reduction Goals

Interim Target: Achieve a 30% reduction in carbon emissions by 2025.

Long-Term Target: Accomplish a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2040, in alignment with national sustainability efforts and Egypt's renewable energy plan.

Strategies

• Expand Renewable Energy Installations: Prioritize the installation of solar panels and other renewable energy sources across AASTMT campuses, aiming to meet increasing portions of campus energy demand sustainably.
• Transition Campus Vehicle Fleet to Electric: Gradually replace the campus fleet with electric vehicles to minimize emissions from transportation, ensuring lower carbon outputs and supporting air quality initiatives.
• Implement Advanced Energy Efficiency Technologies in Facilities: Integrate smart energy management systems, upgrade lighting to LED, and optimize HVAC systems to maximize energy efficiency in all facilities, contributing to emissions reductions while enhancing energy conservation.

Renewable Energy Adoption

Targets

• Meet 25% of AASTMT's energy needs through renewable sources by 2025.
• Achieve 40% renewable energy usage by 2040, supporting both institutional goals and Egypt's national renewable energy plan.

Initiatives

• Increase Solar Panel Installations on Campus: Expand the use of solar panels across AASTMT facilities to maximize on-site renewable energy generation, reducing reliance on non-renewable sources. As of 2024, approximately 230kW of on-site solar capacity is operational, including a 150kW grid-tied PV station at the Aswan branch and a 50kW grid-tied PV station at the Alexandria Abukir campus, both with net-metering systems.
• Explore Hybrid and Other Clean Energy Sources: Assess potential hybrid systems, such as combining solar with wind or battery storage, and investigate other sustainable energy technologies to diversify and strengthen the renewable energy portfolio.

Energy Efficiency Improvements

Goal: Achieve a steady reduction in campus energy consumption by 2025.

Key Actions

• Retrofit Existing Facilities with LED Lighting: Upgrade lighting systems across AASTMT buildings to energy-efficient LED lighting. As of 2024, approximately 95% of conventional lighting has been replaced with LED across campuses.
• Install Smart Building Management Systems (BMS) for Real-Time Energy Monitoring and Optimization: Implement advanced building management technology to monitor energy usage and adjust systems for optimal efficiency. In 2024, teams focused on BMS tuning, covering scheduling, set-points, and alarms, with particular attention to HVAC and lighting controls in high-use spaces.

Sustainable Resource Management

Objectives

• Divert 70% of Waste from Landfills by 2030.
• Achieve Zero-Waste Status by 2040.

Programs

• Launch Waste Reduction, Recycling, and Composting Programs: Develop campus-wide initiatives to minimize waste production, including increased recycling efforts, composting organic waste, and promoting waste reduction practices among students and staff. In 2024, AASTMT plans to implement measurable waste minimization targets and standardized protocols for sorting and collection across campuses, including expanding labeled collection points in high-traffic areas, reinforcing operating procedures with facilities teams, and running term-start refreshers for staff and students.
• Establish Partnerships with Suppliers for Sustainable Procurement: Collaborate with suppliers to prioritize sustainable materials and packaging, ensuring that products procured by AASTMT align with circular economy principles and support the university's waste reduction goals.

Integration of Sustainability in Education

Academic Goals

• Ensure 90% of undergraduate and postgraduate programs include climate change and sustainability content.
• Prioritize decarbonization and clean energy as fields of focus in 2024/2025 research and graduation projects.

Activities

• Develop Climate-Focused Modules Across Disciplines: Incorporate sustainability and climate change themes in course content across diverse fields, ensuring that students gain relevant knowledge and skills in environmental stewardship, regardless of their primary discipline.
• Facilitate Climate Research Projects on Renewable Energy, Sustainable Transportation, and Resilience: Promote interdisciplinary research initiatives that focus on renewable energy innovations, sustainable transportation solutions, and strategies for climate resilience. A notable study was conducted in 2024 and published in 2025, proposing a roadmap toward total AASTMT-Alexandria campus sustainability through solar rooftop PV installation, electric bus conversion, smart building technology deployment, and biodiesel production from waste cooking oils. These measures are projected to reduce the carbon emissions of the CMTT campus by 696.76 tCO2e per year, along with an annual cost saving of approximately USD 87,500 when implemented jointly.

Community and Government Engagement

Engagement Strategy

AASTMT aims to build lasting partnerships that support and amplify climate resilience efforts at the community level, aligning with both local and regional sustainability priorities.

Initiatives

• Host Climate Awareness Workshops: Conduct workshops for community members to raise awareness on climate change, covering topics such as sustainable practices, emissions reduction, and local climate adaptation.
• Promote Behavioral Change Among Staff and Students: Foster awareness and encourage sustainable practices via initiatives, campaigns, and workshops. Details of energy-related events and activities are published on the AASTMT SDG portal.
• Engage in Joint Projects Focusing on Disaster Preparedness, Climate Resilience, and Sustainability Practices: Collaborate on projects with local governments, NGOs, and community groups to implement disaster preparedness initiatives, strengthen resilience to climate impacts, and promote sustainable practices.

Monitoring and Reporting

Objective: Ensure transparency and accountability in AASTMT's climate action initiatives through structured tracking and regular reporting.

Actions

• Annual Emissions Tracking and Reporting: Conduct detailed yearly assessments of carbon emissions across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 to evaluate progress toward interim and long-term reduction goals.
• Third-Party Audits: Engage an independent, third-party audit every two years to validate progress, ensuring thorough oversight on emissions reductions and resource management efforts.
• Periodic Stakeholder Reports: Publish an annual report detailing progress, updates on key initiatives, and measurable outcomes related to energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, waste management, and emissions reductions. This report is shared with stakeholders to maintain transparency and engage the university community in ongoing efforts.

To support effective tracking and monitoring, AASTMT implements an Action Plan Table to outline objectives, specific actions, targets, timelines, and designated responsibilities. This approach simplifies the tracking of AASTMT's sustainability initiatives, keeping efforts focused and measurable.

Table 1: Action Plan Table.

Objective	Action	Target	Timeline	Responsible Parties
Carbon Emissions Reduction	Achieve 30% reduction in carbon emissions (achieved); progress toward 50% by 2040	30% by 2025 (achieved -32.8% vs 2019); 50% by 2040	2022-2040	Sustainable Environment committee
Renewable Energy Adoption	Source 25-40% of campus energy from renewables; ~230kW on-site solar operational	25% by 2025; 40% by 2040	2022-2040	Facilities Management
Energy Efficiency Improvements	Retrofit facilities with energy-efficient systems; BMS tuning and HVAC optimization	Steady energy reduction by 2025	2022-2025	Facilities & Campus Operations
Sustainable Resource Management	Expand recycling, composting programs and standardized waste protocols across campuses	Divert 70% waste by 2030	2022-2030	Campus Services
Education and Research	Integrate sustainability into programs; prioritize decarbonization in research and graduation projects	90% of programs by 2025	2022-2025	Academic Affairs
Community Engagement	Host climate awareness workshops; run campaigns and behavioral change initiatives	Regular sessions throughout the year	Ongoing	Public Relations & Outreach
Reporting and Accountability	Publish annual sustainability report; conduct third-party audits every two years	Annual public report	Annual	Sustainable Environment committee

2023/2024 Process for Emissions Reduction and Climate Action

AASTMT has an annual plan and procedures for carbon management and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Each year, the carbon footprint is measured and compared to previous years' emissions to confirm the effectiveness of pre-set measures and verify AASTMT's progress toward its long-term goal of achieving 50% emission reduction by 2040, in accordance with the national goal toward emissions reduction.

2024 AASTMT Measures Towards Carbon Emissions Reduction

To support decarbonization within its campuses, AASTMT takes consistent measures that are continuously carried out, alongside yearly updated measures which are reflected in carbon emissions reduction. Measures taken by AASTMT in 2024 to contribute to emissions reduction are discussed in detail in the AASTMT 2024 Climate Action Plan and AASTMT Carbon Emissions Reduction and Sustainability Progress Report (2024).

These measures can be summarised as follows:

Regular Measures:

• Conduct regular assessments of carbon emissions to implement strategies for reduction.
• Continue the comprehensive recycling program implemented across all campuses, targeting paper, plastic, and electronic waste.
• Consistent and expanded use of digital platforms to reduce paper consumption.

AASTMT 2024 Process by Scope:

Scope 1 (Direct). Scope 1 covers emissions from university-controlled sources, principally refrigerant leakage from HVAC/refrigeration systems and fuel use in university-controlled equipment/vehicles. In 2024, Scope 1 is being reduced by applying tighter refrigerant management and continued operational efficiency measures.

Scope 2 (Purchased Electricity). Scope 2 accounts for emissions from grid electricity used by AASTMT. Efforts focus on operational optimization and energy efficiency upgrades, with approximately 95% of conventional lighting replaced with LED and smart building management systems (BMS) deployed across major buildings. In 2024, teams prioritised BMS tuning (scheduling, set-points, and alarms), targeting HVAC and light controls in high-use spaces. Full dependence on approximately 230kW on-site solar output has been achieved to lower grid dependence.

Scope 3 (Selected Categories). Scope 3 remains the largest share and includes waste, water, paper, and transmission & distribution losses associated with purchased electricity. In 2024, AASTMT plans to implement measurable waste minimisation targets and standardised protocols for sorting and collection across campuses, including: (i) expanding labeled collection points in high-traffic areas, (ii) reinforcing operating procedures with facilities teams, and (iii) running term-start refreshers for staff and students.

Validation of 2024 AASTMT Measures Towards Emissions Reduction

Carbon emissions calculations were made to evaluate carbon emissions (kg CO2-e) in Alexandria campus for the years 2018 to 2024, as discussed in the 2024 AASTMT Energy and Carbon Insights Report. Table 2 presents the emissions across Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3, as well as total carbon emissions, within the period 2018 to 2024.

Key Finding: By year-end 2024, AASTMT's total carbon footprint is 103,862,750 kg CO2-e, a further -3.0% from 2023's 107,075,000 kg CO2-e. Against the 2019 base year (154,594,380.99 kg CO2-e), this equates to a -32.8% reduction, keeping AASTMT comfortably on track to maintain the 30% reduction by 2025 required by the Climate Action Plan and aligned with the longer-term -50% by 2040 goal.

Reductions were achieved across Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3, driven by improved refrigerant management, energy efficiency upgrades (including the 2023 LED/BMS programme), incremental on-site solar generation, and continued waste and paper minimisation. Scope 3 remains the dominant share while showing gradual improvement due to resource-efficiency measures and procurement practices.

Table 2: AASTMT-Alexandria Campus - Carbon Emissions from 2018 to 2024 (kg CO2-e)

Year	Scope 1 (kg CO2-e)	Scope 2 (kg CO2-e)	Scope 3 (kg CO2-e)	Total Emissions (kg CO2-e)
2018	1,244,230.50	1,240,286.52	98,997,739.78	101,482,256.80
2019 (Base Year)	1,374,252.42	1,151,281.20	152,068,847.38	154,594,380.99
2020	972,551.04	869,471.36	87,130,328.87	88,972,351.27
2021	1,561,942.92	1,008,256.20	112,858,633.63	115,428,832.75
2022	1,300,000.00	950,000.00	110,000,000.00	112,250,000.00
2023	1,150,000.00	925,000.00	105,000,000.00	107,075,000.00
2024	1,092,500.00	897,250.00	101,873,000.00	103,862,750.00

2022/2023 Process for Emissions Reduction and Climate Action

Measures taken by AASTMT in 2024/2025 to contribute to emissions reduction are discussed in the AASTMT 2024/2025 Progress Report of Carbon Emissions and Climate Action as well as the AASTMT 2024/2025 Climate Action Plan.

These measures are summarised as follows:

• Conduct regular assessments of carbon emissions to implement strategies for reduction.
• Prioritise renewable energy projects and the exploration of available clean energy sources.
• Implement efficiency measures such as upgrading to LED lighting, enhancing HVAC systems, and incorporating smart building technologies.
• Toward a Zero-Waste Strategy: a comprehensive recycling programme was implemented across all campuses, targeting paper, plastic, and electronic waste. By 2023, AASTMT achieved a 50% waste diversion rate, a significant milestone in reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.
• Composting facilities were introduced in dining areas in 2022, diverting approximately 10% of organic waste from landfills in 2023. Combined with increased recycling efforts, this led to a total reduction in landfill waste by 15% compared to 2020 levels.
• Paper usage decreased by 25% compared to 2020 through encouraging the use of digital platforms.
• An electronic waste recycling programme was introduced, ensuring that all obsolete electronic equipment is disposed of sustainably.
• Promote behavioural change among staff and students to reduce energy consumption, foster awareness, and encourage sustainable practices.
• Engage students and faculty in research on climate adaptation, with a focus on vulnerable regions such as the Middle East and North Africa.
• Integrate sustainability topics into 90% of AASTMT undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

The above measures effectively resulted in a total carbon emissions reduction in 2024 of 4.6% from 2022, 7.2% from 2021, and notably 30% from 2019 emissions (the base year with highest recorded emissions since 2018). Note that 2020 reflects lower emissions due to the impact of COVID-19 on campus activities.

Funding and Resources

Financial Planning: Secure diverse funding streams, including government grants, industry partnerships, and external funding sources, to provide sustainable financial support for AASTMT's climate action initiatives.

Allocation: Prioritise allocation of resources to critical areas, including renewable energy projects, academic research, and community outreach programmes, ensuring effective implementation of carbon reduction, sustainability education, and community engagement goals.

Review and Updates

AASTMT conducts regular evaluations of the Climate Action Plan to ensure that goals remain aligned with evolving climate policies, technological advancements, and feedback from the university community and stakeholders.

Table 3: Review and Updates Table.

Review Activity	Objective	Frequency	Responsible Parties	Notes
Annual Emissions Review	Assess current emissions and progress toward reduction targets	Annually	Sustainable Environment committee	Use updated data to refine strategies if needed
Third-Party Audit	Validate progress with independent review	Every 2 years	External Auditor	Include recommendations for improvement
Stakeholder Feedback Collection	Engage stakeholders in action plan assessment	Annually	Public Relations & Sustainable Environment committee	Incorporate feedback from students, staff, and external partners
Goal Alignment with National Policies	Ensure alignment with Egypt's national energy and climate goals	Every 5 years	Sustainability & Policy Office	Adjust targets to stay consistent with any new national commitments
Progress Report Publication	Provide transparent updates on key climate initiatives	Annually	Sustainable Environment committee	Share with stakeholders to maintain transparency and engagement
Review of Educational Integration	Ensure sustainability is effectively integrated in curricula	Every 3 years	Academic Affairs	Update climate-related curriculum based on technological advances
Technology and Innovation Assessment	Explore new tech advancements in sustainability	Every 3 years	Facilities Management & Tech Department	Evaluate new technologies for energy, waste, and emissions management

Prof. Dr. Kareem Tonbol

Dean of Scientific Research for Maritime Affairs

Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport (AASTMT)

Date: 01/01/2025