One of the aims of the Monitoring, Verification and Evaluation (MVE) unit of the Egyptian Environmental Policy Program (EEPP, a USAID program) was to investigate crosscutting policies that serve to integrate environmental aspects in development plans. MVE collaborated with the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) and the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) to support effective economic and environmentally-sound development plans in the Red Sea region.
To that end, MVE contracted Chemonics International, Chemonics Egypt and Environics to carry out a study of the economic valuation of the Egyptian Red Sea coral reef.
The consultants thoroughly researched relevant literature and reports, carried-out field visits, and analyzed the findings to present a comprehensive study document which covered the following:
– The overall status of reefs in Egypt, with particular focus on selected areas. This included discussions of the threats; interventions; functions; economic benefits, and data collection. To conclude this section, a series of dynamic simulation models was applied to link the specific in-situ ecological aspects of a coral reed with the country’s socio-economics to provide a final, overall economic value.
– The collected data, which covered: tourism; fisheries; coastal protection, and biodiversity and bio-prospecting.
– Results of the model runs and comparison of possible coral reef management scenarios.