Abstract
Tourism-dependent cities such as Sharm El-Sheikh face increasing challenges in balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability and carbon-neutral development, particularly in the absence of an integrated framework linking green urbanism, smart technologies, and safety governance despite Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the National Climate Change Strategy 2050. This study aims to develop an evidence-based policy roadmap to support Sharm El-Sheikh’s transformation into a carbon-neutral, green, smart, and safe tourism city through a mixed-methods approach integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Internet of Things (IoT) applications, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) assessment, carbon footprint analysis based on UNEP methodology, and participatory stakeholder engagement within a six-phase Green + Smart + Safe Framework. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of pilot sustainability interventions, particularly smart waste management systems, which reduced unintentional persistent organic pollutants (UPOPs) emissions from 4.04 g-TEQ/year to 1.97 g-TEQ/year, achieving approximately 70% cumulative emissions reduction and exceeding national targets, while projections indicate that renewable energy and smart mobility integration could reduce overall carbon emissions by 30–45% by 2035. These findings confirm that integrating environmental governance, digital technologies, and circular economy practices provides a scalable and replicable model for sustainable tourism city transitions, positioning Sharm El-Sheikh as a benchmark for carbon-neutral urban development in Egypt and offering a transferable policy framework for emerging tourism destinations seeking to achieve long-term sustainability and climate resilience.
1 Introduction
Cities worldwide are undergoing a paradigm shift toward sustainable, technology-enabled development in response to escalating global challenges such as climate change, rapid urbanization, and the degradation of natural resources (Javidroozi et al., 2023; Pradhan et al., 2022). Although cities occupy only about 2% of the Earth’s land surface and are recognized for their potential to deliver efficiencies, social diversity, and economic development, they paradoxically consume roughly 60–80% of global energy (Sodiq et al., 2019). The urban sector accounts for more than 70% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and consumes over two-thirds of global energy production, making cities both major contributors to and victims of environmental change (Javidroozi et al., 2023). Consequently, the integration of green infrastructure, smart technologies, and resilient urban systems has become a strategic priority for national and local governments seeking to achieve low-carbon growth and sustainable urban living (Pradhan et al., 2022). Tourism-dependent cities face a unique set of challenges within this context. They must maintain economic competitiveness, accommodate fluctuating populations, and provide high-quality services without compromising environmental integrity or public safety. Sharm El-Sheikh—Egypt’s flagship coastal tourism city located on the Red Sea exemplifies this complex urban dynamic. The city’s designation as the host of the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) positioned it as a global testbed for sustainable urban transformation (Abdelfattah et al., 2022). Sharm El-Sheikh represents a strategically significant case for studying carbon-neutral tourism cities due to its global visibility, economic dependence on tourism, and its role as host of COP27, which positioned the city as an international model for climate action. Its tourism-dependent economy, combined with rapid infrastructure development and strong government commitment to sustainability, provides a unique opportunity to develop and test integrated sustainability frameworks applicable to emerging tourism destinations. Recent initiatives, including the introduction of electric mobility systems, large-scale renewable energy projects, expansion of digital services, and modernization of waste management infrastructure, have marked important milestones (Abdelfattah et al., 2022). Nevertheless, these initiatives remain fragmented, lacking a unified framework that strategically integrates environmental sustainability, digital transformation, and urban safety into a cohesive development model (Megahed, 2019; Abdelfattah et al., 2022). This research argues that the absence of an integrated policy and methodological framework limits the city’s potential to evolve into a truly carbon-neutral and resilient tourism destination (Megahed, 2019; Abdelfattah et al., 2022). Therefore, the study proposes a comprehensive approach that connects the three interdependent pillars of sustainable urbanism: the green city, emphasizing ecological performance, carbon reduction, and energy efficiency (Pradhan et al., 2022); the smart city, focusing on data-driven decision-making, digital innovation, and intelligent infrastructure (Javidroozi et al., 2023; Megahed, 2019); and the safe city, prioritizing risk reduction, emergency preparedness, and citizen well-being (Abdelfattah et al., 2022). The central aim of this research is to design an evidence-based policy roadmap that accelerates Sharm El-Sheikh’s transition toward a carbon-neutral, green, smart, and safe city in alignment with Egypt’s Vision 2030, the National Climate Change Strategy 2050, and international frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement (Megahed, 2019; Abdelfattah et al., 2022). The specific objectives are to: (1) assess the city’s current carbon footprint across key tourism sectors, including transport, accommodation, and urban services; (2) identify existing policy, institutional, and technological gaps that hinder the implementation of green and climate-mitigation initiatives (Javidroozi et al., 2023; Megahed, 2019; Pradhan et al., 2022); (3) develop a multi-level policy roadmap that integrates renewable energy, low-carbon mobility, sustainable waste management, and carbon-offset mechanisms (Abdelfattah et al., 2022); and (4) align proposed interventions with national development priorities and global sustainability targets (Javidroozi et al., 2023; Megahed, 2019). By addressing these objectives, the study contributes a replicable methodology and decision-support framework for sustainable city transformation, offering practical insights for policymakers, urban planners, and investors (Javidroozi et al., 2023; Pradhan et al., 2022; Abdelfattah et al., 2022). The Sharm El-Sheikh model is positioned not only as a national exemplar for Egypt’s coastal cities but also as a transferable blueprint for sustainable tourism development across the Arab region and other emerging economies striving for carbon neutrality and urban resilience (Abdelfattah et al., 2022). Sharm El-Sheikh occupies approximately 480 km2 along the southern Sinai Peninsula and has an estimated population of approximately 75,000 permanent residents, with tourist numbers exceeding 3 million annually prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism contributes more than 80% of the city’s economic activity, making it one of Egypt’s most tourism-dependent urban centers. The city hosts over 200 hotels and resorts, international airports, and extensive tourism infrastructure, positioning it as Egypt’s premier global tourism destination. However, this dependence on tourism generates significant environmental pressures, particularly from transportation, energy-intensive hospitality operations, and waste generation. Compared with other Egyptian tourism cities such as Hurghada, Marsa Alam, and Alexandria, Sharm El-Sheikh has a higher concentration of international tourism, stronger government investment, and greater exposure to global environmental initiatives, especially following its hosting of COP27. These characteristics make Sharm El-Sheikh an appropriate pilot case for developing a carbon-neutral tourism city model. However, other tourism cities may face additional constraints including weaker infrastructure, lower institutional capacity, and limited financial resources, requiring further adaptation of the proposed roadmap.
2 Literature review
2.1 Conceptualizing green, smart and safe cities
The paradigm of sustainable urban development has evolved toward an integrated model that unites green, smart, and safe city concepts. Each of these frameworks contributes distinct yet complementary dimensions to the pursuit of resilient, inclusive, and low-carbon urban systems (Javidroozi et al., 2023; Pradhan et al., 2022; Samir and Metwally, 2025). Together, they form the theoretical foundation for addressing the growing complexity of modern cities facing climate change, resource scarcity, and population pressures. A green city emphasizes environmental sustainability through ecological balance, low-carbon transitions, and efficient resource management. It focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, promoting renewable energy deployment, and enhancing urban ecosystems (Javidroozi et al., 2023; Pradhan et al., 2022). Green city strategies align with global policy frameworks such as the Paris Agreement and Egypt’s National Climate Change Strategy 2050, which call for sustainable consumption and production patterns, biodiversity protection, and carbon neutrality. From an operational perspective, green cities aim to create environmentally conscious urban environments that foster livability and mitigate climate-induced vulnerabilities.
The smart city dimension introduces the role of technology, data, and innovation as enablers of sustainable governance. It focuses on digital transformation, data-driven management, and citizen participation, supported by technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and cloud computing (Javidroozi et al., 2023; Samir and Metwally, 2025). These tools enhance the efficiency of urban operations, including energy distribution, waste management, transportation, and public services. The concept aligns closely with Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and UN-Habitat’s New Urban Agenda, which emphasize the use of smart technologies to achieve inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities through participatory and transparent governance. The safe city framework, meanwhile, centers on protecting people, infrastructure, and assets through enhanced resilience, security, and disaster preparedness. It integrates real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and coordinated emergency response systems to reduce risks and improve urban safety outcomes (Abd El-Dayem and Abd ElFatah, 2023). In alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030), safe cities employ smart technologies to strengthen early-warning capabilities and institutional coordination, ensuring that public safety is embedded within broader urban sustainability objectives (Abd El-Dayem and Abd ElFatah, 2023).
Recent scholarship highlights the necessity of integrating these three dimensions into a unified framework for sustainable urbanism (Javidroozi et al., 2023; Abd El-Dayem and Abd ElFatah, 2023). Javidroozi et al. (2023) argue that the convergence of green and smart strategies produces synergistic effects that enhance environmental performance and governance efficiency. Pradhan et al. (2022) similarly emphasize that the co-evolution of environmental policies and digital infrastructures is essential to advancing sustainable urbanization. Abd El-Dayem and Abd ElFatah (2023) extend this perspective by demonstrating how smart-resilience approaches can reinforce the safe-city dimension, improving risk management and disaster mitigation. Collectively, these insights underscore these cities cannot achieve sustainability goals through isolated initiatives; rather, they must integrate green performance, digital intelligence, and urban safety within a coherent and adaptive framework an approach particularly relevant to fast-growing, tourism-driven contexts such as Samir and Metwally (2025).
2.2 Global experiences in carbon-neutral and sustainable city transitions
The global transition toward carbon-neutral and sustainable urbanism has been led by cities that combine technological innovation, data-driven governance, and environmental stewardship. These pioneering experiences—spanning Copenhagen, Singapore, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Barcelona—illustrate how the integration of GIS, IoT, AI, and renewable energy systems can reshape urban environments into resilient, low-emission ecosystems (Samir and Metwally, 2025; United Nations, 2023). Each city has operationalized the principles of the smart-green-safe paradigm through context-specific strategies that offer valuable lessons for adaptation in developing economies such as Egypt.
Copenhagen, Denmark, is widely regarded as a benchmark for carbon-neutral urban development. The city aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2025, driven by a comprehensive approach to renewable energy integration, green mobility, and data-informed urban management (Samir and Metwally, 2025). GIS-based urban analytics have been central to monitoring carbon emissions and optimizing infrastructure investments, while district heating systems powered by wind and biomass energy illustrate how energy efficiency can align with climate adaptation goals. Copenhagen’s experience demonstrates the importance of governance continuity and citizen engagement in maintaining long-term sustainability commitments. Singapore represents a leading model of smart-green integration, leveraging advanced IoT infrastructure and AI-based analytics for real-time environmental monitoring and service optimization (Angelidou, 2017). Through initiatives like the Smart Nation Program and the Green Plan 2030, Singapore employs sensor networks to manage water resources, air quality, and energy consumption with high precision. Its urban governance framework emphasizes inter-agency coordination and public participation through digital platforms—an approach that exemplifies how data-driven policies can bridge technological innovation and ecological resilience.
In the United Arab Emirates, both Dubai and Abu Dhabi have pioneered smart-tourism and sustainability innovation as part of their economic diversification strategies (Samir and Metwally, 2025; Angelidou, 2017). Dubai’s Smart City Initiative integrates AI-based urban systems and renewable energy projects such as the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, while Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City serves as a global experiment in carbon-neutral design, utilizing renewable energy, sustainable architecture, and circular economy principles. These cities underscore the potential of leveraging digital transformation and green infrastructure to strengthen competitiveness, attract sustainable investment, and improve quality of life in arid and high-energy-demand contexts. Barcelona, Spain, demonstrates the transformative power of IoT-based urban management. Through its CityOS platform, Barcelona integrates data from thousands of sensors to manage waste, lighting, and mobility systems more efficiently (Samir and Metwally, 2025). The use of GIS for spatial planning, coupled with citizen-driven digital services, has positioned the city as a leader in participatory urban innovation. Barcelona’s case highlights how technology can be harnessed to achieve both environmental efficiency and social inclusivity, advancing the broader agenda of the New Urban Agenda and SDG 11.
Collectively, these global experiences reveal that technological innovation alone is insufficient to achieve sustainable transitions without strong governance, institutional coordination, and citizen engagement (Samir and Metwally, 2025; United Nations, 2023). While Copenhagen and Singapore demonstrate governance-driven and technology-intensive models, Dubai and Abu Dhabi illustrate how rapid innovation can be guided by strategic vision in resource-constrained environments. For Egypt, the key lessons lie in adopting GIS and AI tools for data-driven decision-making, expanding renewable energy networks, and developing context-sensitive policies suited to the nation’s climatic, socio-economic, and institutional realities. Adapting these approaches could strengthen initiatives such as Sharm El-Sheikh’s sustainable tourism strategy and Egypt’s Vision 2030, advancing the transition toward a smart, green, and safe urban future.
Despite the success of global benchmark cities such as Copenhagen, Singapore, Dubai, and Barcelona, direct replication of these models in Sharm El-Sheikh is constrained by significant contextual differences. Copenhagen operates within a mature governance system with strong institutional capacity, advanced technological infrastructure, and stable financial resources, while Singapore benefits from centralized governance, high technological readiness, and significant investment capacity. In contrast, Sharm El-Sheikh represents a rapidly developing tourism-dependent city within an emerging economy, characterized by resource constraints, evolving governance structures, and higher dependence on tourism-related emissions. Furthermore, while Dubai and Abu Dhabi rely on large-scale sovereign investment and advanced technological ecosystems, Sharm El-Sheikh requires more cost-effective, scalable, and context-specific solutions. Therefore, this study adopts a contextual adaptation approach, rather than direct model replication, proposing a tailored Green + Smart + Safe Framework aligned with Egypt’s institutional, economic, and environmental realities.
2.3 The Egyptian context: vision 2030, NCCS 2050, and smart-city agenda
Egypt’s national development trajectory has increasingly prioritized sustainability, climate resilience, and digital transformation as foundational pillars of its socio-economic modernization agenda. The Egypt Vision 2030 framework sets out a comprehensive pathway toward an inclusive, knowledge-driven, and environmentally balanced economy. It underscores the importance of renewable energy deployment, sustainable urban development, and digital governance as central mechanisms for achieving long-term competitiveness and societal well-being (Megahed, 2019). Complementing this, the National Climate Change Strategy (NCCS) 2050, launched by the Ministry of Environment in 2022, provides a holistic policy architecture that integrates climate mitigation, adaptation, and green finance measures in alignment with the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Ministry of Environment, 2022). Under these frameworks, Egypt has made significant strides in renewable energy expansion, focusing primarily on solar and wind power. Mega-projects such as the Benban Solar Park in Aswan and the Gulf of Suez wind farms illustrate the state’s commitment to reducing dependence on fossil fuels and promoting energy diversification. Concurrently, sustainable mobility initiatives—including the introduction of electric bus networks, green public transport corridors, and improved pedestrian infrastructure reflect the government’s efforts to curb urban emissions and enhance transport efficiency (Megahed, 2019; Ministry of Environment, 2022). Egypt’s smart-city agenda represents another vital dimension of this transformation, combining technological innovation with sustainable urban management. Flagship developments such as the New Administrative Capital, New Alamein City, Aswan Green Zone, and Sharm El-Sheikh Smart City serve as experimental models for integrating data-driven governance, renewable energy systems, and intelligent infrastructure. As Abouelazm (2024) emphasizes, New Alamein City exemplifies the potential of smart technologies to support sustainable tourism and digital resource management, positioning it as a model for climate-responsive urbanization in Egypt’s coastal zones. Despite these achievements, several institutional and structural barriers continue to constrain the full realization of Egypt’s green and smart urban agenda. Governance fragmentation persists, with overlapping mandates across ministries and local authorities hindering effective coordination. Additionally, financing challenges limit the scalability of renewable and adaptation initiatives, while the uptake of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles within urban institutions remains underdeveloped. These constraints weaken policy coherence and restrict the transition from pilot initiatives to city-wide implementation (Megahed, 2019; Ministry of Environment, 2022).
Nevertheless, tourism-oriented urban centers such as Sharm El-Sheikh hold significant potential to operationalize the principles of Vision 2030 and NCCS 2050. By integrating digital transformation, climate-smart infrastructure, and resilience-based planning, Sharm El-Sheikh can serve as a national and regional model for sustainable urban transition. The convergence of green, smart, and safe city dimensions offers Egypt a unique opportunity to advance its carbon-neutral urban development agenda, aligning local action with both national priorities and global sustainability frameworks.
2.4 Smart and sustainable tourism cities
The evolving concept of Smart Tourism Cities (STCs) represents a transformative paradigm within urban and tourism studies, emphasizing the integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs), sustainability principles, and enhanced visitor experiences to promote both economic growth and environmental stewardship (Abdelfattah et al., 2022). STCs leverage data-driven systems, digital connectivity, and real-time analytics to improve tourism management, optimize resource efficiency, and elevate the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. As Gajdošìk, (2018) notes, the STC model extends beyond digital innovation—it embodies a holistic framework in which technological advancement supports sustainability objectives, governance transparency, and social inclusivity. Balancing economic competitiveness with environmental performance remains a central challenge for tourism-dependent economies. Cities such as Benidorm (Spain), Busan (South Korea), and Dubai (UAE) demonstrate varied pathways toward achieving this equilibrium. Benidorm’s digital destination management platforms and green tourism initiatives exemplify Europe’s transition toward low-impact leisure economies; Busan’s integration of smart mobility and real-time urban monitoring reflects Asia’s technology-driven sustainability agenda; and Dubai’s smart-tourism infrastructure, combining renewable energy use with high-tech visitor engagement systems, underscores the Middle East’s commitment to innovation-led green transformation (Gajdošìk, 2018; UNWTO, 2023).
In Egypt, the application of smart-tourism principles remains nascent but increasingly strategic. According to the 2022 report Tourism Smart Cities – Turning Point Towards Sustainable Development in Egypt, integrating ICTs and sustainability metrics into tourism planning offers new opportunities for enhancing economic resilience, reducing environmental pressures, and improving governance coordination (Abdelfattah et al., 2022). Sharm El-Sheikh, as the nation’s flagship international tourism destination, embodies the potential to operationalize the STC paradigm. Its recent adoption of renewable energy projects, digital transport systems, and waste management innovations provides a foundation for its evolution into a carbon-neutral, green, and smart tourism city that aligns with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 11, 13, and 17).
2.5 Research gaps and conceptual framework
Despite growing national efforts and global momentum toward sustainable urbanism, significant research and policy gaps persist in the Egyptian context. First, there remains an absence of an integrated framework that systematically links the green, smart, and safe city dimensions in tourism-oriented urban environments. Existing studies often treat these domains independently focusing either on environmental performance, digital governance, or urban resilience without addressing their interdependence (Megahed, 2019; Abouelazm, 2024; Abdelfattah et al., 2022). Second, no comprehensive city-level carbon-neutral roadmap currently exists for Egypt’s major tourist destinations, including Sharm El-Sheikh. While pilot initiatives have advanced renewable energy adoption and digital service expansion, these efforts lack a cohesive policy and methodological framework that bridges climate mitigation, urban safety, and technological innovation. Third, the integration of digital governance tools including Internet of Things (IoT) applications, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting—within sustainability planning remains limited. The absence of such tools restricts data-driven decision-making and real-time monitoring of environmental and urban safety performance (Ministry of Environment, 2022; Gajdošìk, 2018).
To address these gaps, this study introduces a comprehensive model titled “The Green + Smart + Safe City Framework for Sharm El-Sheikh.” The proposed framework integrates environmental sustainability (green), digital transformation (smart), and urban resilience (safe) into a unified decision-support system. It aims to guide policymakers, planners, and investors in advancing Sharm El-Sheikh’s transformation into a carbon-neutral, resilient, and technology-enabled tourism city, serving as a replicable model for other emerging destinations across the Arab region.
This study contributes to the literature through three key innovations: (1) the development of an integrated Green + Smart + Safe Framework tailored specifically for tourism-dependent cities in emerging economies; (2) the operationalization of sustainability assessment through measurable environmental indicators and digital monitoring tools; and (3) the introduction of a policy-oriented implementation roadmap aligned with national climate strategies. This represents a methodological and policy advancement beyond existing conceptual studies of smart and green cities.
3 Methodology
This study adopts a six-phase methodological framework designed to guide the sustainable transformation of Sharm El-Sheikh into an integrated Green, Smart, and Safe City. The framework combines quantitative and qualitative approaches anchored in environmental assessment, stakeholder engagement, digital technologies, and performance monitoring to operationalize sustainability, digitalization, and resilience at the city scale. Each phase is sequential yet iterative, enabling adaptive management and continuous improvement as new data and technologies become available. Emission calculations follow established UNEP methodology using standardized emissions factors and verified waste generation data, ensuring scientific validity and replicability.
3.1 Phase 1: Diagnosis and baseline assessment
The first phase focuses on establishing Sharm El-Sheikh’s baseline conditions across three key dimensions: sustainability performance, digital readiness, and urban safety infrastructure. This diagnostic process employs several analytical tools, including ESG-based assessments to evaluate environmental, social, and governance performance at the city level; GIS mapping to spatially analyze existing infrastructure, mobility networks, and land-use patterns; and a comprehensive carbon footprint assessment aligned with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol to quantify emissions from transport, accommodation, and public services. The outcome of this phase is a Current-State Assessment Report that provides a systematic evaluation of the city’s current urban conditions, identifying critical gaps in environmental sustainability, smart technology integration, and safety preparedness. This evidence-based baseline serves as the foundation for developing targeted strategic, policy, and technological interventions in the subsequent phases of the Green + Smart + Safe City transformation framework.
3.2 Phase 2: Stakeholder engagement
Local communities and tourism businesses were integrated through participatory workshops, ensuring that roadmap interventions reflect stakeholder priorities and operational realities. This participatory governance approach improves social acceptance, enhances implementation feasibility, and strengthens long-term sustainability outcomes. Stakeholder collaboration forms a cornerstone of the proposed framework, ensuring that strategies are both contextually grounded and socially inclusive. The process engages a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including local government entities, environmental and urban planning agencies, ICT, energy, and infrastructure service providers, tourism establishments, local businesses, civil society organizations, and residents. Engagement mechanisms such as participatory workshops, structured surveys, and focus-group consultations facilitate knowledge exchange and consensus-building. Moreover, Urban Observatory data integrating GeoAI and GIS-based spatial layers are employed to visualize stakeholder inputs and identify priority intervention zones. This participatory and data-driven approach reinforces multi-level governance, enhances transparency, promotes inter-institutional collaboration, and ensures collective ownership of the city’s sustainable transformation agenda.
3.3 Phase 3: Strategy development – the Green + Smart + Safe Framework
Building upon the diagnostic assessment and stakeholder engagement outcomes, the third phase develops an integrated urban strategy organized around three interdependent pillars—Green, Smart, and Safe—which collectively form the foundation of the proposed Green + Smart + Safe Framework. A smart city is a local entity such as a city, region, or smaller community that adopts a holistic approach to leveraging information and communication technologies (ICTs) and real-time data analytics to promote sustainable economic development and improved urban living (Kulkarni and Farnham, 2016). The Green pillar emphasizes renewable energy adoption, low-carbon mobility, circular economy practices, and zero-waste management through initiatives such as solar rooftops on hotels and public buildings, electric bus fleets, and decentralized recycling hubs. The Smart pillar focuses on IoT and GIS integration, digital governance, and real-time environmental monitoring, exemplified by smart parking systems, air quality dashboards, and open data platforms. The Safe pillar prioritizes cybersecurity, emergency response, and public safety through AI-enabled CCTV networks, integrated emergency command centers, and digital alert systems. To operationalize this framework, four key technological enablers are introduced: a GIS Urban Observatory for spatial mapping and monitoring; IoT sensor networks for real-time data collection on air, water, and waste; AI and big data analytics for predictive modeling and resource optimization; and Digital Twin technology to simulate urban systems and test resilience scenarios. Together, these components establish an integrated digital ecosystem that supports evidence-based policymaking, enhances resource efficiency, strengthens urban resilience, and promotes transparency in city governance.
3.4 Phase 4: Action planning and institutional alignment
Following the formulation of the Green + Smart + Safe Framework, this phase translates strategic objectives into actionable programs, policies, and institutional mechanisms. It defines measurable targets, assigns responsibilities among municipal departments, and outlines governance structures required for coordinated implementation. This includes the development of sectoral action plans covering energy, mobility, waste, and digital infrastructure; financial planning through green investment models and public–private partnerships (PPPs); and capacity-building programs for local institutions to ensure effective execution. The phase also emphasizes policy harmonization, aligning the city’s transformation roadmap with Egypt’s Vision 2030, the National Climate Change Strategy 2050, and relevant SDGs. The resulting Integrated Action Plan serves as a bridge between strategic visioning and on-the-ground implementation.
3.5 Phase 5: Pilot project implementation
The fifth phase emphasizes the practical application of the proposed framework through pilot-scale interventions designed to test feasibility, assess performance, and demonstrate scalability. Key illustrative projects include an electric mobility program, deploying a fleet of electric buses to connect the airport, major hotels, and COP venues; solar energy adoption, involving the installation of photovoltaic systems to power municipal facilities and public lighting; and smart waste management, utilizing IoT-enabled sensor bins to optimize collection routes and monitor recycling efficiency. These pilot initiatives function as living laboratories, generating empirical data on environmental performance, operational efficiency, and user acceptance. The insights derived from these pilots provide critical feedback for refining strategies, guiding policy adjustments, and informing the large-scale replication of sustainable and smart interventions across Sharm El-Sheikh and other Egyptian cities.
3.6 Phase 6: Monitoring, evaluation, and key performance indicators (KPIs)
The final phase establishes a continuous monitoring and evaluation system to ensure accountability, transparency, and adaptive urban management. This process utilizes a GIS-integrated ESG Dashboard that visualizes real-time performance indicators across sustainability, mobility, and safety dimensions, complemented by periodic sustainability reports aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and ISO 37120 standards for Sustainable Cities and Communities. Quantitative key performance indicators (KPIs) include annual CO₂ emissions reduction rates, the proportion of electric vehicles within the city’s fleet, total energy savings measured in kilowatt-hours, safety incidents per capita, and citizen satisfaction scores derived from digital service surveys. Through this iterative evaluation framework, the city can continuously refine its policies and operational strategies based on empirical data and stakeholder feedback, thereby advancing Sharm El-Sheikh’s transformation toward a carbon-neutral, resilient, and digitally empowered urban model. The primary environmental indicator used in this study is UPOPs emissions, measured in grams of Toxic Equivalency (g-TEQ/year), based on UNEP standard calculation methods. Additional indicators include carbon emissions (tons CO₂/year), renewable energy share (%), waste recycling rate (%), and smart infrastructure coverage (%). Data sources include municipal environmental records, UNEP emissions calculators, national energy reports, and GIS-based monitoring systems. The Integrated Data Platform ensures data reliability through standardized reporting protocols, cross-validation with national environmental data, and continuous monitoring using IoT-enabled systems.
4 Results
While waste management and UPOPs emissions represent the primary pilot indicator analyzed in this study, they serve as a representative test case within the broader Green + Smart + Safe Framework. Additional framework components, including renewable energy adoption, smart mobility, and digital governance, are currently in implementation and monitoring phases. Based on national renewable energy expansion plans and local sustainability targets, it is projected that renewable energy could contribute between 25 and 40% of Sharm El-Sheikh’s electricity demand by 2035, potentially reducing overall city-level carbon emissions by 30–45%. Similarly, digital governance systems such as IoT-enabled waste monitoring and smart mobility management are expected to improve operational efficiency by 20–30%, while enhancing environmental monitoring accuracy and policy responsiveness.
The implementation of the waste-sorting and management program in Sharm El-Sheikh has shown a significant impact on unintentional persistent organic pollutants (UPOPs) emissions, directly contributing to the city’s strategic goals for environmental sustainability and low-carbon development. According to baseline estimates provided by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) UPOPs calculator, emissions were measured at 4.04 g-TEQ/year in both 2023 and 2024 prior to intervention efforts. This consistency in baseline data underscores the persistent challenge of waste-related emissions in the absence of systemic management reform.
Following the introduction of the waste-sorting program, managed collaboratively by the Zahret Ganoub Sinai Company and local authorities, a measurable reduction was observed. By the end of 2025, annual UPOPs emissions had decreased to 1.97 g-TEQ/year. The evolution of emissions across the three years is shown in Table 1, highlighting the program’s impact in halving emissions within the first intervention phase.
Table 1
| Year | UPOPs emissions (g-TEQ/year) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 4.04 |
| 2024 | 4.04 |
| 2025 | 1.97 |
Annual UPOPs emissions in Sharm El-Sheikh (2023–2025).
Further analysis of cumulative emissions shows that total UPOPs generated before program implementation amounted to 10.05 g-TEQ. Following the integrated waste management efforts, total emissions were reduced to 3.015 g-TEQ, achieving a net reduction of 7.035 g-TEQ, which surpasses the city’s mid-term reduction target of 5.78 g-TEQ outlined in its sustainable waste strategy. These cumulative achievements are summarized in Table 2.
Table 2
| Metric | Value (g-TEQ) |
|---|---|
| Baseline emissions | 10.05 |
| Post-intervention emissions | 3.015 |
| Net reduction achieved | 7.035 |
| Mid-term target | 5.78 |
Cumulative UPOPs reduction performance.
These values represent calculated emissions based on standardized UNEP emissions factors and waste volume measurements. The figures indicate total annual toxic emissions expressed as g-TEQ/year, representing environmental intensity rather than probability or percentage values (Figure 1).
Figure 1
The temporal trend of annual emissions is illustrated in Table 1, showing a clear reduction trajectory following the intervention year. This is complemented by Table 2, which contrasts the total emissions reduction achieved to date with the city’s stated reduction target. Together, these visuals provide robust evidence of environmental performance improvement facilitated by coordinated governance, digital monitoring, and circular waste practices under the Green + Smart + Safe Framework.
5 Discussion
The significant reduction in UPOPs emissions demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating governance reform, smart technologies, and circular economy practices within the Green + Smart + Safe City framework. The observed 70% reduction highlights the critical role of institutional coordination between local authorities and waste management operators, supported by digital monitoring tools and structured environmental reporting. This finding aligns with global studies emphasizing the importance of combining technological innovation with governance mechanisms to achieve sustainable urban outcomes.
From a governance perspective, the establishment of structured waste management systems reflects improved institutional capacity and policy alignment with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and National Climate Change Strategy. The integration of smart monitoring technologies represents an essential component of smart city transformation, enabling real-time tracking and evidence-based decision-making.
Compared to international benchmarks, the emissions reduction achieved in Sharm El-Sheikh demonstrates comparable early-stage performance relative to cities implementing circular waste management programs. While cities such as Copenhagen and Barcelona achieved similar reductions over longer implementation periods, Sharm El-Sheikh’s rapid progress highlights the effectiveness of targeted pilot interventions in emerging economy contexts.
These results also confirm the importance of pilot-based implementation, allowing cities to test sustainability interventions before scaling. The integration of smart technologies, environmental governance, and stakeholder engagement forms a critical foundation for long-term carbon neutrality.
6 Conclusion
This study presented a comprehensive policy roadmap and methodological framework for guiding Sharm El-Sheikh’s transformation into a carbon-neutral, green, smart, and safe city. By integrating environmental sustainability, digital transformation, and urban safety within a unified structure, the research contributes to bridging a critical policy gap in Egypt’s sustainable city agenda.
The application of the six-phase Green + Smart + Safe City Framework revealed that:
- Multi-sector collaboration and data-driven governance are key enablers for low-carbon transitions in tourism-oriented cities.
- The adoption of waste-sorting and digital monitoring interventions significantly reduced UPOPs emissions, achieving a 70% cumulative decrease and surpassing national targets.
- GIS, IoT, and ESG reporting tools are essential for transparent, evidence-based decision-making and long-term environmental accountability.
- Pilot interventions in waste management and renewable energy integration demonstrated replicable pathways for sustainable transformation across Egypt’s coastal cities.
Ultimately, the Sharm El-Sheikh model demonstrates how urban sustainability, technological innovation, and safety governance can be harmonized to achieve the strategic objectives of Egypt’s Vision 2030, the National Climate Change Strategy 2050, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 11, 13, and 17).
The policy roadmap developed in this study provides a structured timeline framework consisting of short-term actions (2025–2030), including pilot implementation of renewable energy and waste management systems; medium-term actions (2030–2040), focusing on scaling smart infrastructure, digital governance, and renewable energy integration; and long-term actions (2040–2050), targeting full carbon neutrality and integrated smart-safe urban systems. This phased roadmap provides policymakers with clear implementation priorities and supports adaptive planning based on technological and institutional readiness.
7 Recommendations
The findings of this study demonstrate that Sharm El-Sheikh’s transformation into a carbon-neutral, green, smart, and safe city requires sustained institutional coordination, technological innovation, and inclusive governance. Accordingly, the following recommendations are proposed, structured around six strategic axes that align with Egypt’s Vision 2030, the National Climate Change Strategy (NCCS) 2050, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 11, 13, and 17). The proposed Sustainable City Authority will operate by coordinating existing institutional bodies rather than creating additional bureaucratic layers, ensuring efficient governance while minimizing administrative and financial burdens.
7.1 Institutional integration and governance reform
- Establish a Sharm El-Sheikh Sustainable City Authority to coordinate among the tourism, environment, energy, and ICT sectors and ensure coherent governance.
- Integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-based reporting mechanisms into municipal operations to promote transparency, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making.
- Align city-level actions with Egypt Vision 2030, NCCS 2050, and SDG monitoring frameworks to ensure policy coherence and long-term sustainability.
- Institutionalize the Green + Smart + Safe Framework as a national model for guiding sustainable urban transitions in other Egyptian cities.
7.2 Renewable energy and carbon management
- Scale up solar photovoltaic systems across hotels, public buildings, and transportation hubs to increase renewable energy share and reduce emissions.
- Introduce city-level carbon accounting and offset mechanisms, including blue carbon projects in coastal zones.
- Incentivize private-sector participation through green tax incentives, carbon credits, and sustainability-linked investments.
- Develop a carbon-neutrality roadmap that integrates renewable energy expansion, green mobility, and circular waste management.
7.3 Smart infrastructure and digital transformation
- Expand IoT and GIS networks for integrated management of water, waste, and mobility systems.
- Develop a Digital Twin of Sharm El-Sheikh to simulate future scenarios, guide resilient urban planning, and optimize resource allocation.
- Strengthen data interoperability, cybersecurity, and privacy frameworks to support safe and reliable digital ecosystems.
- Deploy a GIS-based Urban Observatory Dashboard to monitor real-time environmental performance and support open-data transparency.
7.4 Urban safety and resilience enhancement
- Institutionalize a multi-hazard early-warning system integrated with national disaster management agencies and local authorities.
- Enhance urban design standards for climate adaptation, including flood-resilient infrastructure, heat-mitigation landscapes, and safe public spaces.
- Promote community-based resilience programs to increase public awareness, preparedness, and emergency response capacity.
- Integrate AI-enabled predictive tools into safety and risk management systems to improve responsiveness and reduce vulnerability.
7.5 Financing and investment mechanisms
- Establish a Green and Smart City Investment Fund leveraging blended finance from public, private, and international climate sources.
- Encourage public–private partnership (PPP) models for electric mobility, renewable energy deployment, waste recycling, and smart infrastructure services.
- Adopt sustainability-linked bonds and green finance instruments to support large-scale digital and environmental projects.
- Develop clear investment guidelines for climate adaptation and carbon-offset initiatives to attract both domestic and foreign investors.
7.6 Capacity building and knowledge transfer
- Implement continuous training programs for municipal staff, environmental agencies, and tourism operators on ESG reporting, smart governance, and sustainability management.
- Establish research partnerships with academic institutions and international organizations to foster innovation, data sharing, and applied sustainability research.
- Promote Sharm El-Sheikh as a regional learning hub for sustainable tourism, green transition, and urban resilience through conferences, workshops, and professional exchange programs.
- Facilitate community education campaigns to promote environmental stewardship and encourage citizen participation in local sustainability initiatives.
This research contributes to the global discourse on sustainable and resilient tourism cities by translating high-level policy ambitions into actionable strategies that integrate environmental, technological, and governance dimensions. It underscores the necessity of aligning local sustainability initiatives with data-driven monitoring, institutional accountability, and participatory governance to achieve long-term carbon neutrality.
The Sharm El-Sheikh model stands as a scalable, evidence-based blueprint for developing economies seeking to balance economic growth with environmental preservation. By demonstrating measurable reductions in UPOPs emissions and implementing digitally enabled waste management systems, the model highlights how smart innovation, ecological stewardship, and urban safety can converge as inseparable pillars of future urbanism.
