A joint statement released by the coalition argued that the decision was not constitutional and went against the government’s commitment to sustainable development.
The statement was signed by both the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights and the Egyptian Centre for Social and Economic Rights.
The government approved coal usage on April 2 in a bid to address the country’s energy shortage, which is due to worsen with the coming Northern Hemisphere summer.
The NGOs said the decision went ahead despite strong objection from local and international environmental experts, activists, NGOs and environmental ministers.
Minister of Environment Laila Iskandar has vigorously opposed the decision. She said it would cause health problems for Egyptians for the next 30 years, adding to the problems caused by the country’s already high pollution levels from cement factories along the Nile.
She also argued that going ahead with coal could lead to further sanctions from international agencies, including the cutting of international aid.
Opposition has come not only from health and environment sectors, but there were also fears tourism could suffer as a consequence of adopting coal.
The NGOs argue the ports of the Red and Mediterranean Seas are likely to be spoiled once ships dock there to import coal tainting the traditional tourist routes.
The government insists it plans to use the latest technologies to reduce harmful emissions.
However, the NGOs said that even in the unlikely case the Egypt could afford the latest technologies, the effects of coal still remained.
They argued that the cost of adopting the measures, to comply with international standards went against the government’s argument that it was the cheapest way to tackle the energy crisis.
NGOs argued that the cost of major adjustments in the operation techniques of factories and power plants alone was enough to warrant considering greener energy sources.
They suggested other solutions to the energy shortage, such as adopting a package of measures to raise efficiency and adjust subsidised energy provided to the industry.
