Dutch engineer's grand vision: Turning the deserts of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula into an oasis

Recently, Dutch engineer Van der Hoeven has been actively promoting his grand plan to advance desert governance and greening in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, attracting widespread attention.

Most of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt is a dry desert with a relatively harsh ecological environment. Van der Hoeven once participated in the construction of artificial islands in Dubai and has accumulated rich experience. In 2016, he was invited by the Egyptian government to participate in the ecological restoration project of Lake Bardawil. At that time, the lake was facing problems such as declining water levels and reduced fishery resources. Through in-depth research, Van der Hoeven discovered the root cause of ecosystem destruction.

He came up with a bold idea: Dig out the nutrient-rich silt at the bottom of the lake and transport it to other areas of the peninsula to create soil. First, plant salt-tolerant vegetation, and then gradually expand the number and area of vegetation. He hopes that the evaporation of vegetation can form rainfall and improve the local microclimate, and ultimately turn the entire Sinai Peninsula from a desert into an oasis. According to his plan, it will take 5 to 7 years to fully restore the ecology around Lake Bardawil and 20 to 40 years to restore the ecology of the entire Sinai Peninsula.

However, this grand plan is fraught with difficulties. It not only requires large-scale resource investment but is also affected by geopolitical factors such as the Palestine-Israel conflict. Despite many doubts and challenges, Van der Hoeven is still actively campaigning, introducing his plan to countries around the world and seeking support. He firmly believes that as long as the methods are proper and perseverance is maintained, human wisdom and perseverance can overcome the challenges of nature.

Van der Hoeven's plan has received high attention and strong support from the Egyptian government. The Egyptian government has listed the development of the Sinai Peninsula as a national strategy. It not only provides financial support for the project but also allocates a large area of land for desert greening. At the same time, this plan has also attracted widespread attention from the international community. International organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Bank, as well as some countries, have expressed their willingness to provide technical and financial support to jointly promote the greening process of the Sinai Peninsula. The desert greening project of the Sinai Peninsula is full of challenges but also carries hope. If it can be successfully implemented, it will bring benefits to local residents and provide valuable experience for global desert governance.