3. Related Cases: Egypt

1. The Issue
This case centers on the tourist trade in Egypt and itsharmful affects on the environment, with particular focus on thedegradation of the ancient Egyptian monuments. Tourism has becomeone of the most dynamic sectors of the Egyptian economy. As aconsequence, the decay of some of the world's most fabulous ancientrelics has been proceeding at an alarming rate. Some say that ifcurrent rates continue unabated, within another one to twocenturies the paintings and architecture of many of these monumentswill be completely destroyed. Although there are no legalproceedings currently taking place, the potential exists mainly ininternational organizations that could exert pressure on Egypt topreserve its ancient treasures.2. Description In February of 1988, a 550 pound chunk of limestone fell fromthe Sphinx, the half lion, half man (pharaoh) relic built by theancient Egyptians over 4,000 years ago. Though this was a veryvisible display of decomposition, in reality the Sphinx has beenphysically decaying for centuries. The story is the samethroughout Egypt. Most of the monuments and tombs of Egypt havelasted through centuries due to natural protection of drifts ofsand which usually covered them. Not until the early part of thiscentury have most of the relics been exposed and made accessibleand susceptible to the effects of modern humans. In the 4,500 year old pyramids, encrustations of salt, left inpart by the evaporations caused from throngs of tourists, haveeaten away at the walls of the burial chamber. The walls of theTemple of Luxor are also being eroded. Across the Nile from Luxorin the Valley of the Queens, about a quarter of the wall paintingsat the tomb of Nefertari have been destroyed by salt deposits. Zahi Hawass, the supervisor of the Giza Plateau for the EgyptianAntiquities Organization (EAO), stated that "all the monuments areendangered. If we don't do something soon, in 100 years thepaintings will be gone, and in 200 years the architecture will begone." Saving Egypt's monuments will be a monumental task. Thecountry boasts an estimated 10,000 antiquities sites which areirreplaceable. The tombs, temples, paintings and inscriptions addup to an astounding record of the lives and beliefs of a people inone of the world's most ancient civilizations which influenced thedevelopment of modern cultures throughout the world. The Egyptiansare the guardians of this unique heritage, but they may havedifficulty in preserving them. The problems lie both in the age of the monuments and theexorbitant growth Egypt has experienced in the past 75 years. Thepyramids were ancient when the Romans invaded Egypt over 2,000years ago. Yet the affect of old age pales when compared to thedestruction wrought by people. The burgeoning Egyptian populationnow exceeds 53 million and continues to grow exponentially (thepopulation was about a half million 75 years ago). The problemsassociated with this growth plus a thriving tourist trade, havewreaked more havoc in the past few decades than the past fourmillennium combined. The problems of age have just been compounded by the problemsof modernity. The Giza monuments are made of limestone which issusceptible to the affects of humidity. Too many tourists crowdedinto a tomb can increase the humidity level by several percentagepoints. This has been exacerbated by the erection of the Aswan Damwhich has created more irrigation water and therefore createdhigher humidity levels in the area. The horrendous pollution of Cairo and its environs also havecontributed to the decay. Nearby factories and scores of motorvehicles spew clouds of exhaust which turns corrosive whendissolved by rain. Vibrations from tourist buses and cars, whichuntil recently were allowed just a few feet from the pyramids, andalso produced cracks in the monuments. Furthermore, corrosion ofthe ancient paintings is advanced by the tourists who touch andbreath on these treasures. Another by-product of Egypt's exponential growth is itsinefficient sewage and water systems. Approximately 80 percent ofCairo's incoming water supply leaks into the ground as does much ofits waste water. As the groundwater rises, it dissolves mineralsalts from the soil and bedrock. The porous limestone from whichmany monuments are made absorbs this salty water from the ground. When the water evaporates, the salts are left behind, subsequentlycrystallizing into destructive white lesions. The problem for Egypt is that tourism is such an importantpart of the Egyptian economy. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) inEgypt in 1990 was about $24 billion, of which tourism made up 10percent. Tourist revenues increased from about $800 million in1984/85 to over $2.5 billion in 1989/90. Furthermore, the amountof visitors almost doubled in the same period, from 1.3 million to2.5 million. Though the tourist trade is highly vulnerable toregional conflicts and terrorism, as is evident now (recentoutbreaks of terrorism have greatly reduced the tourist activity inEgypt), it shows great ability to rebound. The current downturn intourism, however, is having a crippling effect on the Egyptianeconomy. In finding cures to this problem, it will be imperative forthe Egyptian authorities to take into account the tourism equation. First and foremost, Egypt must continue to depend on outsideorganizations such as UNESCO or preservation groups for money. Scientific research is imperative in finding solutions devoid ofthe earlier mishaps. Many previous restoration projects haveproved more harmful than good. There are also steps Egyptianauthorities can take. Continued regulation of vehicles and tourismaround the monuments through higher fees and/or legislation isprobably the least costly and most efficacious. The bottom line isthat tourism must somehow be limited to save the monuments of oneof the world's most ancient civilizations.3. Related Cases VENICE case CANCUN case CUBA case JAMTOUR case Keyword Clusters (1): Domain = AFRICA (2): Bio-geography = DRY (3): Environmental Problem = Pollution Air [POLA]4. Draft Author: Gil BindlegasB. LEGAL Clusters5. Discourse and Status: AGReement and INPROGress6. Forum and Scope: EGYPT and UNILATeral There are several international organizations which haveassisted Egypt in its restoration projects. UNESCO, The GettyConservation Institute, and the Polish Center for Archaeology arejust a few of the many organizations devoted to saving thesemonuments. The Egyptian agency responsible for supervisingconservation and restoration of the monuments is EgyptianAntiquities Organization, a division of the Ministry of Culture.7. Decision Breadth: 1 (Egypt)8. Legal Standing: LAWC. GEOGRAPHIC Clusters9. Geographic Locations a. Geographic Domain : MIDEAST b. Geographic Site : SAHARA c. Geographic Impact : EGYPT10. Sub-National Factors: NO11. Type of Habitat: DRYD. TRADE Clusters12. Type of Measure: Import Tax [IMTAX] Several different measures are possible to slow or reverse thedecay of the ancient treasures. Through high admission prices (atax essentially) to the more dilapidated monuments, Egypt willraise revenue as well as regulate the flow of tourist traffic. Another measure would be to set regulatory standards on the touristindustry. For example, cars and buses will no longer be allowedproximity to the Pyramids. Instead, tourists will be ferried fromparking lots by electric cars. This measure has already begun tobe implemented. The most extreme measure would be to completelyquarantine the most decaying monuments, at least until a solutionto the problem is found.13. Direct vs. Indirect Impacts: INDirect14. Relation of Measure to Environmental Impact a. Directly Related : NO b. Indirectly Related : YES TOURism c. Not Related : NO d. Process Related : YES Pollution Air [POLA]15. Trade Product Identification: TOURism16. Economic Data Tourism is an important source of revenue for Egypt. Asmentioned, tourist revenues topped $2.5 billion in 1990 (though thepast year has seen a drastic decline due to increased terrorism). This amounts to about 10 percent of the GDP which is about $24billion. The amount of tourists has also increased dramatically;from 1.3 million in 1985 to 2.5 million in 1990. Tourism is alsoa major employer which includes hotels, restaurants,transportation, bazaars and other tourist peddlers and shops.17. Impact of Measure on Trade Competitiveness: LOW18. Industry Sector: TOURism19. Exporter and Importer: MANY and EGYPTE. ENVIRONMENT Clusters20. Environmental Problem Type: Pollution Air [POLA] Although there are many different sources contributing to thedecline of Egypt's ancient past, tourism is a major contributor. The presence of only half a dozen people in a small undergroundroom is enough to raise the humidity by five or six degrees. Thedamp walls will eventually form salt crystals which will dislodgethe paint. In addition pollution caused by the thousands oftourists a day is very detrimental to the monuments.21. Name, Type, and Diversity of Species Name: NA Type: NA Diversity: NA22. Impact and Effect: LOW and PRODuct23. Urgency and Lifetime: LONg and 100s of years24. Substitutes: Eco-Tourism [ECOTR] In the end, there are no substitutes for the Sphinx, the GreatPyramids, or other important historical artifacts. The Egyptiangovernment, however, is trying to market less popular tombs andother sites to ease the strain on the more famous ones.VI. OTHER Factors25. Culture: YES Ancient Egyptian treasures are revered in both Western andArab cultures. Westerners define their heritage with importantcontributions from Egypt.26. Trans-Border: NO27. Rights: NO28. Relevant LiteratureBook of Vital World Statistics. New York: Economist Books, 1990.Borcover, Alfred. "Threatened Treasures -- People Abuse What They Travel The Globe To See." Chicago Tribune (August 11, 1991): C2. Darby, Joseph B. III, Esq. "Egypt Turns to Pyramid Power." Middle East Executive Reports 6/9 (September 1983): 10."Egypt: Race Against Time -- Conservation of Tourist Attractions Needed to Save Heritage." Middle East Magazine (October 1, 1991).Hammond, Norman. "Tourism Takes its Toll on Sphinx." Geotimes 38/5: 13-17.Hedges, Chris. "Sphinx Poses Riddle About its Own Fate." The New York Times (March 10, 1992): C4.Lemonick, Michael D. "Perilous Times for the Pyramids." Time (May 15, 1989): 60-62."Monumental Task: Man is His Own Worst Enemy in Trying to Save the Sphinx." Chicago Tribune (August 11, 1988): C1.The Middle East and North Africa 1993, 39th edition. Europa Publications LTD: London, 1992.