11 CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY IN THE ARAB REGION
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ministries—the status of this function currently is unclear. 56 The Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation also participates in the international
aspects of Morocco’s climate change policy. 57
Morocco has also set up a National Committee on Climate Change,
which convenes the main public stakeholder institutions and representatives from the private sector and civil society, and an expert-based
National Scientific and Technical Committee on Climate Change. The
Interministerial Monitoring Committee, which has participants from 20
different ministries and government agencies, oversees technical studies
and policy plans developed for the UNFCCC, including national communications and NDCs. 58
In the energy sector, the implementation of Morocco’s renewable
energy plans is delegated to MASEN, and energy efficiency policies are
coordinated by the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE)
under the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development.
Unlike the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Morocco has actively sought
international climate financing and has consistently ranked among top
recipients in the region. In 2003–2016, Morocco was the MENA’s
top recipient of multilateral climate finance, having received 59% of the
total approved financing in this period, or US$671 million, mostly for
renewable energy. 59 Between 2016 and mid-2019, Morocco secured an
additional US$800 million through the Green Climate Fund (GCF)
alone. Morocco’s GCF Designated National Authority (DNA, official
contact point) is hosted by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development. 60 (Most Arab countries, at the time of writing, had
DNAs—the UAE and Qatar being the notable exceptions.)
Alignment, Drivers and Future Prospects
Morocco is considered a climate policy leader internationally: in 2018,
the Climate Change Performance Index, published by three NGOs and
think tanks, ranked Morocco as Africa’s leader in addressing climate
change. It was lauded for demonstrating that ‘economic development
in the southern countries can also focus on a mitigation approach’. 61
The Climate Action Tracker ranks Morocco’s NDC as one only two Paris
Agreement-compatible NDCs included in its assessment.
Morocco’s domestic renewable energy policy is driven by economic
and energy independence considerations: ranking among the largest
energy importers of the MENA region, its energy import bill in 2017
317
ministries—the status of this function currently is unclear. 56 The Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation also participates in the international
aspects of Morocco’s climate change policy. 57
Morocco has also set up a National Committee on Climate Change,
which convenes the main public stakeholder institutions and representatives from the private sector and civil society, and an expert-based
National Scientific and Technical Committee on Climate Change. The
Interministerial Monitoring Committee, which has participants from 20
different ministries and government agencies, oversees technical studies
and policy plans developed for the UNFCCC, including national communications and NDCs. 58
In the energy sector, the implementation of Morocco’s renewable
energy plans is delegated to MASEN, and energy efficiency policies are
coordinated by the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE)
under the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development.
Unlike the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Morocco has actively sought
international climate financing and has consistently ranked among top
recipients in the region. In 2003–2016, Morocco was the MENA’s
top recipient of multilateral climate finance, having received 59% of the
total approved financing in this period, or US$671 million, mostly for
renewable energy. 59 Between 2016 and mid-2019, Morocco secured an
additional US$800 million through the Green Climate Fund (GCF)
alone. Morocco’s GCF Designated National Authority (DNA, official
contact point) is hosted by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development. 60 (Most Arab countries, at the time of writing, had
DNAs—the UAE and Qatar being the notable exceptions.)
Alignment, Drivers and Future Prospects
Morocco is considered a climate policy leader internationally: in 2018,
the Climate Change Performance Index, published by three NGOs and
think tanks, ranked Morocco as Africa’s leader in addressing climate
change. It was lauded for demonstrating that ‘economic development
in the southern countries can also focus on a mitigation approach’. 61
The Climate Action Tracker ranks Morocco’s NDC as one only two Paris
Agreement-compatible NDCs included in its assessment.
Morocco’s domestic renewable energy policy is driven by economic
and energy independence considerations: ranking among the largest
energy importers of the MENA region, its energy import bill in 2017