The 6th edition of the International Congress on Climate Change (CI2C-2025) concluded on Saturday in Essaouira, following three days of intense debates focused on the need for an equitable energy transition and the promotion of climate justice globally.
Held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, this gathering, organized by the International Research and Capacity Building Center (CI2RC) in partnership with Cadi Ayyad University (UCA) in Marrakech, and with the support of several renowned international institutions, gathered over 100 participants, including international experts and high-level speakers from 12 countries. They aimed to highlight the urgent need to achieve concrete solutions to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change, particularly in African countries.
Speaking via video conference, the King’s advisor and founder of the Essaouira-Mogador Association, Mr. André Azoulay, praised “the collective dynamic that has positioned Essaouira at the heart of the national and international debate on climate and ocean issues,” particularly through this congress, which adds to the numerous initiatives undertaken by Morocco in the realms of research, innovation, and sustainable management of marine resources.
“Our country possesses a valuable uniqueness; it contemplates the oceans while fully embracing its African, Atlantic, and Mediterranean identity, a position that grants Morocco particular legitimacy in seeking global solutions to climate challenges,” noted Mr. Azoulay, adding that “the City of Alizés, a peninsula open to the infinite, wonderfully illustrates this vocation, standing out for its ability to unite energies around a shared ambition: to make knowledge and ocean sustainability a lever for territorial and human development.”
“We have every reason to be ambitious in Essaouira. Our legitimacy, our history, and our unique geography give us the right and the duty to jointly write the blue page of our future,” Mr. Azoulay emphasized, concluding by inviting experts, researchers, policymakers, and civil actors to continue this “collective endeavor.”
For his part, the German Ambassador to Morocco, Robert Dölger, shared his thoughts on the challenges faced by diplomats in implementing international climate policies, noting that “governments, subject to the institutional and societal demands of their parliaments and citizens, must balance national prosperity imperatives with international climate commitments.”
Discussing bilateral cooperation between Germany and Morocco, Mr. Dölger highlighted “an approach based on dialogue and co-responsibility,” emphasizing that “Moroccan-German cooperation is now considered in Berlin as a model of balanced partnership and an example in sustainable development and fighting climate change.”
Meanwhile, the Director General of the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE), Mohamed Benyahia, stressed the importance of international cooperation in facing climate challenges, reminding that “no state can solve these global and existential crises alone, which affect biodiversity, pollution, and climate.”
Reflecting on Morocco’s experience in implementing the Paris Agreement, Mr. Benyahia clarified that “translating international commitments into national policies and measures remains a complex and demanding process, and the effective implementation of these commitments requires patience, oversight, and rigorous governance.”
The representative of the German Development Bank (KfW) in Morocco, Ali El Bernoussi, focused on the crucial role of development banks in combating climate change, particularly through financing green initiatives and projects, stating that “Morocco, which emits only 0.2% of greenhouse gases, is already experiencing the direct effects of global warming.”
In this context, he emphasized the Kingdom’s ambitious trajectory to reduce its emissions by over 50% by 2035, citing emblematic projects, such as the Tarfaya wind farm and the Noor Ouarzazate solar complex, among others.
At the conclusion of CI2C-2025, participants put forward several concrete recommendations aimed at strengthening the adaptation and resilience of coastal areas to climate change.
In this regard, it was proposed to create a network of coastal cities to share experiences and solutions, to develop a mapping of vulnerable areas to erosion and coastal submersion, and to rethink the links between land and sea by favoring nature-based solutions, with the goal of better protecting populations and ecosystems.
Additionally, the closing day featured sessions that provided an opportunity for students to engage with prominent figures on several relevant themes, followed by the awarding of the “CI2C Excellence Award for Climate Research Communication,” marking the conclusion of this edition with distinctions given to young Moroccan researchers who contributed, through their research work, to scientific dissemination and awareness of climate issues.
The program of this major congress included a variety of plenary sessions, scientific presentations, field immersion activities, as well as thematic workshops focused on three key areas: decarbonization, climate resilience, and climate justice.