In Belém, where COP30 is taking place amid significant pressure to fulfill climate commitments, Morocco is advocating for a structured vision centered around rethought international financing and a transition grounded in local territories. In an interview with MAP-Brazil, the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, outlines Morocco’s priorities and the directions highlighted within the framework of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0).
She notes that the Kingdom enters this conference with a determination to accelerate the implementation of climate commitments. With more than three decades of experience in environmental policies, Morocco aims to play a leading role in the multilateral process. On the financial side, the country calls for a more balanced system, articulated around the “Baku-Belém roadmap,” with a global target of $1.3 trillion per year. The minister emphasizes the need for an equitable distribution among mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage, with enhanced support for adaptation, a priority for African nations.
She also underscores the importance of rapid implementation of this roadmap and the adoption of indicators to track progress toward the global adaptation goal.
The NDC 3.0, submitted prior to COP, confirms the continuity of the Moroccan strategy guided by royal vision. It aims for a 53% reduction in emissions by 2035, combining unconditional efforts and actions dependent on international support. The minister highlights two innovations: the integration of a sectoral abatement cost indicator, which measures the actual returns on investments, and a model linking financing to territorial adaptation projects, consistent with energy, mining, and industrial transitions. She believes this approach could enrich the second Global Stocktake scheduled for 2028.
Geopolitically, Morocco is strengthening African, Arab, and Atlantic partnerships, relying on the royal vision to structure a stable and integrated regional dynamic. Electrical interconnections with Mauritania and Europe, as well as the logistical corridors promoted by the Atlantic Initiative, are priorities. The country is also working to mobilize more climate financing through the Green Fund and other mechanisms. Projects related to the carbon market and green technologies are taking shape with Switzerland and Norway.
Morocco is thus acting on multiple fronts, engaging in North-South cooperation and South-South partnerships within an international context marked by the reconfiguration of value chains.
Regarding the energy transition, the minister recalls that the strategy launched in 2009 is based on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and regional integration. Current capacities in green energy reach 5.6 GW, representing 46% of the national total, with the goal of exceeding 52% by 2030. For the period 2025-2030, over 15 GW are planned, representing an investment of about 120 billion dirhams, primarily directed towards renewable sources.
Leila Benali mentions a phase of acceleration, characterized by the development of solar and wind projects, the rise of green hydrogen, and the construction of an industrial ecosystem based on research, innovation, and digitalization. Two levers structure this dynamic: the scaling effect, which reduces costs, and modernized governance. Since 2021, a series of reforms and decrees have been adopted to support self-production, renewable energies, and other essential areas, aiming to strengthen the model while alleviating costs for consumers.