Leila Benali, the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, stated that the Kingdom of Morocco is continuing its efforts to turn climate ambitions into tangible achievements, in line with the royal directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has established multilateral climate diplomacy as one of the pillars of national environmental policy.
In her response during the oral question session at the House of Representatives on Monday, Benali emphasized that Morocco is seriously preparing to participate in the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as COP 30, scheduled to be held in Brazil. She highlighted that the kingdom “urges the international community to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement commitments and focus on practical actions rather than merely dialogue and consultations.”
The minister added that Morocco will participate in this international event to showcase its effective and integrated model of sustainable development, noting that this innovative approach allows for additional financing for regions, areas, and local communities, reinforcing Morocco’s leadership at both regional and international levels.
Benali indicated that since the Paris Agreement, Morocco has mobilized approximately $500 million in climate financing through the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environment Facility, and the Adaptation Fund, in addition to bilateral cooperation with partners such as Germany, the European Union, and United Nations organizations. These efforts have enabled the completion of projects in renewable energy, sustainable transport, and the adaptation of vulnerable regions like coastlines, oases, and forest ecosystems.
The government official highlighted that several regions benefited from this funding, including Fes-Meknes with $33 million, Drâa-Tafilalet with $30 million, and Marrakech-Safi with $13 million, noting that these projects serve as a model for implementing climate commitments at the local level.
In this context, the minister explained that the third version of Morocco’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) features an innovative, participatory methodology focused on assessing the economic and social impacts of climate actions, along with the environmental aspect, while incorporating average cost indicators for mitigation in each sector, and ensuring synergies between climate financing and development projects, which she described as “a pioneering Moroccan innovation in climate planning.”
She added that Morocco has signed a number of bilateral agreements under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement with Switzerland, Singapore, Norway, and South Korea, highlighting that among the most notable projects is the agreement signed with Switzerland, which will bring in approximately 6 billion dirhams in financial support and create around 6,000 jobs.
The minister mentioned that her ministry, unlike in previous years since COP 22, has decided to adopt a new approach this year to broaden national participation in the Brazil meeting by entering into a partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, which will allocate 50 scholarships for doctoral students working on environmental and climate issues.
Benali affirmed that this measure “does not diminish the value of Moroccan participation but enhances it through investment in knowledge and scientific research,” adding that the Moroccan negotiating team will consist of fewer than ten young professionals, 80% of whom are under the age of 35, who will take turns in negotiations to effectively and qualitatively defend the kingdom’s positions.
The Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development stressed that Morocco does not participate in international conferences for symbolic presence, but to create solutions and propose realistic alternatives, considering this participation “embodies the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in making Morocco a global model for climate action and sustainable energy transition.”
