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Rabat – The Energy Efficiency Visionary Award was given to King Mohammed VI yesterday in at the World Energy Efficiency Forum in Washington, in recognition of his “outstanding” and “visionary” leadership.
The Moroccan Ambassador in the United States, Lalla Joumala Alaoui, accepted the award on the King’s behalf.
Under the leadership of Mohammed VI, Morocco has implemented an integrated national policy for the protection of the environment, combating the effects of climate change and anticipating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by up to 32 percent by 2030.
As part of this policy, Morocco has launched a series of initiatives aiming to integrate the green economy, notably through by adopting the National Environment Charter and Efficiency Strategy and liberalizing the renewable energy sector.
Gil Quiniones, the co-chair of the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) Board of Directors and the initiator of the Global Forum, said in a speech that “Morocco, which hosted the COP22 in Marrakech on November 7-18, 2016, stands out for its exemplary approach to renewable energy under the visionary leadership of the King.”
Thanks to this royal leadership, he explained, “Morocco has been able to put in place a global strategy that has allowed a significant improvement in energy efficiency in the Kingdom, on the way to achieving the specified objectives In the Paris Climate Agreement.”
“For all these achievements and for Morocco’s approach to energy efficiency, which is distinguished by its resolutely forward-looking character, we are delighted and honored to attribute to His Majesty King Mohammed VI The Energy Efficiency Visionary Award, for the year 2017,” said the ESA co-chair.
King Mohammed VI addressed a message to the World Forum on Energy Efficiency on the occasion, saying that he is “honored” to be the recipient of the prestigious award. “We were keen to accept this as a sign of our strong interest in energy efficiency as part of our vision of socio-economic development, given its role in strengthening the fundamental rights of citizens, protection of the environment, preservation of public health, reduction of energy dependence and rationalization of the State budget.
“Energy efficiency is today, with renewable energies, a new revolution in the energy sector due to the technological evolution which ensures a correlation between these two components. They should be integrated and taken into account in investment decisions and technological choices in all key energy-intensive sectors, including industry, construction, transport, street lighting, and agriculture.”
“The urgent challenge facing our world today is not so much the lack of energy resources but more of the necessary investment in this matter mobilization,” the King noted, adding that, “therefore, it is necessary to build the adequate energy infrastructure and to develop alternative technologies.
“That is why the kingdom of Morocco,” he continued, “is constantly working to adapt to future changes in order to ensure its economic and social development and to meet its growing energy needs on a sustainable basis.”
The King concluded that “security of supply, energy availability and energy efficiency and environmental preservation are the cornerstones of its energy strategy.”
