Rabat — Morocco’s Energy Transition Minister Leila Benali outlined on Tuesday the country’s ambitious low-carbon vision at the second “Scaling of Carbon Markets in Africa” conference in Casablanca.
She said the North African country views carbon markets not as a technical checkbox but as a strategic tool for sustainable development.
Beyond technical compliance
“This is not about checking boxes. This is a deeply ethical, strategic, and economic choice,” Benali argued at the conference organized by Casablanca Finance City Authority and CDG Group with international partners.
She pointed out that Morocco treats carbon markets as more than just technical mechanisms — they anchor the country’s development model across energy, economic, and social dimensions.
Morocco has shown remarkable foresight by building its carbon market foundation before the Paris Agreement’s Article 6 mechanisms were finalized.
“Climate action should no longer be the privilege of big emitters. It must be an approach that takes advantage of Morocco’s main competitive advantages,” the minister explained.
Strategic energy moves
Benali noted Morocco’s resilience during challenging geopolitical moments, particularly when Algeria cut gas supplies to Europe in 2021. The crisis pushed the North African country to take bold steps, including strengthening pipeline networks to support both natural gas and future green hydrogen use.
The country has made decisive moves toward clean energy, aiming to abandon coal in its electricity generation plan by 2030. It has also canceled planned coal projects in Nador and Jarada, the minister noted.
Meanwhile, work continues on converting fuel oil turbines to natural gas, with the Nador West Med project serving as Morocco’s first LNG entry point.
Building international partnerships
The North African country has signed bilateral agreements with Switzerland, Singapore, South Korea, and Norway to develop high-impact projects. It has also launched the “Carbon Balance Morocco” project in partnership with the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection, the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency, the Ministry of Industry, the Moroccan Standardization Institute, and business leaders.
African leadership vision
Benali described Morocco as an emerging “corridor for strategic transition metals and minerals between Africa, Europe, and the Atlantic basin.” The country plans to create an ESG certification mechanism for resources extracted or processed in Morocco.
The minister further called for African-defined standards to facilitate financing for the mineral value chain. Morocco is developing a national certification system for green electrons and gradually liberalizing the medium-voltage market.
Competitive advantage through carbon certification
The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism has pushed exporting industries to adopt low-carbon practices. Benali sees carbon certification as a “tool for competitiveness, market share preservation, and decarbonization support.”
Morocco’s approach demonstrates how developing nations can turn climate challenges into economic opportunities through strategic planning and international cooperation.
