Denver – Morocco’s Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch met with UAE Industry Advanced Technologies Minister Sultan bin Ahmad Al Jaber during COP26 for a brief meeting on renewable energy cooperation.
After the meeting, the Emirati minister stated he was “proud of the strategic and fraternal historical ties that unite the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Morocco.”
In a joint press statement, the two officials hinted at a shared commitment to improving bilateral plans on renewable energy development and climate action. Akhannouch praised Al Jaber’s role in energy transition around the world through the UAE’s various renewable energy-focused investments.
Akhannouch also recalled the speech King Mohammed VI gave before the summit on Monday, highlighting its importance. Drawing attention to Morocco’s sustainability ambitions, he specifically noted the king’s call on global leaders to intensify efforts to fight the climate crisis.
Akhannouch argued that the Moroccan government’s well-documented climate-conscious policies have led many investors to take sustainability into account while financing projects in the country.
During this year’s COP 26 conference, each participant country is required to submit ambitious climate-friendly projects and strategies to implement them. A part of the 2015 Paris Agreement, this requirement is designed to steadily increase world governments’ commitment to combating global carbon emissions and limiting their environmental damage.
While countries like the UAE and Morocco work within national, bilateral, and global frameworks to reduce future damage to the environment, climate activists and UN officials are still urging larger countries to contribute their fair share in reducing pollution.
With several of the globe’s largest pollution contributors absent from COP26, some are doubtful of the overall effectiveness of this year’s forum in the long-term fight for environmental sustainability.
