May 11, 2017   SOURCE: BusinessWire

US Energy Coalition Honors Morocco’s King Mohammed VI with Energy Efficiency Visionary Award

Moroccan American Center for Policy (MACP) — Earlier this week, the Alliance to Save Energy honored Morocco’s King Mohammed VI with the Energy Efficiency (EE) Visionary Award, which recognizes “pioneering leadership in energy efficiency.” US Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) were also awarded.

“Morocco’s leadership in adopting ambitious efficiency policies sets an example for other countries and will pay tremendous dividends for the Kingdom,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan in a statement. “His Majesty and the entire Moroccan government are truly energy efficiency visionaries and we are thrilled to present them with this award.”

Her Highness Princess Lalla Joumala Alaoui, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United States, accepted the Award and delivered remarks on behalf of the King at the Alliance’s 10th Annual EE Global Forum on May 8.

“In my vision for socio-economic development, energy efficiency plays an important part in enhancing the fundamental rights of citizens, in environmental protection, in the preservation of public health, in curbing dependence of energy and in rationalizing public spending,” read the King’s statement.

“The pressing challenge for our world today is not so much to confront the lack of energy resources as to mobilize the investment needed in this field,” he said. “It is, therefore, necessary to build the energy infrastructure required and to develop alternative technologies… The security of energy supply, energy availability, energy efficiency and environmental protection are the bedrock of my country’s energy strategy.”

The King noted his country’s commitment to generate 42% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020 and 52% by 2030; as well as Morocco’s role as President of the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 22) last November.

“Our commitment in this field does not stop at Morocco’s borders,” he explained. “I pledge to keep up efforts at the national, regional and continental levels and do all I can to promote an environment conducive to the sustainable development of energy efficiency, renewable energy, technological innovation and green jobs in general.”

Morocco has long been a climate advocate, and was recognized last year as among the top five countries doing the most to combat climate change by the Climate Change Performance Index—landing among the top 10 three years in a row. The country’s NOOR solar power complex is the largest in the world – so large it is visible from space; and by completion, will be capable of producing 2,000 megawatts of energy.

The Moroccan American Center for Policy (MACP) is a non-profit organization whose principal mission is to inform opinion makers, government officials, and interested publics in the United States about political and social developments in Morocco and the role being played by the Kingdom of Morocco in broader strategic developments in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.

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