Morocco has begun to make significant efforts towards addressing climate change, with an emphasis on energy, agriculture and urban development. Sixty one percent of Moroccans live in urban areas. Eight cities have a population of over 500,000 people, compared to three in 1985. It is expected that by 2020, two thirds of Morocco’s population will be living in cities. A significant priority of the government is local governance and regionalization that emphasizes local development, job creation and balanced economic growth.

The Government of Morocco (GoM) has been cultivating an inclusive green economy for a number of years in collaboration with international development partners. Additionally, the National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS), conceptualizes territories as sustainable ecosystems, and aims to improve design, coordination and implementation of urban interventions and rural-urban linkages. Such examples provide a strong foundation for GGGI’s Morocco country program, which encompasses green territorial development, the circular and social solidarity economy, and localizing the NSDS.

GGGI supports the Moroccan government’s commitment to transition to a green economy, one of the pillars of the National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS).

GGGI is accompanying the NSDS, Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) implementation process, aimed at promoting a green, inclusive, integrated and sustainable development model at the sub- national level. Its technical support focuses on the development of policies and incentives, identification and design of bankable projects, and assistance in mobilizing funding for their implementation, in alignment with the advanced regionalization process adopted by the Kingdom of Morocco.

Support to the Ministry of Interior

Support to subnational authorities to access green financing for the implementation of programs and bankable projects, through the:

1. Design and establishment of a multi-sector National Financing Vehicle (NFV) to help territories (regions, municipalities and communes) access green finance;

2. Design of a capacity building program to accompany the Regional Project Execution Agencies (AREPs) in the prioritization and preparation of bankable, sustainable and inclusive projects to create a pipeline financeable via the NFV.

Support to the Secretariat of State to the Minister of Energy, Mines, and Sustainable Development, in charge of Sustainable Development

Support in structuring the value chain of the used tire recycling sector, in partnership with the European Used Tire Recyclers Association (ETRA), through the:

1. Mobilization of project funding;
2. Structuring of a used tire value chain;
3. Recommendations of favorable conditions for the implementation of a used tire material recovery sector.

Support to the Secretariat of State to the Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water, in charge of Transport

Support in the transition to sustainable and inclusive low carbon mobility, through the:

1. Development of a CO2-based bonus-malus system for low carbon transport;
2. Redesign of the vehicle renewal and scrapping program in Morocco;
3. Strengthening of rural transport by developing public transport and/or shared mobility business models and associated financing packages;
Assistance with the transition from EURO 4 to EURO 6 vehicle emissions standards;
4. Technical and financial support for SMEs (loaders and logistics service providers) in their transition to green logistics through the introduction of a “Green Logistics” concept as part of the SME LOGIS program.