The webinar “Equal Regional Partnerships to Secure the Green Energy Transition in the Mediterranean” was organised by the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA in collaboration with Bertelsmann Stiftung, and took place on Thursday 6th June 2024, 15:00-16:30 CET, on Zoom.
The webinar was motivated by the recent study, Strengthening EU-Southern Neighbourhood Relations: The Imperative of Equal Partnerships in the Green Energy Transition, published by EMEA and Bertelsmann Stiftung. The study highlights the importance of green partnerships and collaboration on green energy uptake as a strategic effort to achieve regional resilience, ensure future energy security, and safeguard the environment and provides 3 key recommendations to achieve this. Firstly, the authors argue for the strengthening of available financial tools such as NDICI, ESFD+, Global Gateway, and the Economic Investment Plan for the new Agenda for the Mediterranean, ensuring they are transparent and available to all stakeholders. Secondly, foster innovation and capacity building by launching initiatives within existing frameworks such as ERASMUS+ to bolster green skills and facilitate educational exchanges and knowledge transfer. And finally, ensure community engagement is at the heart of green policy by creating formal platforms for local participation in the planning and implementation of green projects.
Closing the webinar Prof. Rym Ayadi, President and Founder of the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA, highlighted: “To accelerate the green energy transition in the Mediterranean, we must adopt a multi-faceted approach aimed to accelerate supply and demand, that includes robust policy frameworks, substantial private-public investments in renewable energy infrastructure, support to entrepreneurship, inclusion to SMEs and cross-border cooperation. By harnessing the region’s abundant solar and wind resources, fostering innovation, transfer technology and engaging local communities and entre, we can create a sustainable energy future that ensures environmental protection, economic resilience, and social equity for all Mediterranean countries.”
Agenda:
Moderator: Prof. Rym Ayadi, President and Founder, EMEA
Speakers:
- Dr. Yeganeh Forouheshfar, Senior Researcher, EMEA
- Matthieu Craye, Team Leader, Southern Neighbourhood Energy Cooperation, DG NEAR
- Cyril Dewaleyne, Team Leader in Connectivity, Environment and Climate Action, DG NEAR
- Dr. Hamdy Adelaty, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Manager, Energie-Innovationszentrum (EIZ)
- Jauad El Kharraz, Executive Director, Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE)
- Anne Jacobs-Schleithoff, Head of Division, Middle East North Africa, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
- Ines Duarte Project Manager at the Energy and Climate Action Division, Secretariat of the Union of the Mediterranean
Concluding Remarks:
- Christian Hanelt, Senior Expert Europe, Neighbourhood and the Middle East, Bertelsmann Stiftung
- Prof. Rym Ayadi, President and Founder, EMEA
