A network of 8 SLEC

As part of the convergence of efforts made by all stakeholders, and following the fulfillment of the eligibility conditions set by the call for expressions of interest for selecting the municipalities that will host the SLECs, the Sustainable Development House has been selected to host the SLEC of the Prefecture of Tangier-Assilah.

The Sustainable Development House (SDH) is an innovative educational space with the mission of strengthening the human capital of the population through awareness, education, and training on sustainable development and the energy and ecological transition. It is a space for developing knowledge, know-how, and life skills around sustainable development issues, aimed at young children, middle and high school students, university students, territorial actors, employees of industrial companies, members of associations, and citizens in general.

His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, launched the construction works of the SDH on July 1, 2016. The building was designed as an exemplary model in terms of ecology and energy efficiency. The Moroccan Association for the Environment and Sustainable Development (AMED) manages this building, in accordance with a framework agreement signed between AMED, the Council of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region, the Wilaya of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region, the Municipality of Tangier, and the regional environmental department.

The SDH building is energy-positive (it produces more energy than it consumes), and it uses a large amount of renewable energy for its operation, including an 18KWc photovoltaic installation with 56 panels. Heating and cooling are sustainably managed through a Canadian well, which uses ground temperature to regulate indoor climate.

The SDH also includes an educational platform equipped with 4 thematic rooms, designed to understand and promote best practices related to various sustainable development themes (biodiversity, water, energy, coastal preservation, circular economy, energy efficiency, renewable energy, climate change and climate action, Sustainable Development Goals).

Following the call for expressions of interest launched by the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region for the selection of municipalities to host the SLECs, the municipality of Al Hoceima was selected to host the SLEC of the province of Al Hoceima.

This municipality in the Rif region is one of the Moroccan municipalities that benefited from the Clima-Med project funded by the European Union during the 2018–2022 period. It is also a member of the Covenant of Mayors for the Mediterranean.

The municipality of Al Hoceima aims to become a low-carbon sustainable city, as demonstrated notably by its SEACAP (Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan). The adoption of the SLEC project in its territory will be an opportunity to promote awareness and collective action in the fields of energy, environment, climate, climate change, greenhouse gases (GHG), and sustainable development.

Through its SLEC, the municipality plans to promote pilot projects related to clean energy, GHG reduction, and environmental protection. This noble mission will be marked by multi-stakeholder exchanges during public events, conferences, and awareness campaigns. Training sessions and skills development workshops will also be offered for various target groups in specific areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, GHG inventories, etc.

Following the call for expressions of interest launched by the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region for the selection of municipalities to host the SLECs, the municipality of Ouezzane was selected to host the SLEC of the province of Ouezzane. Being an integral part of Morocco, which is severely threatened by the negative effects of climate change such as droughts and irregular rainfall, the municipality of Ouezzane is not spared from various degrading natural disasters.

The action plan of the SLEC in the municipality of Ouezzane is mainly focused on improving the quality of public lighting within the municipality through the development of a diagnostic study of the current network, the establishment of an appropriate irrigation system for all green spaces in the city using treated water captured from the wastewater treatment plant currently under construction, and the optimization of electricity consumption in all municipal buildings and facilities through the installation of a renewable, ecological, and green energy system.

The implementation of these ambitions will rely on the administrative, technical, and financial assets of the municipality, as well as the integration of various institutional, professional, and civil society stakeholders interested in the environment and sustainable development sector.

Following the call for expressions of interest launched by the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region for the selection of municipalities to host the SLECs, the municipality of Chefchaouen was selected to host the SLEC of the province of Chefchaouen.

The municipality of Chefchaouen adopts fundamental principles aimed at integrating sustainable development into all decisions related to local development, particularly those concerning energy aspects. In this context, the city of Chefchaouen hosted the EIC (Energy Info Center), which aims to help reduce energy consumption by individuals and businesses. As an adaptation project to climate change, it stands out through its innovative structure tailored to the Moroccan context, offering free information and advisory services through events, visits, awareness campaigns, and exchanges.

With the same mindset, the municipality of Chefchaouen has committed to the SLEC project, which it sees as an innovative and sustainable approach to energy management in the region — a necessary response to the environmental and economic challenges faced by the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region.

Through the SLEC, the municipality of Chefchaouen aims to transform the Blue Pearl into a sustainable city offering numerous opportunities for economic and environmental development, through environmental protection, improved energy efficiency, promotion of renewable energy, strengthening of local capacities, and the recovery of household and similar waste.

The municipality of Chefchaouen also places particular importance on education as part of its SLEC, to promote collective awareness regarding the energy and climate transition. The role of awareness-raising must also be emphasized in fostering citizen engagement and encouraging active public participation in addressing the challenges of social cohesion and local governance.

Following the call for expressions of interest launched by the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region for the selection of municipalities to host the SLECs, the municipality of Tétouan was selected to host the SLEC of the province of Tétouan.

The interest shown by the municipality of Tétouan in the project of establishing a SLEC within its territory stems not only from the role and objectives assigned to such a service, but also from its contribution to the coherence of the municipality’s actions.

Indeed, through joint ecological planning of the territory, the SLEC can bring a higher level of environmental governance and multi-stakeholder mobilization by aligning with Tétouan’s Municipal Action Plan (PAC) and the action plan submitted to the international “Open Government Partnership” (OGP-Local) initiative.

The Tétouan SLEC is seen by the municipality as an effective tool for implementing strategies for communication, awareness, and mobilization of institutional, social, and private sector stakeholders around a local resilience project addressing the challenges of climate change.

Regarding the proposed organizational management of the Tétouan SLEC, it is based on its function as a “service” represented by municipal staff, and a public mission that can be achieved through the establishment of a consultative body for sustainable development and climate resilience. This body is formed according to the provisions of Article 119 of Organic Law 113-14 related to municipalities, and it will not be limited to a consultative role, but will also be actively involved in the development of the SLEC’s intervention strategy and annual program.

Following the call for expressions of interest launched by the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region for the selection of municipalities to host the SLECs, the municipality of Ksar El Kébir was selected to host the SLEC of the province of Larache.

The SLEC is seen as a geographical catalyst for the urban energy and climate transition of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, which faces major structural challenges such as energy dependence, water scarcity, climate change, and natural disasters.

The SLEC in the municipality of Ksar El Kébir will generate urban-scale planning, collaborative environmental protection, ecological governance, and multi-stakeholder mobilization within the territory (citizens, local authorities, professionals, civil society, etc.). The ultimate goal is to make energy and climate key pillars of sustainable territorial development and its economic enhancement through green jobs.

The municipality of Ksar El Kébir will develop an action plan for the implementation of energy and climate transition measures suited to its needs, particularly the use of renewable energy, improved energy efficiency in buildings, waste management, and other similar measures.

This rollout of measures in particular, and objectives in general, can only be achieved with the commitment of the local community and its involvement in the planning and implementation process of energy and climate transition measures. Therefore, the municipality of Ksar El Kébir plans to work with neighboring municipalities, civil society organizations, and territorial stakeholders to ensure the development and sustainability of the project, within a multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral approach.

Following the call for expressions of interest launched by the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region for the selection of municipalities to host the SLECs, the municipality of M’diq was selected to host the SLEC of the prefecture of M’diq-Fnideq.

The municipality of M’diq is a small town of 68,000 inhabitants, known for its 17 km of Mediterranean beaches, its green space of over 23 hectares, its 3 forests, its 3 marinas, and its fishing port. It has an economy mainly based on tourism and fishing, which becomes particularly evident during the summer season — bringing both economic recovery for M’diq and challenges such as water stress, increased energy consumption, and a rise in waste volume.

In response to this situation, the municipality of M’diq has, for several years, been implementing strategies to protect its natural resources and reduce its energy and water bills, especially in the current context marked by high energy consumption that affects both the climate and quality of human life. In this regard, the creation of the M’diq SLEC — with training and awareness as its main objectives — becomes a necessity for sustainable development at the local level, with an impact extending across the entire local and national territory.

To achieve its ambitions, the municipality of M’diq is adopting a multi-stakeholder strategy with civil society, particularly with more than 20 associations active in the environmental sector. A partnership with one of these associations is planned as part of the SLEC project, formalized through a partnership agreement, alongside other partners such as Abdelmalek Essaâdi University and its various institutions.

A 120 m² plot has been allocated to the SLEC project, in addition to a team of two qualified municipal staff members to oversee the implementation of the SLEC.

Following the call for expressions of interest launched by the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region for the selection of municipalities to host the SLECs, the municipality of Melloussa was selected to host the SLEC of the province of Fahs-Anjra.

The municipality of Melloussa covers an area of 110 km² and is bordered to the east by the municipality of Khmiss Anjra, to the west by the municipality of Bahraouiyine, to the north by the municipality of Ksar Sghir, and to the south by the municipality of Jouamâa. It had a total population of 12,250 according to 2014 statistics.

Over the past ten years, the municipality of Melloussa has undergone radical changes in terms of urban development, particularly in the industrial sector — a development that calls for the integration of the fundamental principles of sustainable development, especially regarding energy needs. Thus, the SLEC of Melloussa will play a key role in raising awareness, educating, and supporting the population in moving toward a sustainable energy transition capable of addressing major structural challenges, while remaining aligned with the vision of territorial revitalization and job creation.

With the aim of bringing its SLEC ambitions to life, the municipality of Melloussa aims to accelerate the energy transition in line with Morocco's green growth strategy. It is also expected that the Melloussa SLEC will improve living conditions for the population by reducing energy poverty and strengthening the resilience of residents and communities. These ambitions respond to several key motivations, including the climate emergency, job creation, and economic development — along with the need to meet citizens' expectations.