Marseille, from November 18 to 20, 2024
Co-financed by the European Union, the project “Local Energy Climate Service: a tool for energy and climate transition serving integrated urban development”, jointly led by the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region, aims to:
- Strengthen urban governance,
- Improve territorial resilience,
- Promote social inclusion in cities,
- Stimulate prosperity and innovation in the TTAH region.
The project equips eight municipalities (Tangier, Tetouan, Ouazzane, Ksar El Kebir, Chefchaouen, Melloussa, Al Hoceima, and M’diq) with Local Energy Climate Services (SLEC), real hubs for sustainable development and local energy and climate monitoring. The Mediterranean Forum, held in Marseille from November 18 to 20, 2024, was one of the key moments of the project. It was part of the Working Group 5 (WG5) dedicated to capitalization, dialogue, and advocacy. The event aimed to:
- Develop multi-level cooperation,
- Propose concrete solutions in green economy and urban governance,
- Enhance political awareness of the need to sustain SLEC at the Mediterranean level.
Over 65 participants attended the Forum, including:
- A Moroccan delegation of 36 people,
- Representatives from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region,
- Associated partners such as the Oriental Region, ORU-FOGAR, Medcités, Clima-Med, CIM-CRPM,
- Two representatives from the Nouakchott region,
- And the General Consulate of the Kingdom of Morocco in Marseille.
Opening Session
The opening ceremony featured speeches by the vice-presidents of both regions:
- Mr. Taoufiq EL BOURCH for Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
- Mr. Genzana Bruno for Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
They emphasized the strength of a 25-year partnership between the two territories and highlighted:
- The strategic importance of the SLEC project,
- Its European funding,
- And its alignment with urgent global climate issues.
Presentation of the SLEC Positioning Study
The opening morning concluded with the presentation of the main results of the positioning study on Mediterranean and European Energy-Climate policies, conducted by Artelia Consulting. Ms. Johanna NAVARRO, Director of Ecological Transition Consulting, highlighted:
- The remarkable commitment of the eight participating municipalities,
- The quality of the remote individual interviews,
- And the strategic importance of this analysis phase in measuring the SLEC’s impact on:
- The ecological transition of territories,
- And local economic development.
Roundtable on Energy Climate Governance in the Mediterranean
A roundtable was held on the afternoon of November 18, 2024, moderated by Mr. Hicham BOUZIANE, Director of Regional Planning and Development and SLEC Project Coordinator in the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region. This session focused on the central theme:
“Challenges and prospects for Energy Climate Service governance in the Mediterranean: what management model for sustainability?”
The discussions enriched reflections on governance approaches tailored to local and regional realities, to ensure the sustainable deployment of SLEC across the Mediterranean. This roundtable was very rich in exchanges, with speakers providing valuable insights and action perspectives on this crucial subject of SLEC governance. They presented and compared various management models from their own institutions and other similar public services in the Mediterranean, paving the way for better operationalization and sustainable effectiveness of SLEC.
Visit to the “Jacques Chirac” International School Campus
The day of November 18, 2024 concluded with a visit to the “Jacques Chirac” International School Campus. This innovative educational project, representing a territorial ambition combining social and academic diversity, was presented by Ms. Isabelle NEGREL, the school principal, with Mr. Poisson, professor of Arabic. It was emphasized that the school is an exemplary eco-friendly building with a sustainable learning environment. The visited school was designed as a model of sustainable architecture, incorporating innovative solutions to:
- Reduce ecological impact,
- Provide students with a healthy and inspiring learning environment.
Workshop on the Emergence of “Green Jobs” in the Ecological Transition of Territories
On November 19, 2024, during the second day of the forum, a workshop was dedicated to the emergence of “green jobs” in the context of the ecological transition of territories. This session allowed for a thorough dialogue between municipalities, regional representatives, and Mediterranean networks around flagship projects related to energy efficiency and decarbonization. Participants raised numerous comments and questions, addressing various topics such as:
- Partnerships between represented institutions and networks,
- Concrete projects aimed at Mediterranean municipalities,
- The development of green jobs aligned with the needs of the territories.
The main outcomes of the workshop focused on:
- Strengthening local skills,
- Raising awareness about energy consumption,
- Energy evaluation of buildings,
- And the membership of SLECs in partner networks to promote best practices and access to funding opportunities (e.g. competitiveness clusters).
Workshop on Sharing Best Practices for the Implementation of Energy-Climate Public Services
A second workshop focused on “Sharing best practices for the implementation of Energy-Climate public services”, based on case studies and the development of an action plan. Discussions addressed key issues such as:
- Funding opportunities,
- Available technical expertise,
- Steps and success factors of SLECs,
- Monitoring and evaluation tools and methodologies to be adopted.
The workshop led to a series of key recommendations to support the development of an action plan for the implementation and follow-up of Local Energy-Climate Services. These recommendations revolve around three essential aspects:
- Communication with citizens and local stakeholders,
- Raising awareness of climate and energy issues,
- Strengthening the skills of local actors.
This action plan will be supported by the technical expertise of partners involved in the SLEC project, who have committed to integrating SLEC activities into their own strategies and action plans.
Visit to the Euro-Mediterranean District
In addition to the workshops, participants took part in a visit to the Euro-Mediterranean district, organized by the association La Compagnie des Rêves Urbains. This visit featured several concrete urban initiatives, including:
- The Fabriques,
- The Smartseille district,
- And the Cazemajou observation point.
The visit offered a tangible example of a sustainable urban renewal project, enriching the discussions held during the forum’s second day sessions.
Closing Session
On November 20, 2024, the Forum concluded with closing speeches by several institutional representatives:
- Mr. Taoufiq EL BOURCH, Vice President of the Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima Region,
- Mr. Bernard KLEYNHOFF, Commission President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region,
- Ms. Marie BADUEL, Deputy Director of AVITEM,
- Ms. Marianne ZISS, Diplomatic Advisor to the Prefect of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region.
The representatives of the eight municipalities designated to host the SLECs unanimously expressed their satisfaction with the outcomes and discussions of this high-profile event. They gave the forum a very positive evaluation.
The closing ended on a note of optimism, opening up new paths for cooperation between:
- The Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima Region,
- The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region,
- Associated SLEC project partners present (Oriental Region, ORU-FOGAR, Covenant of Mayors Mediterranean / Clima-Med, MedCities, CIM-CRPM),
- And the eight pilot municipalities of the project.
