The Arab Network for Environment and Development (RAED) held its Second National Consultation Session on “Renewable Energy Policies” under the regional initiative “TeraMed.” This initiative aims to achieve 1 terawatt of clean energy production in the Mediterranean basin by 2030. A wide array of experts, representatives from government agencies, civil society organizations, as well as academics and media professionals gathered to discuss challenges and opportunities to expedite the renewable energy transition.

In preparation for the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29), set to be held later this year in Baku, Azerbaijan, RAED launched a series of national consultations to support the TeraMed initiative. This initiative, endorsed by nearly 200 countries at COP 28 in Dubai last year, calls for tripling the current rate of renewable energy production and usage by 2030.

Dr. Emad Adly, General Coordinator of RAED, opened the meeting by reviewing the progress made on supporting the TeraMed initiative nationally. He highlighted a series of consultations and workshops held since the initiative’s official launch during Cairo’s Sustainable Energy Week in early October. These included the First National Consultation and localized consultations across Greater Cairo, Fayoum, and Upper Egypt, as well as sessions in several Arab countries in the southern Mediterranean, including Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. These sessions were attended by RAED’s civil society partners, government officials and sustainable energy experts to advance the initiative’s primary goal of achieving 1 terawatt of clean energy.

Discussions at the Second National Consultation in Cairo identified several challenges impeding the realization of TeraMed’s goals on both national and regional levels. A strategic roadmap was proposed, outlining essential steps to accelerate the renewable energy transition in the Mediterranean region.

In closing, Dr. Adly emphasized that these steps form part of a comprehensive strategy to drive the energy transition in Mediterranean countries. The TeraMed initiative, he noted, promotes regional integration and places renewable energy at the forefront of sustainable development priorities.