Covid-19, Window of Opportunity to Accelerate Access to Sustainable Energy – Expert

Rabat – The Covid-19 epidemic is a “window of opportunity” for countries to boost and accelerate progress in the supply of and access to sustainable and secure energy, said Rim Berahab, economist at the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS), specialist in energy issues.

Despite the fact that the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis on human health and economic activity have momentarily diverted attention from the energy transition, the epidemic represents “at the same time an opportunity to rethink current development models to build a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive future,” Berahab emphasized in PCNS’s “Questions to an Expert” section.

To break with the harmful practices of the past and move towards a greener future, economic recovery plans must therefore be based on the principle of “building back better,” she noted.

Countries cannot simply revive their economies by returning to the same production practices as before, but must activate the change in recovery plans by putting sustainability at the center of this thinking, the expert said.

Berahab also observed that the outbreak has given rise to short-term and long-term challenges in the energy sector.

The implementation of several containment measures to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus has led to a general decline which has contributed to the collapse of crude oil prices on the international market, she said.

“There is no doubt that Morocco’s commitment to renewable energy since 2009 has proven its relevance. Morocco has achieved universal access to energy and nearly 20% of its electricity supply is now derived from renewable energy,” the expert added.