The international community is in a much more robust position to deal with an energy crisis than it was before Russia invaded Ukraine, a Moroccan government minister has said.
Leila Benali, the kingdom’s minister for the energy transition and sustainable development, said a proactive approach to energy efficiency in the coming months would prove critical to countries’ ability to meet consumers’ demand.
Her comments came after it emerged that Morocco’s energy bill reached a record high of more than 153 billion dirhams (£14 billion) last year.
Speaking at London think tank Chatham House’s Energy Transitions conference, Ms Benali noted the seismic shift in governments’ attitude towards energy security.
“The whole world is now in that more proactive mode as opposed to reactive,” she told the audience during her virtual appearance.
Ms Benali said the energy sector can cushion itself against blows caused by wars, crises and geopolitical tensions by increasing connectivity.
“The world, in general, is better equipped today … to tackle major energy disruptions compared to [how it was in] the last century because we have built more and more resilience and agility and connectivity in our systems that enable us to [respond] better than in the last century to navigate these uncertainties,” she said.
While huge strides have been taken by the sector, the minister said there was need for more to be done in terms of forward planning.
Looking ahead to what infrastructure will be needed in the future and how to deliver it is a “big area of innovation that the world would need going forward,” she added.
She cited microgrids, small collections of power-gathering assets often run at community level, as an example of how useful localised infrastructure can be to delivering energy security.
“I think the pace of development of those localised distribution solutions is still very slow, especially in the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] markets where we would want to increase the connection with and to the pipes and wires that …. need to be properly invested in,” she said.
Innovation on the energy storage side is also required to “increase and embed that resilience and flexibility in our system”.
The minister went on to note the importance of taking the views of consumers into account when making energy decisions.
Turning to the transition from fossil fuels to green energy, she predicted the year ahead would play a major role in determining how countries would perform in the race to reach net zero.
Last month, Ms Benali was reported to have announced the launch of renewable energy projects valued at 20 billion dirhams in the disputed Western Sahara region.
She was quoted as telling a government session that Moroccan green energy projects are attracting “great interest” from investors at home and abroad.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
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Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
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Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
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Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
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World Mental Health Day
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MATCH INFO
Rajasthan Royals 158-8 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 143/7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals won by 15 runs
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Superior, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap Dh 185,000 2,000m
Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Roy Orbison, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.15pm
Handicap Dh 190,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.50pm
Handicap Dh 175,000 1,600m
Winner: Welford, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm: Handicap Dh 175,000 1,200m
Winner: Lavaspin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Sandeep Jadhav
Plastic tipping points
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Specs%20
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Book%20Details
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