Jan 31, 2018, Barcelona: Under the umbrella of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the European commission in the field of sustainable energy, the Kingdom of the Netherlands signed a cooperation partnership with the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE). The partnership focuses on conducting a “high level policy dialogue” as part of the ongoing work on energy transition of the RE& EE platform of the UfM. Through the partnership, both parties aim to catalyze the drive for energy transition in the southern Mediterranean countries.

Furthermore, the Dutch-RCREEE partnership confirms the urgency of climate change and that sustainable energy is main pillar in addressing this issue to address climate change and mitigate CO2 emissions. RCREEE Executive Director, Dr. Ahmed Badr and MENA Regional Envoy for Water and Energy Security, Ms. Tessa Terpstra signed the partnership at UfM energy platforms held in Barcelona, Spain.                       

“We believe southern Mediterranean countries can benefit from each other’s insights and experience in finding adequate solutions mainly through private sector financing for the multiple challenges they face resulting from climate change via an intergovernmental high-level policy dialogue,” said Dr. Badr and Ms. Terpstra.

Besides, RCREEE presented the “Solar Heating Arab Mark and Certification Initiative” project and the results of "Viability of solar cooling technologies in the Southern Mediterranean" study in cooperation with UNDP and league of Arab states in UFM platform meetings.