by Elizabeth Harrington
(AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
‘Inclusive’ contest will award funding for green energy ideas in North Africa.
The State Department is spending almost $400,000 for a climate change competition in Morocco.
The agency said it is “aggressively” fighting climate change and is seeking to influence green energy policy in the North African country.
“Morocco and the U.S. share a strong commitment to combatting climate change which they are tackling aggressively at the international, national, and local levels,” according to a grant announcement. “The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR) seeks to highlight this shared commitment by driving policy and commercial innovation through a Green Growth Climate Challenge.”
The agency is looking for universities, organizations, or nonprofits to host a competition for ideas how to “mitigate the impacts of climate change through the use of clean energy and energy efficient technology.”
“The energy industry is undergoing rapid transformation, offering countries the opportunity to accelerate clean energy deployment, from solar and wind to energy efficiency, through innovative policies and business models,” the State Department said. “Local innovation is a critical component in the fight against climate change, fueling creative approaches to climate change mitigation and resiliency.”
The contest will help Morocco break down barriers so they can adopt more liberal environmental policies.
“The proposed competition will assist Morocco in breaking down barriers between government, academia, and the private sector to encourage the formulation of strong, climate friendly public policies, foster local clean energy economies, and support Morocco’s renewable energy goals,” the State Department said.
The competition, which costs $396,000, will award funding to a winner to implement green energy ideas.
The contest will also be “inclusive.”
“The proposed challenge should aim to promote inclusive approaches that improve local governance and business practices, while also expanding economic opportunities for youth and women,” the State Department said.
