UfM Regional Platform on Energy
Context
The Mediterranean region is currently grappling with significant energy challenges. According to the Observatoire Méditerranéen de l’Énergie (OME), per capita energy demand in Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries is projected to rise by 62% by 2040, based on 2018 figures. This surge in demand is compounded by rapid industrialization and tourism growth, which are straining available energy resources. Furthermore, the region is experiencing an alarming increase in average temperatures, surpassing the 1.5°C limit agreed upon in the Paris Agreement. The 2019 Mediterranean Assessment Report on Climate and Environmental Changes, published by the network of Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC), highlights that the Mediterranean basin is warming at a rate 20% faster than the global average. In just two decades, an estimated 250 million people in the region could be classified as “water poor,” marking it as one of the world’s climate change hotspots.
However, these challenges also present opportunities for a sustainable energy transition. The Mediterranean is abundant in renewable energy resources, including wind, solar, and hydro power, providing a solid foundation for a shift towards low-carbon energy systems. Additionally, advancements in energy efficiency technologies can enhance energy conservation and storage capabilities. Developing gas and power transmission interconnections will facilitate the integration of regional energy markets, allowing countries to strengthen their energy security in the face of growing demand. By effectively addressing these challenges, the Mediterranean region can pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient energy future.
The Platform's objective
The UfM Regional Platform on Energy is a unique dialogue forum that brings together the 43 UfM countries alongside key stakeholders, including financial institutions, regional organisations, industrial enterprises, and energy experts. This platform hosts an annual meeting to advance on the agreed UfM Roadmap for Action on Energy, focused on enhancing synergies in renewable energy, energy efficiency, electricity market integration, and gas management across the Mediterranean region. It is organized into three working groups, each operating under specific Work Programmes that encompass workshops, reports, studies, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
Working groups
The UfM coordinates the following working groups within the Energy Platform:
- Working Group on Electricity Market: This group aims to progressively integrate energy systems and markets within the UfM region, particularly by enhancing electricity exchanges and interconnections. Their goal is to secure an affordable and sustainable electricity supply that benefits both citizens and economies in the Euro-Mediterranean area.
- Working Group on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: This group focuses on promoting the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures to foster socio-economic development and facilitate a sustainable energy transition. Their efforts are geared towards ensuring that all citizens and businesses in the region have access to secure, affordable, and reliable modern energy services.
- Working Group on Gas, Emissions Abatement, and Hydrogen: This group’s objective is to tackle the challenges and opportunities facing the Euro-Mediterranean gas market, including renewable and low-carbon gases such as biogas, biomethane, hydrogen, and synthetic natural gas. They also consider commitments made at COP 28 to significantly reduce methane emissions from fossil fuel production and The Observatoire Méditerranéen de l’Énergie (OME) manages the UfM Gas Platform Secretariat, collaborating closely with the UfM Co-Presidency.
Through their efforts, these working groups contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7, which aims to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.”
Policy framework
The UfM Ministerial Meeting on Energy took place on June 14, 2021, in Lisbon, Portugal, where all UfM Member States signed a Joint Ministerial Declaration. This declaration underscores a united commitment to tackle the region’s energy challenges and foster a sustainable, inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It sets an ambitious agenda for a green, just, and equitable energy transition aligned with global climate goals, committing to the decarbonization of the energy sector and enhancing regional cooperation.
In the wake of this declaration, the UfM Roadmap for Action on Energy was adopted in 2022. This roadmap delineates a series of activities to be executed by the UfM Secretariat within the framework of the UfM Regional Platform on Energy and its three working groups, with ongoing monitoring of progress. As the current roadmap concludes in 2024, a new roadmap will be developed to continue steering the region’s energy transition initiatives into the future.
Key dates
During the UfM Ministerial Meeting on Energy in 2016, three energy platforms were endorsed and subsequently consolidated into a single UfM Regional Platform on Energy, with three working groups. This merger is part of the ongoing reforms within the UfM, aimed at streamlining efforts and enhancing coordination.
Key partners
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