Governance, Energy Policy, and Sustainable Development: Renewable Energy Infrastructure Transition in Developing MENA Countries
This study provides a comparative analysis of the environmental and economic performance of Oman, Egypt, and Morocco, focusing on the critical interplay between their economic structures, governance frameworks, and energy policies. Morocco stands out as a regional leader in renewable energy, driven...
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2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2759 |
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| author | Michail Michailidis Eleni Zafeiriou Apostolos Kantartzis Spyridon Galatsidas Garyfallos Arabatzis |
| author_facet | Michail Michailidis Eleni Zafeiriou Apostolos Kantartzis Spyridon Galatsidas Garyfallos Arabatzis |
| author_sort | Michail Michailidis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study provides a comparative analysis of the environmental and economic performance of Oman, Egypt, and Morocco, focusing on the critical interplay between their economic structures, governance frameworks, and energy policies. Morocco stands out as a regional leader in renewable energy, driven by significant investments in solar, wind, and hydroelectric projects, positioning itself as a model for clean energy transition. Egypt, despite its rapid industrialization and urbanization, faces mounting environmental pressures that challenge its economic diversification efforts. Oman, heavily dependent on hydrocarbons, confronts significant sustainability risks due to its reliance on fossil fuels, despite the political stability that could support renewable integration. The research underscores that while these nations share common challenges, including regulatory weaknesses and energy policy inconsistencies, their distinct economic contexts demand tailored approaches. Morocco’s path to energy leadership must focus on integrating renewables across all sectors, enhancing grid infrastructure, and expanding green technology innovations to maintain momentum. Egypt should prioritize scaling up renewable infrastructure, reducing dependency on fossil fuels, and investing in clean technology to address its carbon footprint. For Oman, the strategic diversification of its economy, combined with aggressive renewable energy integration, is critical to reducing CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and mitigating climate impacts. This study contributes novel insights by highlighting the role of political stability, institutional quality, and policy coherence as critical enablers of long-term sustainability. It also identifies the importance of regional cooperation and knowledge sharing to overcome shared challenges like data limitations, geopolitical complexities, and methodological gaps in sustainability assessments. The findings advocate for a multi-method approach, integrating economic modeling, life-cycle analysis, and policy evaluation, to guide future sustainability efforts and foster resilient, low-carbon economies in the MENA region. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4346bf489b05435e9648eed93af51115 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj-art-4346bf489b05435e9648eed93af511152025-08-20T03:46:46ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-05-011811275910.3390/en18112759Governance, Energy Policy, and Sustainable Development: Renewable Energy Infrastructure Transition in Developing MENA CountriesMichail Michailidis0Eleni Zafeiriou1Apostolos Kantartzis2Spyridon Galatsidas3Garyfallos Arabatzis4Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, GreeceDepartment of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, GreeceDepartment of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, GreeceDepartment of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, GreeceDepartment of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, GreeceThis study provides a comparative analysis of the environmental and economic performance of Oman, Egypt, and Morocco, focusing on the critical interplay between their economic structures, governance frameworks, and energy policies. Morocco stands out as a regional leader in renewable energy, driven by significant investments in solar, wind, and hydroelectric projects, positioning itself as a model for clean energy transition. Egypt, despite its rapid industrialization and urbanization, faces mounting environmental pressures that challenge its economic diversification efforts. Oman, heavily dependent on hydrocarbons, confronts significant sustainability risks due to its reliance on fossil fuels, despite the political stability that could support renewable integration. The research underscores that while these nations share common challenges, including regulatory weaknesses and energy policy inconsistencies, their distinct economic contexts demand tailored approaches. Morocco’s path to energy leadership must focus on integrating renewables across all sectors, enhancing grid infrastructure, and expanding green technology innovations to maintain momentum. Egypt should prioritize scaling up renewable infrastructure, reducing dependency on fossil fuels, and investing in clean technology to address its carbon footprint. For Oman, the strategic diversification of its economy, combined with aggressive renewable energy integration, is critical to reducing CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and mitigating climate impacts. This study contributes novel insights by highlighting the role of political stability, institutional quality, and policy coherence as critical enablers of long-term sustainability. It also identifies the importance of regional cooperation and knowledge sharing to overcome shared challenges like data limitations, geopolitical complexities, and methodological gaps in sustainability assessments. The findings advocate for a multi-method approach, integrating economic modeling, life-cycle analysis, and policy evaluation, to guide future sustainability efforts and foster resilient, low-carbon economies in the MENA region.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2759renewable energyeconomic growthpolitical stabilityregulatory qualityMENA countries |
| spellingShingle | Michail Michailidis Eleni Zafeiriou Apostolos Kantartzis Spyridon Galatsidas Garyfallos Arabatzis Governance, Energy Policy, and Sustainable Development: Renewable Energy Infrastructure Transition in Developing MENA Countries Energies renewable energy economic growth political stability regulatory quality MENA countries |
| title | Governance, Energy Policy, and Sustainable Development: Renewable Energy Infrastructure Transition in Developing MENA Countries |
| title_full | Governance, Energy Policy, and Sustainable Development: Renewable Energy Infrastructure Transition in Developing MENA Countries |
| title_fullStr | Governance, Energy Policy, and Sustainable Development: Renewable Energy Infrastructure Transition in Developing MENA Countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Governance, Energy Policy, and Sustainable Development: Renewable Energy Infrastructure Transition in Developing MENA Countries |
| title_short | Governance, Energy Policy, and Sustainable Development: Renewable Energy Infrastructure Transition in Developing MENA Countries |
| title_sort | governance energy policy and sustainable development renewable energy infrastructure transition in developing mena countries |
| topic | renewable energy economic growth political stability regulatory quality MENA countries |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2759 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michailmichailidis governanceenergypolicyandsustainabledevelopmentrenewableenergyinfrastructuretransitionindevelopingmenacountries AT elenizafeiriou governanceenergypolicyandsustainabledevelopmentrenewableenergyinfrastructuretransitionindevelopingmenacountries AT apostoloskantartzis governanceenergypolicyandsustainabledevelopmentrenewableenergyinfrastructuretransitionindevelopingmenacountries AT spyridongalatsidas governanceenergypolicyandsustainabledevelopmentrenewableenergyinfrastructuretransitionindevelopingmenacountries AT garyfallosarabatzis governanceenergypolicyandsustainabledevelopmentrenewableenergyinfrastructuretransitionindevelopingmenacountries |