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What should Mauritania do?

  • Build a green inclusive and resilient recovery
    • Strengthen climate change adaptation in coastal cities.
    • Accelerate the digitalization of public services for more
      inclusivity.
    • Mobilize long-term financing.
    • Modernize the agriculture sector and increase its resilience.
    • Develop an operational system for measurement,
      verification, and reporting (MRV) is a priority action.
  • Decarbonize the economy
    • Balance oil and gas policies in order to achieve Mauritania’s
      NDC.
    • Revising value chains for a cleaner, more circular economy

What do you need to know about Mauritania?

What do you need to know about Mauritania?

  • Mauritania is only responsible for 0.03% of global emissions.
  • 68,64% of its emissions comes from agriculture, forestery and other land uses (AFOLU).
  • With international support, Mauritania could reach carbon neutrality.
  • Mauritania’s NDC comprises a gender and youth dimension
  • While 40% of electricity is produced via renewable energy, only 47.7% of the Mauritanian population has access to electricity. (World Bank)

Recent developments, threats and levers for action

Recent developments

Green finance:

  • Mauritania has mobilized climate finance through several bilateral and multilateral sources such as the GEF, GCF, the Adaptation Fund, AFD and KfW

Clean energy:

  • BP (British multinational oil and gas company) and Mauritania have signed an agreement to assess the feasibility of green hydrogen production in the country, utilizing renewable energy sources.
  • The country has signed an agreement with renewable energy developer CWP Global to install 30 GW of wind and solar energy to power electricity for the production of green hydrogen and develops the 10 GW Project “Nour” with Chariot Energy Group
  • A German consortium led by Conjuncta plans to invest €32 billion in a green
    hydrogen project in Mauritania, aiming to produce 8 million tons of green
    hydrogen annually.
  • The EU and Mauritania have launched the affordable, clean, and green electricity program, which will be financed with €13.25 million from the EU budget as part of the Global Gateway.

Institutions:

  • In March 2023, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Mrs. Lalya Aly Kamara participated in the first steering committee of the International Alliance for Drought Resilience (IDRA) in New York, organized by the executive secretariat of the UNCCD.
  • In June, a 15-day campaign dedicated to combating plastic pollution was
    organized by the Mauritanian Ministry of Environment.

Strengths

  • ​The country has a strong potential for solar, wind energy
  • Mauritania has a strong mining sector, which could provide access to the raw
    materials needed for the production of green hydrogen.

Opportunities

  • With its renewable energy resources, Mauritania is an ideal location for the
    production of green hydrogen, which is produced by electrolysis of water using renewable electricity.

Weaknesses

  • Mauritania requires investments in infrastructure, particularly in terms of electricity generation and transmission, as well as the development of a skilled workforce.
  • Mauritania is becoming a significant oil and gas producer after the discovery of new gas reserves off the country’s coast. In a few years Mauritania could face challenges in transitioning to a low-carbon economy like other oil and gas-producing countries.

Threats

  • Mauritania faces several environmental threats such as drought, desertification, deforestation, bush fires and the deterioration of its ecosystems.

About Climate Diplomacy Snapshots

The data is clear. Accelerated and enhanced action is needed now to build resilience and avoid the worst impacts of climate change. As they seek to address the ongoing health, economic and social impacts of COVID-19, governments should seize opportunities to invest in a recovery that will build social, economic and climate resilience on the long-term. The Climate Diplomacy Snapshots aim to provide the climate community with a clear overview of what each country should do, on climate and recovery, to pursue these joint objectives and keep the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C. Each has been prepared with the help of national experts, and will be regularly updated. The snapshots aim to support climate advocacy in the lead up to COP27.

Check other Snapshots