The countries of the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa, MENA) are at a crossroads in their energy policy: while the demand for electricity and socio-economic development is constantly increasing, at the same time it is necessary to react to climate change and the political-social transformation processes. A steady expansion of the use of renewable energy sources is one of the central strategies for the expansion of electricity supply, alongside the use of fossil resources (coal, gas, oil) and, in some cases, nuclear power generation. In order to identify the optimal path of future electricity generation that is (i) cost-effective, (ii) conducive to multiple development goals and (iii) at the same time conflict-sensitive and (iv) socially accepted, important findings are still missing. The aim of this project is to generate and utilise this knowledge. Through an innovative and transdisciplinary approach that combines scenario development, empirical field research, multi-criteria analysis and a consistently participatory process, the project partners intend to
a) fill the existing knowledge gap on the complex relationships between different options for future electricity generation, sustainable development and societal preferences in three selected countries - Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia;
b) develop policy recommendations for implementing the optimal pathway and socially acceptable narratives for communicating new electricity pathways.