Climate change in Morocco

Climate change in Morocco is expected to significantly impact Morocco on multiple dimensions, just like for other countries in the MENA region.
As a coastal country with hot and arid climates, environmental impacts from climate change are likely to be wide and varied. Morocco lacks the immunity against it's own climate change,so therefore deterioration, and poverty will set it then yields of agricultural production will be greatly reduced. Analysis of these environmental changes on the economy of Morocco are expected to create challenges at all levels of the economy. The main effects will be felt in the agricultural systems and fisheries which employ half of the population, and account for 14% of GDP. In addition, because 60% of the population and most of the industrial activity are on the coast, sea level rise is a major threat to key economic forces. As of the 2019 Climate Change Performance Index, Morocco was ranked second in preparedness behind Sweden.
Impacts on the natural environment
Temperature and weather changes
Sea level rise
60% of the population of Morocco lives on the coast, and flooding and sea level rise are expected to significantly effect these populations. These effects are especially going to effect economic activities, including tourism, agriculture, and industry.
According to the NOAA 2022 sea-level rise technical report, “Sea level rise will create a profound shift in coastal flooding over the next 30 years by causing tide and storm surge heights to increase and reach further inland.” The increase in sea-level rise will affect places such as the low terrain surrounding the Moulouya delta, a vital wetland on the eastern coast of Morocco, that is especially vulnerable to sea-level rise and the stress, flooding, erosion, and overall decimation of the area. The New York Times summarizes the 2022 IPCC climate change assessment, stating that these rising sea levels could "exceed what many nations can afford," both in the sense of destroyed land and economic ramifications.
Water resources
Climate variability is expected to put a number of pressures on water resources in Morocco. Projections indicate 10%-20% decreases in precipitation across the country, with the most severe in the Saharan region by 2100. Additionally, climate change will reduce snowpack in the Atlas Mountains. This puts pressure on water resources, already stressed by other sources such as population expansion, urban growth, industry, and tourism. Furthermore, many coastal aquifers will increasingly become stressed because of coastal salinization.
Morocco experienced an unprecedented heat wave in spring 2022, with temperatures far above the seasonal average, attributed to climate change. A dry winter and a five-year trend of declining annual rainfall have contributed to severe water scarcity and adversely affected the agricultural sector. The rise in temperatures is linked to increased greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and urbanization.
Imider, a water-stressed community in Morocco's southeast, faces climate change-induced water scarcity. The indigenous Amazigh people have traditionally depended on an efficient irrigation system known as 'khettara,' but rising temperatures and drought, along with phosphate and silver mining in the region, threaten this centuries-old method.
Impacts on people
Economy
Agriculture
The agricultural system in Morocco is especially vulnerable to climate change. Crop production is primarily (87%) from rainfed agriculture. A 2016 drought resulted in 70% decreases in crop yields, and slowed the economy.
Mitigation and adaptation
Renewable energy
Energy policy
Government policies and legislation
Morocco ranked second in its approach to addressing climate change in the 2018 and 2019 Climate Change Performance Index. As per the 2022 CCPI, Morocco was ranked 8th amongst the 68 countries around the world with an overall score of 71.64%.
The government of Morocco has a Plan Vert strategy in order to cope with climate change. In this plan, the government commits to producing over half of its energy by renewables by 2030, removing subsidies of fossil fuels, committing to green employment, focusing on ocean resource management and preserving aquifers.
Morocco intends to generate 52 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, with 20 percent coming from solar, 20 percent from wind, and 12 percent from hydropower.
In 2023, Morocco's finance minister, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, highlighted the need to adapt the country's economy to address the escalating threat of climate change. Droughts caused by below-average rainfall linked to climate change have significantly impacted Morocco's agriculture, and the country's economy grew just 1.2% in 2022, down from 7.9% the previous year. To address the water scarcity challenge, the government is focusing on investing in water technologies and further accelerating growth sectors like car manufacturing.
See also
Climate change in the Middle East and North Africa
References
Environment of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco