Morocco is classified as a hot climate zone experiencing significant climate change, with temperatures rising by an average of 0.2°C per decade since the 1960s—a rate approximately 11% higher than the global average. Rainfall rates have also seen a continuous decline, leading to a sharp drop in available renewable water resources per capita. Morocco has reached a state of water stress, with resources falling below 1,000 cubic meters per capita annually, heading toward absolute water scarcity.
Studies predict that these climate changes will intensify in the coming decades, with significant impacts on the water cycle, posing a threat to the agricultural sector and other economic activities; this makes the climate change adaptation agenda a central pillar of Morocco’s development policies.
Morocco possesses abundant renewable energy resources, particularly solar and wind power, receiving approximately 3,000 hours of sunshine annually, with an average wind speed of 5.3 meters per second across most of the country. Harnessing this potential offers significant opportunities for the Moroccan economy by reducing dependence on imported fuel and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The effects of climate change in Morocco include:
- Rising temperatures, with an expected increase of more than 5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, and an increase in the number of days of extreme heat, especially in the summer.
- Rainfall has decreased by 10 to 20 percent, and by as much as 30 percent in desert regions, exacerbating water scarcity.
- A direct threat to agriculture that relies on water resources, with negative impacts on food security and employment opportunities in rural areas.
- Rising sea levels, which threaten coastal areas where economic activity and population are concentrated.
Morocco’s response to the challenges of climate change has included the adoption of national adaptation and mitigation policies, such as the National Climate Plan 2020–2030, which aims to achieve low-carbon development and strengthen resilience to climate change. Morocco has also ratified the Paris Climate Agreement and committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 18.3% by 2030, with the potential to increase the reduction to 45.5% with international support.
The World Bank’s report on climate and development in Morocco emphasizes that investing in climate action now can yield significant benefits, such as revitalizing rural areas, creating new jobs, and transforming Morocco into a green industrial hub that supports the Sustainable Development Goals.
Consequently, climate change poses a major challenge to economic growth and development in Morocco, but at the same time presents an opportunity to accelerate the transition toward a more sustainable and resilient economy through well-designed policies and investments in renewable energy, water resource management, and sustainable agriculture.