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Morocco

Overall NDC Equity Score

Insufficient

+

Emission Reduction

Aspiring

The NDC makes a strong effort to create ambitious emission reduction goals,but lacks impactful policies that support GHG emissions reduction.

+

Gender Justice

Insufficient

The NDC includes recognizes the role of women and gender in climate action but makes little progress or commitments to gender mainstreaming.

+

Youth Inclusion

Inadequate

The NDC made an effort to acknowledge the disproportionate impacts of climate on young people, but it insufficiently addresses long-term inclusion.

Summary

Morocco, a geographically diverse country with a Mediterranean and Atlantic coastline, faces significant climate challenges due to its location. The country’s climate varies from the coastal plains and lowland plateaus in the north to the arid regions of the Sahara Desert in the south. This variation has a substantial impact on water resources, agriculture, and vegetation. Addressing these challenges requires overcoming barriers such as a lack of climate finance and limited expertise in climate forecasting.

Morocco has set ambitious climate targets, aiming to reduce GHG emissions by 45.5% by 2030. This reduction is based on both unconditional measures and those dependent on international financial aid. The country has made significant strides in transitioning to a green economy. Recognized for its leadership in renewable energy and climate adaptation, Morocco has achieved high rankings in international climate performance indexes. Its capital, Rabat, has been classified as a green city for its eco-friendly initiatives.

On Gender mainstreaming, Morocco has made significant strides in advancing gender equality, both domestically and internationally. Its 2011 Constitution enshrines women’s rights and prohibits gender-based discrimination. The country has ratified key international conventions like CEDAW and implemented national strategies and programs to promote gender equality. While Morocco’s updated NDC does not explicitly mention women as vulnerable to the climate crisis or as key stakeholders in climate action, it does emphasize the importance of respecting human rights and equality between men and women as enshrined in the Constitution. The NDC’s development process involved participation from indigenous peoples and local communities, demonstrating a commitment to gender-sensitive inclusion. However, the absence of specific gender targets in the NDC suggests that gender-related considerations may not be fully integrated into climate action planning and implementation.

On youth inclusion, Morocco’s NDC recognizes the importance of intergenerational justice in addressing the climate crisis, its current NDC does not explicitly include young people as vulnerable or as key stakeholders. However, the country has seen a surge in youth-led initiatives and advocacy for climate action. While there is no formal government-led youth engagement process for climate action, Moroccan youth have established their own organizations and initiatives, such as “Nechfate” and “El Mouddaa,” to raise awareness and drive change. These efforts demonstrate a strong commitment to climate action among Moroccan youth. To strengthen youth inclusion in Morocco’s NDC, the government should explicitly recognize young people as vulnerable and as key stakeholders, establish youth focal points, and actively promote their involvement in the development process.

 

Highlights

  • Morocco has a combined conditional and unconditional target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45.5% by 2030 compared to a business-as-usual scenario. This is considered ambitious and on track with the 1.5-degree goal.
  • Despite a lack of formal government processes, Moroccan youth are actively engaged in climate action through various initiatives.
  • The country recognizes gender equality in its constitution and has national plans to support women.
  • Morocco is a leader in the Arab world for renewable energy development and climate action. It has implemented various policies and programs to achieve its goals.

Lowlights

  • Morocco's NDC does not explicitly reference women or gender as vulnerable groups or key stakeholders in climate action.
  • The NDC development process did not explicitly include youth, and there are no formal youth engagement structures for climate action.
  • The NDC lacks specific social equity considerations, potentially overlooking the unique needs of vulnerable populations.

Key Recommendations

Although Morocco in recent years progressively made efforts to include gender-sensitive considerations in its measures directed to emit less GHG, its efforts cannot be implemented efficiently without gender justice. Here are the recommendations for gender mainstreaming in the NDCs:

Moroccan youth are actively taking charge of climate action. To promote youth inclusion in the NDCs, here are the recommendations:

For Gender Mainstreaming

  • Examine the specific interrelationships between climate change, gender relations and power dynamics and their role in each environmental degrading region in the country
  • Create intersectional approach with specific gender targets in both adaptation and mitigation targets in the upcoming NDCs

For Youth Inclusion

  • Mainstreaming youths’ unique experiences and challenges, perspectives and needs throughout the upcoming NDC
  • Establishing through an intersectional approach, youth focal points in each city of the country, especially in the main environmental degrading target areas, for their key involvement in the development process of the upcoming NDC
  • Explicitly positioning youths as key beneficiaries of climate action efforts

NDC Ambassador - Author

Racha Zahira Ammati

Racha Zahira Ammati, is a Moroccan International Gender Equality and Social Inclusion consultant. She has a background in International Relations, Political Science and Interdisciplinary Gender and Development Studies. Her technical expertise has provided her the ability to understand, bring fresh perspectives and intersectional insights to women’s
rights’ struggles internationally. She has experience working with different international organizations such as the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN ECLAC), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UNESCO, The International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP) and most recently UN Women. She is thrilled to keep investing her knowledge, expertise and passion navigating the spaces that unite women’s struggles and challenges internationally. In her work, she is always sharing and forming robust intercultural connections and relationships, through her journey directed to achieve transformative change and the creation of positive impacts for those that are the most oppressed, marginalized and vulnerable in our societies on a global scale.

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