A World Bank climate risk profile on Morocco warns against global warming, rainfall and the impact on several sectors including agriculture, fishing and health. Due to a combination of political, geographic and social factors, Morocco is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, the World Bank Group said. In a study on Morocco's climate risk profile published in February, the institution recalled that «climate change trends have already put pressure on the country's natural resources, affecting the resilience of forest ecosystems and the agriculture sector, particularly due to water scarcity». The study shows that «increased temperatures are expected across the Northern Africa region», while «annual temperature is projected to increase by 1.5°C to 3.5°C by mid-century and possibly by more than 5°C by end of the century». Diminishing water resources against faster warming As a result, for Morocco, «warming rates are projected to be faster in the country's interior». «Temperature rise are projected to increase across all emission scenarios throughout the end of the century», the World Bank warned. Moreover, projections show significant reduction in average annual rainfall across Morocco from 10%–20% to as much as 30% in the Saharan region. Water resources are expected to decline due to increasing arid periods and drought conditions. «Even with no change in precipitation, evaporation will increase due to rising temperatures and thus surface soil moisture will decrease», threatening agriculture, the study continues. In addition to increasing drought and flooding in some areas as well as other climate-related risks, climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of weather-related events in Morocco. The study indicates that rising sea levels will pose high risks for coastal areas, especially urban areas, in Morocco. «An estimated 42% of the coastline will be at high risk of erosion and floods by 2030.33 Key sectors such as, agriculture and livestock, health, water resources, and tourism are vulnerable». World Bank Extend monitoring system Several sectors are also likely to be affected. The study reveals that «2/3 of Morocco's beaches are at risk of coastal erosion». To address climate change and in addition to the efforts undertaken by the Kingdom in this direction, the World Bank is issuing a series of recommendations, in particular to fill certain gaps. Thus, it suggests «improved epidemiological surveillance system; strengthening health facilities resilience towards extreme events; improved emergency and response plans preparation; and the promotion of research focused on the impacts of climate change on health». For the institution, it is also important to «enhance data collection methods for emissions for the agriculture and forestry sectors and expand the Morocco Green Plan to include a greater degree of agroforestry, agricultural products and rangelands into emission calculations».
