Morocco ranks 124th out of 188 countries in the new climate vulnerability index by the Columbia Climate School, which measures exposure to climate risks alongside financial capacity to respond. The index highlights significant challenges across the region, with many African countries, facing urgent needs for targeted climate funding to build resilience. The Columbia Climate School, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, has launched a new index designed to measure countries' vulnerability to climate change. This index combines a country's exposure to risks such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, earthquakes, and conflicts, with its financial capacity to carry out prevention, recovery, and reconstruction efforts, based on the availability and accessibility of funding. According to the rankings, Morocco is placed 124th out of 188 countries. It scored 48.2 on the financial vulnerability index (where lower scores indicate better resilience) and 67.1 on the climate risk index, resulting in an overall score of 57.7. The Climate Finance Vulnerability Index aims to offer a clearer understanding of climate vulnerability levels, helping to better target and allocate climate adaptation funding. It is designed to improve the effectiveness of concessional financing, such as grants, soft loans, and impact investments, by ensuring that resources are directed toward the most vulnerable countries and communities, thus promoting equitable resilience-building. In the Maghreb region, Algeria ranked highest at 52nd globally, followed by Libya (86th), Tunisia (103rd), Morocco (124th), and Mauritania (146th). Across Africa, Mauritius leads the continent, ranking 37th globally, followed by Algeria (52nd), Seychelles (53rd), Equatorial Guinea (56th), Botswana (71st), Libya (86th), Tunisia (103rd), Egypt (105th), Eswatini (107th), Somalia (115th), Democratic Republic of Congo (118th), South Africa (120th), and Congo (123rd). Globally, the top 10 most resilient countries according to the index are Norway, South Korea, Switzerland, Denmark, Estonia, Japan, the United States, China, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates. Red zones The index reveals that nearly 65 countries fall into the «red zone», indicating high vulnerability, most of which are classified by the OECD as low- or middle-income nations. These countries are also home to some of the world's fastest-growing populations. Among the 65 red-zone countries, 43 (about 66%) are located in Sub-Saharan Africa, collectively home to around 1.2 billion people. Projections estimate Africa's population could grow to between 2.7 and 3.7 billion by 2070. Notably, 21 of these countries are already experiencing, or are at high risk of experiencing, debt distress. «Africa is on the frontline of the climate change's impact, bearing the brunt despite contributing the least. With 43 of the 65 most vulnerable nations in the Red Zone located in Sub-Saharan Africa, we face a dire threat compounded by a severe lack of funding», William Asiko, Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation's Africa Regional Office said. «We need this capital flowing immediately to build resilience, foster green growth, and truly champion climate-smart development, for Africa's future and the world», he warned.
