“,لتدهور البيئي لكوكبنا هو حقيقة ملموسة.”
These words were said by King Mohammed VI of Morocco but explained to us by Princess Lalla Hasnaa. The Princess spoke at the Climate Action Summit, on behalf of the King. These words, when translated to English mean, “environmental degradation of our planet is a tangible reality.” Extremely true! Climate change is visibly affecting our world, and though scientists have shown evidence, we don’t need that evidence to prove that something is wrong.
Morocco is a country that is extremely dependent upon fisheries, agriculture and tourism sectors, all of which are facing devastating consequences due to climate change. Morocco is one of the only two countries in the world with a plan to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions to a level with limited warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Morocco vows to produce 52% of its energy through renewables by 2030. With elaborate plans and determined citizens, Morocco is now home to the world’s largest concentrated solar farm in the world.
The Noor-Ouarzazate complex is situated at the gateway of the Sahara Desert. It contains a total of 3,000 hectares in area, which is approximately 3,500 football fields. Which is really, really huge to think about. It produced enough electricity to power the entire city of Prague (The capital of the Czech Republic). This initiative is an excellent model for other countries. I think that if every country undertook commitments like this, the world would be a much cleaner, safe and peaceful place. I think that it is an excellent idea to use barren land, such as deserts to make solar fields like this one. Especially in areas where deserts are common. Countries that have large populations can partner with smaller countries to build fields like these in hot places where there is no human settlement.
Morocco has begun treating its ocean as a natural resource with the same importance as the land, with improved coastal zone management and the development of sustainable aquaculture. Morocco is ensuring that it participates in lowering the growth rate of climate change. By doing it’s part and setting goals, Morocco is one of the most ambitious and fast-acting countries in terms of climate change. I think that no matter where we’re from, we can all use Morocco as an inspiration for empowering our country further.
Article By: Sarah Masih
https://www.climate-expert.org/en/home/business-adaptation/morocco/
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/09/283280/king-mohammed-vi-collective-action-climate-change/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/09/climate-change-report-card-co2-emissions/
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2016/11/17/5-things-morocco-is-doing-about-climate-change
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/06/motorsport/morocco-solar-farm-formula-e-spt-intl/index.html