Water crisis - Morocco

What? 

According to the UN, Water scarcity is a relative concept. The amount of water that can be physically accessed varies as supply and demand changes. Water scarcity intensifies as demand increases and/or as water supply is affected by decreasing quantity or quality. 

Why is it a big deal? 

Effect on economy:

  • GDP will drop
  • Morocco will become more dependent on global trade to get food 

Effect on people:

  • People from rural areas will be forced to migrate to urban areas because of lack of water access and jobs in rural areas.
  •  Urban areas will become more crowded -> more competition for housing, jobs, food (will cause inflation, duh) etc.
  • Social divide will become wider ( the people that benefit from the inflation will become richer and everyone else will become poorer because less people have jobs, housing becomes more expensive (heck everything becomes more expensive because the demand will rise)

 

What is the cause?

"Droughts are hard to avert, but their effects can be mitigated.[...] The price of preparedness is minimal compared to the cost of disaster relief. Let us therefore shift from managing crises to preparing for droughts and building resilience."

- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's in 2013

  • Rapid population growth
  • Limited water resources
  • Climate change
  • Inefficient water use
  • Water pollution

 

What is influencing it?

Morocco's economy is growing rapidly, and this is also putting a strain on the country's water resources. The country's economy is expected to grow by 5% in 2023, and this will increase the demand for water for industrial use.

Economical Factors

  • Increasing demand for water: The agricultural sector is the largest water user in Morocco, and it is expected to grow in the coming years. The tourism sector is also a major water user, and it is expected to grow as well.
  • Increasing water prices: The government is subsidizing the cost of water, but this is not sustainable in the long term.
  • Increasing water scarcity

Political Factors

  • Inefficient water management: 
  • Lack of political will