In Casablanca, a debate organized by GIZ (German Cooperation) and the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) highlighted an undeniable reality: in Morocco, climate issues can no longer be separated from economic and social policies. Climate transition is no longer just an environmental topic, but an imperative for development and social justice.
Gathered around the theme “Climate and Just Transition – the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and Budget Alignment,” experts, public officials, and journalists discussed the financial and political means necessary to achieve the Kingdom’s new objectives: a 53% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.
### A Country Under Climate and Water Stress
Ahmed Khalid Benomar, senior advisor at the MEF, reminded attendees of the urgent context: Morocco faces a dual tension—economic and environmental—exacerbated by a local warming trend already exceeding the global average. Over the past forty years, the country has recorded a temperature rise of 3.2°C, well above the two degrees set by international agreements.
According to him, this situation demands a redefinition of the growth model. Morocco already possesses a solid climate strategy—water policy, dams, renewable energy—but it must now be integrated into budgetary and fiscal decisions. “The green transition must become an economic driver,” he emphasized, noting that renewable energy already represents 47% of the country’s installed capacity.
### Economic Incentives for the Transition
To accelerate this transformation, experts emphasized the crucial role of financial instruments. Sarah Diouri, director of Instiglio’s Rabat office, advocated for better alignment between climate, employment, and purchasing power. She cited the example of the Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF), formerly Morsef, which has funded more than one billion euros in green equipment projects.
Subsidies for modernizing the taxi fleet or for energy labeling of household appliances illustrate, according to her, the direct impact of green policies on the daily lives of citizens.
From GIZ’s perspective, Anselm Duchrow, director of the Climate, Environment and Water program, explained that the project supported by the European Union aims to enhance resource mobilization for climate change adaptation and mitigation, notably through more incentive-driven fiscal policies.
### Carbon Pricing and International Cooperation
The debate also addressed the sensitive issue of carbon pricing. For Gaëtan Ducroux, representative of the European Union Delegation, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) represents an opportunity for Morocco. He urges the Kingdom to establish its own pricing instruments to keep the revenue from decarbonization internally, rather than allowing it to contribute to the European budget.
This mechanism, linked to the Green Partnership signed between the EU and Morocco in 2022, embodies a cooperative approach where competitiveness and sustainability align.
### Just Transition: A Matter of Social Justice
Beyond numbers and financial mechanisms, speakers emphasized the human dimension of climate transition. Mohamed Alaoui, director general of Africa Climate Solutions, reminded attendees that the concept of “climate justice” originated in Marrakech during COP22. It now ties any climate policy to goals of equity and inclusion.
For Nadia Zeddou, director of Green Wave, the new NDC 3.0 will only be credible if it is rooted in social and territorial realities. “There is no climate justice without social justice,” she asserted, calling for increased involvement of civil society and local communities.
### A Turning Point for Public Debate
At the end of the discussions, one conclusion emerged: climate issues must now be at the heart of public policies, on par with growth and employment. The climate is no longer an external parameter to the Moroccan economy, but its new frame of reference.
To be just and effective, the ecological transition must rely on green taxation, targeted investments, and inclusive governance—in other words, on a true alliance between the economy, environment, and social equity.
