SCC GLST 302 Global Issues Wiki:Morocco - Maria Cecilia Smurr-Ferrer

Overview of Morocco:
Morocco is a medium-sized country in North-West Africa with a population of around 36.5 million people (Laroui, 2021). The country experiences a mild Mediterranean and semiarid climate with a diverse landscape that includes vast deserts such as the Erg Chigaga (“erg” translates to dune field) and the famous Merzouga, as well as mountain ranges such as the Rif and Atlas mountains. Among these deserts and mountains, you can find lush oases like Ouarzazate or the Skoura palm oasis. Additionally, Morocco has access to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and thanks to its close proximity to Europe and the African continent, the country has served as a cultural and historical crossroad for millennia (ibid).

Due to Morocco’s location and history, Moroccans are made up of a variety of ethnic groups (Laroui, 2021). The indigenous people of Morocco are known as the Berbers (self-name Amazigh) and speak a range of Amazigh languages (Brett, 2021). The Berbers are traditionally nomadic in nature and span across Northern African countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt. Through the years, Morocco has been occupied by the Romans, the Arab conquest in the late 600s, and finally by some European powers such as France who turned Morocco into a protectorate until 1956 when they regained independence (Laroui, 2021).

In today’s world, Morocco is a steadily growing economy with a young population that is ready to go into the workforce. Unlike some of its neighboring countries, Morocco is a relatively stable country whose GDP depends on tourism, telecommunications, and the exports of raw materials (Laroui, 2021; “The World Bank”, 2021). Overall, Morocco can serve as an example for development for other African countries and also has a lot of potential to become a leader in renewable energy such as solar and wind (ibid.).

Renewable Energy in Morocco:
I chose to research Morocco’s renewable energy practices and how this could impact the further development of the country. According to the Middle East Institute, Morocco has some of the most ambitious goals in terms of renewable energy in the region, aiming to have 52% of their energy in 2030 be renewable (Hochberg, 2016). With the necessary support, other countries should try to follow in Morocco’s footsteps because investing in renewable energy offers developing countries the “protection of natural resources, reduction of health risks, increased access to modern energy, reduction of dependence on energy imports, and promotion of economic development” according to researchers from the Free University of Berlin (Laumanns, et al. 2004). Overall, with Moroccan government policies allowing for private business or organizations to easily integrate these new forms of green energy into power grids around the country, Morocco will be able to use renewable energy as a way to kickstart local development and create more informed and eco-conscious citizens (Hochberg, 2016).