316 M. LUOMI
As of 2019, Morocco had submitted two NDC documents: the first
intended NDC, submitted in 2015, was updated as an NDC in 2016.
Both documents were developed through extensive multi-stakeholder
consultations. The intended NDC contained a conditional, economywide GHG emissions reduction target of 32% relative to business as
usual by 2030. In the NDC, the conditional target was raised to 42%
(including reductions from land use and forestry). The NDC also raised
Morocco’s unconditional target of −13% compared to business as usual
by 2030 to −17%. The NDC is underpinned by 55 sectoral strategies and
targets. It contains baseline calculations for the emissions scenarios, which
demonstrate that achieving the −42% target would equate to maintaining
Morocco’s emissions at approximately 2010 levels—a significant achievement for a developing country that is expected to add more than 10
million people to its population between 2010 and 2030. The NDC estimates the costs of the conditional component (25% deeper reductions) at
US$24 billion. In total, the adaptation and mitigation programmes envisaged in the NDC are estimated to cost US$85 billion between 2010 and
2030. 53
Although Morocco already updated its NDC in 2016, the country
has signalled its intent to do so again in 2020, in line with the CVF
pledge and joining the COP 25 Presidency’s Climate Ambition Alliance
as one of only four Arab countries, together with Comoros, Lebanon
and Tunisia. 54 The country’s 2016 NDC indicates that the government
is also preparing a low-carbon development strategy (in line with Paris
Agreement Article 4.19) to serve as the coordinating point for all sectoral
mitigation targets. 55
Institutional Framework
Morocco’s climate change governance has strong multi-stakeholder
participation from both government and non-state actors. It is led by the
Secretary of State in Charge of Sustainable Development at the Ministry
of Energy, Mines, and Sustainable Development (which until 2016 was
called the Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment). The
Ministry coordinates and engages with other ministries on issues related
to climate policy, including the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Prior to 2016, the Ministry had a central directorate in charge of climate
change, biodiversity and the green economy tasked with climate change
mainstreaming into government policies, in consultation with respective
As of 2019, Morocco had submitted two NDC documents: the first
intended NDC, submitted in 2015, was updated as an NDC in 2016.
Both documents were developed through extensive multi-stakeholder
consultations. The intended NDC contained a conditional, economywide GHG emissions reduction target of 32% relative to business as
usual by 2030. In the NDC, the conditional target was raised to 42%
(including reductions from land use and forestry). The NDC also raised
Morocco’s unconditional target of −13% compared to business as usual
by 2030 to −17%. The NDC is underpinned by 55 sectoral strategies and
targets. It contains baseline calculations for the emissions scenarios, which
demonstrate that achieving the −42% target would equate to maintaining
Morocco’s emissions at approximately 2010 levels—a significant achievement for a developing country that is expected to add more than 10
million people to its population between 2010 and 2030. The NDC estimates the costs of the conditional component (25% deeper reductions) at
US$24 billion. In total, the adaptation and mitigation programmes envisaged in the NDC are estimated to cost US$85 billion between 2010 and
2030. 53
Although Morocco already updated its NDC in 2016, the country
has signalled its intent to do so again in 2020, in line with the CVF
pledge and joining the COP 25 Presidency’s Climate Ambition Alliance
as one of only four Arab countries, together with Comoros, Lebanon
and Tunisia. 54 The country’s 2016 NDC indicates that the government
is also preparing a low-carbon development strategy (in line with Paris
Agreement Article 4.19) to serve as the coordinating point for all sectoral
mitigation targets. 55
Institutional Framework
Morocco’s climate change governance has strong multi-stakeholder
participation from both government and non-state actors. It is led by the
Secretary of State in Charge of Sustainable Development at the Ministry
of Energy, Mines, and Sustainable Development (which until 2016 was
called the Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment). The
Ministry coordinates and engages with other ministries on issues related
to climate policy, including the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Prior to 2016, the Ministry had a central directorate in charge of climate
change, biodiversity and the green economy tasked with climate change
mainstreaming into government policies, in consultation with respective