Morocco, among the countries most affected by the degradation of ecosystems, is seeing its water resources and vegetation reach critical thresholds. A finding that reflects the growing impacts of climate change, revealed by the recent report published by the Global Water Monitoring Consortium (GWMC).
According to the GWMC report, climate change is significantly amplifying water disasters, exacerbating their social, economic and environmental impacts. Rising temperatures, directly attributable to the burning of fossil fuels, intensifies the power and violence of weather phenomena such as monsoons, cyclones and other storm systems, increasing both their frequency and intensity.
In 2024, global temperatures continued their meteoric rise. The average air temperature over land has reached a historic high, rising 1.2°C above the average observed between 1995 and 2005. More than half of the world’s population, spread across 111 countries endured the hottest year on record, while 34 nations set new records for maximum temperatures, the same source said.
Extreme precipitation also reflects this worrying trend towards climate deregulation. In 2024, months characterized by exceptionally low precipitation were 38% more frequent than during the 1995-2005 reference period, while episodes of record 24-hour precipitation increased by 52%. These excesses and deficits, now more marked, contribute to major upheavals in ecosystems and human infrastructures.
It should also be noted that the year 2024 was marked by water disasters of unprecedented scale. These events caused more than 8,700 deaths, displaced 40 million people and caused economic losses exceeding $550 billion. Among these disasters, flash floods, landslides and tropical cyclones stood out as the most devastating, both in terms of human lives lost and direct economic costs.
Morocco, like several other countries, experienced extreme climatic events in 2024 which affected its environmental indicators. It is among the twelve countries having recorded a record number of frost-free days, alongside China, Mongolia, Iran, as well as Switzerland and Ukraine, the report revealed.
In terms of vegetation, Morocco stands out among the eight countries having recorded exceptionally low annual values of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). This key indicator, which reflects the health of plant ecosystems, highlights an alarming deterioration in vegetation conditions. A similar situation has been seen in countries such as Zimbabwe and Zambia in East Africa, Belize in Central America and Iceland in Northern Europe.
At the same time, the extent of surface water in Morocco has reached historically low levels, illustrating a worrying trend shared with fifteen other countries across the globe. In Africa, nations like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Burundi are also facing this water crisis. Beyond the continent, Brazil, Ireland and Turkmenistan are among the hard-hit countries, highlighting the growing pressure on water resources globally.
In addition, Morocco ranks among the eleven countries having reached record low annual values for Total Water Stock (TWS), an essential parameter which measures the overall availability of water resources. This alarming observation is echoed in regions as distant as Afghanistan and Nepal in South Asia, or even Zimbabwe in East Africa, revealing widespread vulnerability to global water stress.
According to the report, the outlook for 2025 points to an intensification of climate risks. Seasonal forecasts and the current state of watersheds suggest worsening droughts, particularly in northern South America, southern Africa and parts of Asia.
At the same time, traditionally wetter areas, such as the Sahel and Europe, could face a significant increase in flood risks. The inexorable progression of climate change is increasing the likelihood of extreme events on a global scale, including flash floods, heatwaves and wildfires.
