Morocco hosts the 3rd International Conference on Water and Climate
The city of Fez, Morocco, will host the 3rd International Conference on Water and Climate (ICCS) on 6 and 7 July. The event will be co-organised by the Moroccan Ministry of Equipment and Water, the International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO) and the World Water Council (WWC). The main theme of this meeting will be "Basin management: key to adaptation and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals".
Five sessions will deal with topics such as "innovation and technologies for water saving, groundwater management and water resources mobilisation". Around 500 participants will take part in this meeting, including "state representatives, UN agencies, international organisations, bilateral and multilateral donors, basin organisations (national and transboundary), regional and local authorities, and other stakeholders in basin management", as INBO states. The participants of this meeting will use their experiences within the sector to respond to the challenges posed by the increasing drought in the country.
Drought is one of the main environmental challenges facing Morocco, with reservoir levels at 24% of their capacity. Over the last two decades, periods of drought have increased in frequency and intensity, mainly due to climate change and water scarcity in the country. Consequently, the agricultural sector is the most affected by these conditions. According to the EU's Copernicus programme, which monitors the development of drought through satellites, "they are losing their lush vegetation, and the once green palm groves are now barren and dry. This is causing problems for the nomadic community who depend on the oases to graze their sheep and goats".
Conditions are set to worsen in the coming years, but the Moroccan government has already begun to take action. Agriculture Minister Mohamed Sadiki has announced the implementation of a Dh10 billion programme to "reduce the cost of production of a group of vegetables and fruits". Also, to combat drought and reduce its effects, the government has approved a drinking water supply programme, in which 20 desalination plants will be operational by 2030, using part of the water produced for agricultural activities. In order to alleviate water scarcity, Morocco plans to improve water storage infrastructures by building 124 dams under the National Water Plan 2020-2050.