Natural resources, energy and environment
Morocco controls over half of the world's
phosphate reserves, including in Western Sahara. Several
other minerals are found, such as iron ore, silver,
lead, copper, cobalt, zinc, manganese, salt, coal and
anthracite. However, the "white gold", phosphate,
accounts for 95 percent of the mineral extraction.
From the big Boucraa mine in Western Sahara, the
world's longest conveyor belt, about nine miles, goes to
the coast.
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COUNTRYAAH:
Major exports by Morocco with a full list of the top products exported by the country. Includes trade value in U.S. dollars and the percentage for each product category.
Only a fifth of the country's surface has been
surveyed, and large assets of gold, silver and cobalt
are believed to be found in the Atlas Mountains.
The extraction of iron ore was previously significant
but has declined significantly. While phosphate mining
is state, many other mines have been sold to private
companies. Morocco has invested in refining phosphates
and today exports more phosphate products than
phosphate.
Almost all energy needs are covered by imports.
Foreign companies have been seeking oil and gas under
favorable conditions since the 1990s, but so far without
success. In the countryside, firewood is still an
important source of energy, although most villages now
have electricity.
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Abbreviationfinder: A popular acronym site in the world covering abbreviation for each country. For example, MO stands for Morocco.
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SONGAAH: Find lyrics of national anthem and all songs related to the
country of Morocco.
Hydroelectric power generates some domestic
electricity generation, but around 90 percent of the
electricity is produced using coal, oil and natural gas
imported. However, investments are being made on
renewable energy: wind power is being expanded and a
huge solar power plant has been built in Ourzazate at
the edge of the Sahara. When the first part of it was
put into operation in 2015 (inaugurated by the king in
2016), solar power capacity increased in one stroke from
20 to 180 megawatts. The plant is called Noor (the
Arabic word for light) and produces thermal solar
energy. Thermal solar energy is based on the sunlight
being reflected to a surface where it heats up a liquid,
which in turn drives a turbine that generates
electricity. Fully expanded, the solar power park will
provide one million people with electricity. It is
constructed using loans from the World Bank.
Morocco's and Spain's electricity grids are
interconnected and an increasing share of the
electricity market has been privatized. An agreement
exists with France to possibly build a nuclear power
plant. Despite the political conflicts with Algeria,
there is some energy cooperation between the countries.
An Algerian natural gas pipeline passes Morocco on its
way to Spain, and Morocco is entitled to part of the gas
as payment.
Water scarcity is a serious environmental problem
(see Agriculture and Fisheries) as well as soil erosion.
The pollution of air and coastal water is extensive,
especially from the phosphate industry and the chemical
industry.
Urbanization with high construction rates in some
coastal cities has increased the demand for sand. The UN
environmental program Unep claims that the construction
industry has thus also received an illegal element, a
"sand mafia". Sand dunes are disappearing and coastal
stretches are being exploited harder than nature can
tolerate, according to representatives of the local
environmental organization Anpel, which is trying to
strengthen beach protection especially on the Atlantic
coast between Casablanca and Rabat. In a 2019 report,
Unep estimated that about a tenth of the sand consumed
by the construction industry is extracted without a
permit. Other sources point out that there is also a
link to money laundering.
FACTS - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Energy use per person
560 kilos of oil equivalent (2014)
Electricity consumption per person
912 kWh, kWh (2014)
Carbon dioxide emissions in total
59 864 thousand tonnes (2014)
Carbon dioxide emissions per inhabitant
1.7 tons (2014)
The share of energy from renewable sources
11.3 percent (2015)
2013
August
Protests against pardon
When it becomes known that a pedophile is among 48 Spaniards whom the king
has pardoned, street protests erupt in Rabat, where protesters clash with
police. The man convicted of assaulting eleven children had served only 2 of 30
years in prison. The protests become so extensive that the king withdraws the
pardon, something that has never happened before. The Spanish have left the
country but are arrested by police in Spain.
July
New fisheries agreement with the EU
Morocco and the EU sign a new agreement on European fishing rights in
Moroccan waters (see December 2011). EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki
says the new agreement follows international law and promotes sustainable
development in Western Sahara. The agreement runs for four years and gives
vessels from eleven EU countries the right to fish along the Moroccan and
Western Saharan coasts. The EU and European shipowners pay Morocco € 40 million
a year.
Istiqlal leaves the government
The right-wing nationalist party withdraws from the coalition in protest of
the economic policies pursued by the dominant Islamist party PJD. In particular,
Istiqlal criticizes the plans to reduce subsidies on basic commodities by 20
percent.
June
Journalist gets jail
Editor-in-chief Youseff Jajili at the weekly newspaper Alaan is sentenced to
two months' conditional imprisonment and fines for writing about a minister who
bought alcohol with public funds during a trip in the service - particularly
embarrassing because of Islam's ban on alcohol.
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