Earth Science News
CLIMATE SCIENCE
Morocco faces sixth consecutive year of drought: minister
Morocco faces sixth consecutive year of drought: minister
by AFP Staff Writers
Rabat (AFP) Dec 21, 2023

Morocco is heading towards its sixth consecutive year of drought as rising temperatures lead to decline in rainfall, the North African country's water minister said on Thursday.

"We have entered a critical phase after five years in a row of drought, which our country has never experienced before," Nizar Baraka told a news conference.

Drought has been a major concern for Morocco, whose agriculture sector employs about one-third of Moroccans of working ago and accounts for 14 percent of exports, according to authorities.

The last three months "showed that we are heading into another drought year, God forbid," Baraka said, noting rainfall had dropped 67 percent below the average for that period of the year.

Water scarcity is exacerbated by warmer temperates which increase evaporation in dams. The agriculture ministry forecasts average temperatures rising 1.3 degrees Celsius by 2050.

Morocco's dams are currently filled only to 23.5 percent, down from 31 percent at the same time last year, Baraka said, decrying "a very dangerous situation".

But he said he was hopeful "because the next three months (are usually) the rainiest in our country".

Local authorities might still need to cut off water supply temporarily, Baraka said.

In the face of water scarcity, authorities have been betting on seawater desalination.

Morocco plans to build seven desalination stations with a total capacity of 143 million cubic metres annually by the end of 2027.

According to official data, there are currently 12 desalination stations in the country with a total capacity of 179.3 million cubic metres annually.

The construction of a station in Casablanca, the country's largest city with 6 million inhabitants, is set begin next month.

Related Links
Climate Science News - Modeling, Mitigation Adaptation

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
CLIMATE SCIENCE
'Living dead': Tunisian villages suffer drought, climate change
Ouled Omar, Tunisia (AFP) Dec 13, 2023
Tunisian villager Ounissa Mazhoud ties two empty jerry cans to a donkey and cautiously descends a stony hill towards the last local source of water. The North African country, in its fourth year of drought, is grappling with its worst water scarcity in years. Mazhoud - like other women in the remote village of Ouled Omar, 180 kilometres (110 miles) southwest of the capital Tunis - wakes up every morning with one thing on her mind: finding water. "We are the living dead ... forgotten by ev ... read more

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Bangladesh's 'tiny houses' tackle giant flood challenge

'Helpless': Japan earthquake shatters New Year calm

Hundreds cut off after Japan quake that killed 78

Race against time after deadly Japan quake

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Studying Combustion and Fire Safety

Chile's state-owned mining giant forms lithium extraction alliance

NASA's Tech Demo Streams First Video From Deep Space via Laser

Mighty MURI brings the heat to test new longwave infrared radiometer

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Surf's up: Big waves pound US West Coast

In coastal communities, sea level rise may leave some isolated

Shrinking Caspian Sea worries secretive Turkmenistan

Breakthrough in hydrate-based desalination technique unveiled

CLIMATE SCIENCE
As the Arctic warms, its waters are emitting carbon

Antarctic octopus DNA reveals ice sheet collapse closer than thought

Third Pole's expanding glacial lakes pose greater flood risks, research reveals

Russia's isolation takes toll on Arctic climate science

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Lula vetos part of Brazil's controversial pesticide bill

High-nutritional crops needed in Africa as population increases

Chinese appetite for Australian barley is back

Electronic "soil" enhances crop growth

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Eurostar cancels trains due to flooded UK tunnels

Iceland's volcano eruption no longer visible: met office

Search dog finds elderly woman trapped after Japan quake, but hope fading fast

Thousands evacuated following Indonesia volcano eruption

CLIMATE SCIENCE
DR Congo's Tshisekedi wins second term in landslide victory

Tuareg separatists reject 'inter-Malian' peace dialogue

UN mission ends decade of deployment in Mali

Chad military leaders appoint former opponent PM

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Study reveals dietary adaptation of large herbivores to human impact in Anthropocene

North America's first people may have arrived by sea ice highway

To counter effect of facial biases in legal system, researchers suggest new training

Smoking shrinks brain, says study linking cigarettes to Alzheimer's, dementia

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.