Climate Change: A Summer of Challenges for Morocco

The summer of 2024, which is drawing to a close, has been scorching in several regions of Morocco where the mercury has reached record temperatures, in line with global trends in climate change.

Prolonged and serial heat waves punctuated the months of July and August, marking an increase in the frequency and intensity of heatwave episodes in Morocco. Scientists and experts agree to associate these heatwaves, directly or in part, with the climate disruptions that the planet has been experiencing for several years, in particular the phenomenon of global warming linked to greenhouse gas emissions. They fear that these intense heatwaves will eventually become the new norm.

“Climate models predict an increase in average temperatures and an intensification of climate extremes, which suggests that episodes of extreme heat will become an increasingly regular feature,” Kenza Khomsi, head of the climate and climate change department at the General Directorate of Meteorology (DGM), told MAP.

Climate change: Record temperatures in Morocco

July 2024 was the second hottest month ever recorded in the world, according to the European agency Copernicus, while the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that the year 2024 now has a 77% chance of being the hottest ever observed on Earth. A finding confirmed by the scorching temperatures recorded during the successive heat waves this summer, which affected several cities and regions across Morocco.

Thus, the mercury reached 48.3°C in Kasba Tadla, 47.7°C in Beni Mellal and 47.6°C in Marrakech, on July 23rd. Chefchaouen also set a new record with 43.4°C on July 19, while Ifrane, known for its typically mild summers, recorded 37.8°C on July 23. Midelt also set a record of 40.7°C on July 11, surpassing its previous record of July 1945, according to DGM data.

The first half of August 2024 also saw scorching temperatures in several regions, with peaks reaching up to 46°C in Marrakech, 41°C in Oujda, 42°C in Fez, and 45°C in Smara. While these heat waves observed in Morocco are partly due to the “chergui”, a natural phenomenon that brings hot air from the Sahara, it remains true that they are also part of a global warming trend observed in recent years, the DGM emphasizes.

Indeed, over the last four decades, average annual temperatures in Morocco have shown an upward trend, reaching +1.8°C, according to the Moroccan climatologist, who notes that heat waves have become more frequent and intense than in the past.

Atmospheric anomalies and human activity

Jamal Alibou, a climate change expert and lecturer-researcher at the Hassania School of Public Works (EHTP), explains that heat waves have become “more frequent, more intense and longer” due to climate change.

For example, the summer of 2023 saw some of the most severe heatwaves ever recorded in Morocco, culminating in a new national record of 50.4°C, recorded in Agadir on August 10th, 2023. These prolonged heatwaves are also amplified by atmospheric anomalies, such as persistent high pressure systems that trap warm air and prevent the circulation of cooler weather systems.

Scientists also point to urbanization, in that asphalt surfaces in urban areas absorb and retain more heat, exacerbating the urban heat effect, especially at night. Heat waves also impact water resources, as they increase evaporation from reservoirs, rivers and lakes, reducing water supplies available for irrigation, drinking water supply and other uses, notes Alibou, who teaches in the Department of Hydraulics, Environment and Climate.

Therefore, the agricultural sector remains particularly vulnerable to these climate disruptions. “Recent heat waves have affected agriculture by increasing water stress for crops, reducing soil fertility and promoting the spread of pests and plant diseases, exacerbating agricultural losses,” explains the Moroccan expert. According to him, excessive temperatures can also reduce the yield of heat-sensitive crops, such as wheat, corn and rice, leading to a decrease in productivity.

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(Featured image by Markus Spiske via Unsplash)

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First published in LES ECO.ma. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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