Morocco’s strategic significance lies in its geographic location, acting as a vital link between Europe and North Africa, while boasting a diverse landscape of mountains, plains, and desert, with a coastline stretching across both the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Ranking second in biodiversity richness in the Mediterranean region, after Turkey, Morocco showcases a rich tapestry of ecosystems, including forests, steppe, desert, coastlines, and wetlands.

Approximately 11% of its animal species and 25% of vascular plants are exclusive to Morocco, underscoring its biodiversity wealth. This biodiversity serves as a cornerstone for the nation’s economic development and sustenance, with forests, wetlands, coastal areas, and continental environments playing crucial roles in supporting the livelihoods of a significant portion of the population.

	Score	Rank	Change
Total Score – NCI 2024	51.84	136	N/A
Land Management	59	68	N/A
Protected Areas (Terrestrial)	100	1	N/A
Ecological Representativeness of Terrestrial Protected Areas	35	137	N/A
Connectedness of Terrestrial Protected Areas	73	15	N/A
Protected Areas (Marine)	2	107	N/A
Pristine Habitat (Converted Land)	100	1	N/A
Sustainable Nitrogen Management (Soil Pollution)	51	38	N/A
Sustainable Pesticide Use	54	67	N/A
Threats to Biodiversity	55	150	N/A
Threatened Species (Terrestrial)	77	142	N/A
Threatened Species (Marine)	46	104	N/A
Threatened Species’ Coverage by Protected Areas	92	84	N/A
Species Coverage by Marine Protected Areas	65	128	N/A
Species with Declining Populations (Terrestrial)	25	121	N/A
Species with Declining Populations (Marine)	0	10	N/A
Depleted Fisheries	0	39	N/A
Fishery Pressure in the High Seas	100	85	N/A
Invasive Species Pressure	92	103	N/A
Capacity and Governance	58	129	N/A
Total Management Cost	87	132	N/A
Conservation Culturomics	25	160	N/A
Conservation Legislation	44	61	N/A
Ratification of CBD	100	1	N/A
Ratification of CITES	100	1	N/A
Political Stability and Absence of Violence	70	3	N/A
Control of Corruption	42	95	N/A
Government Effectiveness	48	84	N/A
Future Trends	35	135	N/A
Climate Change Mitigation	35	135	N/A

Four pillars elaborated:

Land Management

Morocco boasts an extensive network of protected areas, including 10 national parks, 18 natural parks, 8 nature reserves, 12 biological reserves, and 3 marine protected areas. These sites safeguard a diverse range of ecosystems, from towering mountains and dense forests to coastal wetlands and arid deserts. Ten of these protected areas have earned recognition on the IUCN Green List for their exemplary management and conservation efforts, covering a total of 772,000 hectares (7,720 km²) across the country. Recent expansions include two new wetland sites, Merja de Fouwarat and Sebkhat Imlili, crucial for migratory birds and other wildlife, further enhancing Morocco’s biodiversity conservation efforts.

Threats to Biodiversity

Morocco’s biodiversity faces significant threats from human activities, economic expansion, and population growth. These include sand mining, water extraction, habitat alteration due to droughts, resource overexploitation, pollution, erosion, and the introduction of invasive species. Coastal development, water pollution, and overfishing are degrading marine ecosystems, while forests suffer from unsustainable harvesting, overgrazing, agriculture expansion, and urbanization.

Rapid urban growth exacerbates habitat fragmentation, particularly in regions like the Middle Atlas. Climate change exacerbates these issues, leading to decreased precipitation, more frequent droughts, and reduced agricultural productivity, necessitating significant investments to mitigate biodiversity loss and adapt to changing conditions.

Capacity and Governance

The Department of Forestry in Morocco has set strategic objectives focusing on the multifunctionality of forest ecosystems, notably through the establishment of protected areas. Since the Rio Summit in 1992, 154 sites of biological and ecological significance have been identified, covering around 2.5 million hectares (25,000 km²) of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, including humid zones. Additionally, Morocco has initiated programs for the rehabilitation and recovery of endangered species and implemented strategies for environmental education and public awareness. Notably, the Department of Forestry has launched a comprehensive program to reverse deforestation trends through reforestation and integrated development of forest areas.

The country is also focusing on water conservation, with a strategy to equip a large area with drip irrigation and rationalize water management. Sectoral policies like the “Green Morocco Plan” prioritize the valuation of local resources while integrating environmental considerations. In marine biodiversity, initiatives such as the “Halieutis Plan” aim to promote sustainable fisheries management and protect marine ecosystems, including measures like the “Biological Rest” Program to prevent overfishing.

Future Trends

Morocco has ambitious plans for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the coming years. One key focus is on expanding its network of protected areas to conserve and safeguard ecosystems and wildlife. This includes the establishment of new national parks, natural reserves, and marine protected areas, as well as strengthening the management of existing ones to enhance their effectiveness. Additionally, Morocco aims to implement comprehensive strategies for the restoration and rehabilitation of degraded habitats, such as forests, wetlands, and coastal areas. These efforts will involve ecosystem restoration projects, reforestation initiatives, and measures to combat desertification and land degradation.

Biodiversity

Morocco’s forest ecosystems, including Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrublands, cover significant portions of the country. These forests are home to various plant species, such as cork oak, olive trees, and carob trees. The forests provide habitats for mammals like the Barbary deer, the wild boar, and the Barbary leopard, as well as numerous bird species. The Ifrane National Park, located in the Middle Atlas, is known for its cedar forests and is a critical habitat for the endangered Barbary macaque.

It is also home to several endemic and threatened species, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts. Endemic species include the Moroccan locust and the Atlas cedar. The country also supports populations of critically endangered species, such as the Barbary leopard, the Northern bald ibis, and the Mediterranean monk seal.

In the table below are the number of known species in several main groups, how many of these species are Threatened with extinction, and how many of them are Endemic (unique to Morocco only):

	Species (World rank)	Threatened	% Threatened	Endemic	% Endemic
Mammals	132 (#87)	18	13.6%	4	3.0%
Birds	343 (#106)	21	6.1%	2	0.6%
Reptiles	109 (#86)	13	11.9%	13	11.9%
Amphibians	13 (#127)	2	15.4%	2	15.4%
Fishes	738 (#77)	85	11.5%	18	2.4%
Plants	4,200 (#84)	52	1.2%	879	20.9%