Arab Climate Resilience InitiativeCairo: 20-21 September, 2010

Vulnerability of Moroccan coastal zones to sea level rise and shoreline erosion

Abdellatif Khattabi

Email: a_khattabi@email.com

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Typologie des côtes marocaines

Coast of Morocco

• Low microbiologic and physico-chemical qualities of water nearby some urban settlements (pollution by liquid effluents and solid waste);

• coastal erosion (natural phenomena and human intervention –sand mining, urbanization);

• pollution and salinisation of aquifers (sea water intrusion, intensive agriculture)

• loss of coastal ecosystems.

Major forces of change in Moroccan coastal zones

1) demography/urbanization2) tourism3) agriculture4) fishing5) industry6) Transport7) Climate change

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Algeria Egypt Morocco Tunisia

COED, % of GDP

Cost of protection,% of GDP

% of GDP

Comparison of COED and Cost of protection

Impacts of Changing Climates on Coasts

The potential threats (IPCC 4rth report)– More frequent storms– sea level rise– a change in landscapes– shifts in biological diversity

Potential damages to:• infrastructure

• Economic activities (tourism, fisheries)

• cultural assets

Morocco by 2020 (SNC, 2001)

Average temperature increase

Diminishing precipitations Diminishing water

resources Sea level increase Increasing Storms

frequency Varying waves regime

Physical impacts on coastal zones

Sea level rise

Submersion of low laying coasts

Coastal erosion Sea water intrusion into

aquifersCoastal morphology

Y Y -

Natural ecosystems

Y Y Y

Water resources Y - Y

Coastal infrastructures

Y Y -

Vulnerability assessment criteria and approach

Natural vulnerability Socioeconomic vulnerability

Morphology/topography Population density

Presence/absence of natural defenses Coastal infrastructures

Degree of exposure Importance of economic sectors

PI= f(exposure, sensibility)

V=f(PI, AC)

Vulnerability assessment

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Vulnerability of Moroccan CZ

High vulnerabilityMedium vulnerability

Low vulnerability

Dégradation du littoral de Tanger

Plage de TAMARES 2 en 2003

(M’hammedi, 2005)

o Bouareg

o Beni Ensar

o Nador

o Iheddadene

o Kariate Arekmane

Enabling stakeholders in Moroccan coastal management to develop sustainable climate change adaptation policies

and plans

(2007-2010)

www.accma-maroc.com

Objectives:

The global objective is to develop capacity for, and contribute to, policy and decision-making for strategic coastal land use planning and management, to the purpose of reducing the vulnerability of coastal communities to the impacts of sea level rise, coastal flooding, and related extreme weather events.

the non-cohesive Sediment Transport (ST-MIKE21) module has been applied.

The values of annual mean potential sediment transport have been computed in different sections, extrapolated in m3/year .

Sections equidistant (1500 m), parallel one to each other,

The sediment discharges calculated represent the total annual potential transport generated by the contribution, for each grid, of the L and R waves, opportunely weighed on its annual frequency of occurrence.

Sediment transport

Coastline evolution 1

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0 2,5 51,25

Km

Légende

Ligne de côte 1986

Ligne de côte 2003

Ligne de côte 2006

Ligne de base 1

< -1 m/an

-1 ; 1 m/an

> 1 m/an

Lagoon of Nador

Mediterranean Sea

Accret

ionErosion

Passe de Boukâna

• EPR : - 0,44 m/an• LRR : - 0,43 m/an

Socioeconomic Vulnerability

Project outputsIPCC scenarios downscalingVulnerability maps of various sectors (socioeconomic and natural systems)Good adaptation practicesManual on education and raising awareness on CC adaptationGender and CC, adaptation optionsSmall scale fisheries and adaptation to climate changeRecommendations on how to integrate CC considerations into planning and legislationICZM Plan of Action taking into account the CC vulnerability ad adaptation options

Drivers:UrbanisationAgricultureDemographyC-Change

Pressures:ConstructionPollutionOverharvesting Development on shorelineImmersion; water intrusion

State: ErosionSalinisationPollutionLoss of natural areas

Impact: Loss of biodiversityLoss of soil fertility;Loss of health;Loss of ecosystem servicesLoss of aesthetic valuesLoss of economic opportunities

Response:Institutional measures;Research; Integrated management

Land Planning and management tomeet new challenges (C-change)

Laws and regulation enforcement,

Pollution control; Restoration of ecosystems; Erosion control Conservation measuresHard measures of protectionSoft measures of protection

Education & awareness raising (C-change);

Monitoring

DPSIR Analysis

In coastal areas, damage has occurred and will continue (CC potential effects);There is a need:

• to integrate between sectors, stakeholders, etc. as climate change crosses all sectors;

• for medium and long terms planning• for a strategy of adaptation;• to communicate and interact;• for an effective jurisdiction and institutional

framework for coastal areas;• for research and data acquisition and monitoring.

What is being implemented Charte of environment and SD under progress Law on protected areas Project of Law on coastal zones adaptation actions (CBA) (fisheries, agriculture, building adaptive

capacity of women) the ICZM plan of action with the WB financial support

Conclusions