Vulnerability to Climate Change and Adaptive Capacity of Social-Ecological Systems in Kenitra and Talmest, North and Central Morocco

Abstract

Climate change alters the conditions of communities and regions worldwide, thus becoming a global concern. In Morocco, which no exception, many communities and regions are currently suffering from climatic extreme events such as high temperatures, severe storms, floods, and irregular rainfall patterns. Among the devastating impacts of climate change, floods are causing losses of lives and property in both Moroccan rural and urban areas. This problem is also exacerbated by unsustainable development practices and poor landuse planning in the country. This chapter analyses the vulnerability of social-ecological systems to climate change in two regions in Morocco: Kenitra (Sebou watershed); and Talmest (Tensift watershed). The vulnerability assessment has been performed through focusing on components, emerging from interactions between physical and human elements: their exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity to climate change. We used a mixed-methods approach based on both quantitative (data analysis and modeling) and qualitative (interviews and investigation) data. Increased vulnerability to climatic changes recently observed (in Talmest compared to kenitra) can be explained both by its high exposure to the perturbation and by its socioeconomic situation that intensifies sensitivity and hinders adaptive capacity.