Human mobility and environmental degration: impacts on rural communities in Marocco

Abstract:

"The projected duplication of the frequency and duration of meteorological drought in North Africa will contribute to exacerbating situations of water scarcity. The current policies in Morocco that address issues of climate change and sustainable development do not include considerations of human mobility or other categories of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage. This Thesis intends to capture the local perceptions of environmental degradation, including climate change, and how human mobility fits within a wider adaptation response, focusing on the region of Souss-Massa. It seeks to contribute with proposals, developed with the community, which address the reduction of vulnerabilities and improvement of life quality, focusing on sustainable development. To achieve those objectives, this empirical study collects qualitative data by conducting semi-structured interviews on the perceptions of the local population in terms of their vulnerability to the perceived impacts of environmental degradation and human mobility. Data point to a clear perception of a reduction in the available water, and internal migration as the most frequent adaptation strategy. Overall, the environmental degradation has contributed to a decrease in the perceived quality of life, and human mobility, while presenting some disadvantages, is generally considered an improvement. This study also highlights the importance of internal remittances for livelihood diversification in the rural communities. Furthermore, most participants do not attribute an anthropogenic cause to current phenomena of climate change and overall environmental degradation, which is a relevant issue when developing effective communication strategies."