Morocco environmental performance reviews

Abstract

In 1993, Environmental Performance Reviews (EPRs) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) were initiated at the second Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference, in Lucerne, Switzerland. They were intended to cover the ECE member States that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Subsequently, the ECE Committee on Environmental Policy decided to make them part of its regular programme. Since then, the Ministers affirmed their support for the EPR Programme, and decided in 2003 that the Programme should continue with a second cycle of reviews, and lately they formally endorsed the third cycle of reviews in 2011. Through the peer review process, EPRs also promote dialogue among ECE member States and the harmonization of environmental conditions and policies throughout the region. As a voluntary exercise, an EPR is undertaken only at the request of the country concerned. The studies are carried out by international teams of experts from the region working closely with national experts from the reviewed country. The teams also benefit from close cooperation with other organizations in the United Nations system, for instance the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as well as with the European Environment Agency (EEA), World Health Organization (WHO) and other organizations. In 2010, the Government of Morocco requested ECE to conduct an EPR of Morocco. Although Morocco is not part of the ECE region, the ECE Committee on Environmental Policy agreed to carry out the environmental performance review of this country. This is the first EPR conducted by ECE beyond its region. In this regard, ECE sought the cooperation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), which confirmed its willingness to cooperate in the implementation of the EPR process through its Sub-Regional Office for North Africa. This is the EPR of Morocco published by ECE. This EPR also covers 13 issues of importance to the country related to policymaking, planning and implementation, the financing of environmental policies and projects, and the integration of environmental concerns into economic sectors, in particular agriculture, energy, health, industry, biodiversity and protected areas, water and waste management. The Morocco review was notable as it is the first country outside the region to request an EPR from ECE, and the process was undertaken in cooperation with the ECA. I hope that this EPR will be useful in supporting policymakers and representatives of civil society in their efforts to improve environmental management and to further promote sustainable development in Morocco, and that the lessons learned from the peer review process will also benefit other countries of the ECE and ECA regions.