Tag Archives: Morocco

WFDD: World Leaders Ponder US Role in Fighting Climate Change

marrakech-cop22-2016

WFDD reporter Keri Brown interviewed me for my reflections on the outcome of the 22nd United Nation’s climate summit in Marrakesh. The link to the four-minute radio story is here. As I’ve written previously, the new president-elect has galvanized world leaders to take aggressive climate action, with or without US leadership.

Mongabay @ COP22: Morocco plants millions of trees along roads to fight climate change

Anouar Benazzouz, general manager of Morocco’s Highways Authority. Photo by Justin Catanoso

Anouar Benazzouz, general manager of Morocco’s Highways Authority. Photo by Justin Catanoso

I stumbled on to this story by walking on the tail end of a weekend press conference. I heard the man above say his country had planted 3 million trees to offset carbon emissions, an extraordinary number. I asked him for an interview; he turned out to be a high-ranking Moroccan government official; we spoke for 30 minutes. Mixed with previous reporting and great research from my Mongabay editor, Morgan Erickson-Davis, a really good story emerged; the link is here. Highlights:

  • Through the program, which is headed by Morocco’s Highway Authority, more than three million trees have been planted with another 800,000 in the works by 2017.
  • The country’s Department of Agriculture is partnering in the project, which conservationists say paints a stark contrast to many other countries where similar departments pose obstacles to reforestation and afforestation programs.
  • The project is funded domestically, but a government representative told Mongabay they may be interested in receiving support from international forest conservation programs.
  • Those affiliated with the project hope it can be used as a model for other African nations.