Economic instruments for environment and expenditures for environmental protection

Morocco is a middle-income country with a population estimated at 32.5 million in 2012, up by 3 million compared with 2003. Although Morocco’s economic growth has been adversely affected by the global economic crisis in 2008–2009, its economic performance over the past decade was, overall, positive. Real gross domestic product (GDP) rose at an average annual rate of 4.6 per cent during 2003– 2011. Real GDP per capita (in national currency units) rose by about 35 per cent over the same period. Inflation has remained very moderate with an average annual rate of just below 2 per cent, although this partly also reflects sizeable government subsidies designed to shield domestic prices of some foodstuffs and energy products from price hikes in international commodity markets. The unemployment rate has been relatively stable at around 9 per cent in recent years. The poverty headcount ratio at the national poverty line corresponded to 8.8 per cent of the population in 2008, which suggests that there is a sizeable segment of the population that is economically and socially vulnerable.

Related Subject(s): Environment and Climate Change

Countries: Morocco