The Center for Environmental Perspective for Information and Sustainable Development organized an awareness workshop on Saturday in Nador regarding the challenges of climate change, particularly at the level of the Mediterranean coastline.
Organized on the occasion of International Climate Day, in partnership with the Moroccan Association of Regional Sciences (AMSR) and the Center for Environmental Education and Sustainable Development in Nador, this workshop aims to inform about the potential impacts of sea-level rise, particularly in the Mediterranean, to discuss adaptation strategies, and to promote practical measures to protect the coastline.
It is also about preserving the marine and coastal ecosystem, strengthening the resilience of communities in the face of climate risks, and involving the relevant local actors through the promotion of cooperation between local authorities, non-governmental organizations, researchers, the media, businesses, and society for effective management of climate risks.
In this regard, the speakers emphasized the importance of informing and raising awareness about the need to strengthen the resilience of communities and infrastructure on the Moroccan Mediterranean coast in the face of future climate challenges.
They also highlighted, during this workshop placed under the theme "climate action: our responsibility and not a choice", the role of the media, particularly environmental media, in raising society's awareness about climate change.
Speaking on this occasion, the president of the Center for Environmental Perspective for Information and Sustainable Development, Mohammed Tafraouti, noted that environmental media, in addition to their role in raising awareness about environmental issues, also foster debate on climate issues, promote their acceptance by public opinion, and encourage the development of environmental policies.
He added that media coverage of climate change, its characteristics, and its consequences is essential for society to make informed and responsible decisions in the face of this complex problem, emphasizing that the role of the media takes on considerable importance, not only in quantitative terms (how much information is disseminated), but also in qualitative terms (how this information is reported).
"It is crucial to encourage dialogue between scientists and the media, by bringing researchers out of their academic isolation and simplifying the scientific data contained in reports and studies," Mr. Tafraouti further specified, noting that journalists must be integrated into all stages of negotiations, summits, and conferences to acquire a deep understanding of the issues and be able to report information in a creative and independent manner.
For his part, the president of the AMSR, Abdellatif Khattabi, indicated that climate change, one of the main current global environmental challenges, significantly impacts ecosystems and human communities, adding that among the major threats is sea-level rise, which represents a serious danger for coastal areas due to the significant risks of flooding.
This rise also leads to several harmful effects, such as coastal erosion, and the increase and worsening of floods, he continued, emphasizing that communities dependent on coastlines for their economic activities, such as fishing, tourism, and agriculture, face the threat of losing their natural resources and infrastructure.
He added that sea-level rise constitutes a major challenge requiring a concerted global response from governments, research centers, and local communities, which must collaborate to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to protect coastlines and ensure the sustainability of life in these regions for future generations.
On the program for this day were round tables and debates on the impacts of climate change on the Mediterranean coastline, on potential solutions to address these issues, as well as a field visit to the Nador coastline.
