Context

    The fragility of national natural resources, their rarity in relation to a constantly growing population and their tendency to  rapid degradation, are affecting more and more the quality of life of people and harm the process of economic development and social.

     This situation, combined with changing climatic factors that affect water resources and agriculture, increases on social and economic problems, particularly in rural areas. To meet their basic needs, rural populations in some areas rely on over-exploitation of soils, water resources, forests, etc..
Similarly, the development experienced by Morocco in recent decades in vital socio-economic  areas, including agriculture, industry, fisheries, urban development, infrastructure and tourism, has lead to a negative impact on the quality of the environment that require a heavy financial burdens to be corrected .
in the latest figuress, trends in environmental degradation are estimated at 13 billion dirhams, or 3.7% of GDP.

     Significant challenges must be faced in the current context  to achieve sustainable development that public authorities are trying to access. In this regard, His Majesty King Mohammed VI has ordered the Government to develop a National Charter for Environment and Sustainable Development which has to affirm the right of everyone to live in a healthy environment and to emphazise on the notions of duty to the environment, a duty for both citizen, economic and social actors or those of public authorities

"... We urge the government to draft a  global National Charter for the environment, providing protection to spaces, reserves and natural resources in the process of sustainable development .... "

     This Charter is all the more necessary that Morocco is firmly committed to the process of sustainable development at an international level and affirmed its commitment to work actively for a better management of the environment by signing and ratifying major international conventions and protocols, including those from the Rio Summit. These include Agenda 21, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Framework Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention to Fight against Desertification, the Convention Ramsar, etc..

     His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s call for the development of a draft of nNational Carter for global environmental, reinforces thedifferent social, economic and cultural measures, which are included within the scope of the process of sustainable development of the kingdom.

     Major societal project, the National Charter of the Environment and Sustainable Development is designed to face the consequences of population growth, the problems associated with major infrastructure worries , the increasing needs for public health and education . It is the best tool to ensure the development and operation of the "common heritage of the nation" in a concept of sustainable development.


Expected  Objectives of the Charter

      All the efforts of the Kingdom will converge to ensure the success of this vision of sustainable development that will have as a consequence the development of our society, in its current and future, and its well-being, this will be achieved through:

Thus, several changes may be made in the daily lives of our fellow citizens:


Fundamentals of the Charter

The CNEED is a solemn instrument which will give to everyone the fundamental right to live in a healthy and respectful environment of the natural and cultural heritage, seen as a shared common good to the entire nation.

This right is also a call to all persons, natural or legal entities, not to undermine the integrity of the natural environment and its different equilibria, and ensure a rational and responsible use of it to guarantee its sustainability for future generations.

In a sustainable development perspective, the Charter will provide all the core values that are able to guide government action, and ensure a complete promotion of the status that we must give to the environment through a Global Charter.

It’s also a human plan that devotes their initiatives to current and future generations of Morocco.
This battery of measures will be implemented and monitored over several years.

The fundamentals of the Charter of the Environment and Sustainable Development are :


Approach

This process will take place in the following phases:

Phase 1:  Development of a draft charter:
The purpose is to extract, from the divers  approaches and the capitalisation of environmental diagnosis, numerous consultations and plenary sessions and international benchmarking, a draft Charter, which can serve as a basis for the work of national consultations and territorial authorities.

Phase 2:  National and regional consultations :
These consultations will accurately reflect the expectations of all the protagonists including civil society in environmental protection and sustainable development. This phase involves several processes:

       • Creation of a website dedicated to the draft Charter to inform of the progress of the preparations for the charter;
       • Focus on national and regional authorities to launch the debate on the presented  draft charter;
       •  Regional Caravans.

Phase 3:  Finalisation of the draft Charter :
Capitalisation of the results of consultations and development of the draft Charter.

Phase 4:  pproval of the draft Charter :
Approval of the draft Charter at the seventh session of the National Council for Environment.

Phase 5:  Signature of the Charter of National Environment and Sustainable Development :
Signature of the Charter of National Environment and Sustainable Development, during the celebration of Earth Day, April 22, 2010.


National Commission

Official Committee

The Standing Committee comprises the Permanent Secretaries of various ministerial departments and chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Department of the Environment. It is held responsible for monitoring the development process of the Charter, assisted in his mission by the Scientific Committee and the Legal Committee.

Scientific Committee

This committee is consulted on research programs and scientific aspects of development programs. It voice their opinion on the overall consistency of these programs and gives priority to effective proposals. It can make recommendations and formulate suggestions about the direction of research. The Scientific Committee shall be convened by its President

Legal Committee

The Legal Committee, appointed by the Board of Directors, is responsible for:
• Rreviewing legal cases involving capital investment
• address legal issues included in the work of various committees
• provide advice and recommendations