National sustainable development strategy 2035: Morocco strengthens its ecological transition

Over the years, Morocco has made notable progress in the field of waste management. During her speech before the Committee on Infrastructure, Energy, Mines, Environment and Sustainable Development in the House of Representatives, Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, presented an encouraging assessment. The National Sustainable Development Strategy (SNDD 2035) gives a central place to waste management, considered a fundamental lever of the ecological transition. The National Household Waste Management Program (PNDM), implemented between 2008 and 2022, has made significant progress. Among the results obtained: a waste collection rate reaching 96%, the rehabilitation of 67 unauthorized landfills, the development of 53 master plans, and investments totaling 21 billion dirhams, including 3.1 billion financed by the sustainable development sector. Building on these achievements, a new vision was adopted for the period 2023-2034. It aims to reduce the use of landfilling, strengthen recycling and develop energy recovery. An agreement with the cement industry notably provides for the use of waste as an alternative fuel (RDF), a flagship measure to promote the circular economy. This ambitious program also benefits from technical support from the World Bank. On the regulatory front, the minister insisted on the rigorous supervision of imports of recyclable materials, in accordance with Law No. 28.00. From 2021 to 2025, 136 authorizations were issued, mainly for rubber tires, but also for plastics and textiles. This dynamic is part of an integrated approach supported by the SNDD, which targets six priority areas: the development of natural resources, the transition to a low-emission green economy, energy, water and food security, territorial justice, equitable access to services, as well as the preservation of cultural heritage. The new version of the strategy is based on five strategic levers: the development of human capital, digital transformation, innovation, improvement of the legal and fiscal framework, and sustainable financing. Inspired by the High Royal Guidelines, the New Development Model, the government program and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, this strategy was designed following a participatory process: regional meetings, sectoral consultations, and digital platform dedicated to citizen mobilization.