Natural resource conservation and climate change adaptation and resilience in Morocco: the role of citizens in saving water and energy

Morocco, like other North African and Mediterranean countries, has experienced a severe drought that has extended from the end of 2018. The drought, high temperatures, and scarce rainfall have had an unprecedented impact on water resources. Therefore, preserving natural resources has become more important than ever. Citizens play a vital role in rationalizing and conserving natural resources. Within this framework, this scientific study aims to examine the role of environmental behaviour among residents in natural resource conservation in Morocco. Data were collected through a survey of a random sample of four cities, and experiments were conducted to measure the amount of water wasted during daily water use. Most respondents don't try to justify their water and energy use, the study found. Some of the most significant behaviours that contribute to water waste includes not turning off the tap during daily activities, not having taps with a limited flow, wasting significant amounts of water while showering, not monitoring leaks and fixing them promptly, and not tracking consumption to detect any unjustified bill increases. The most significant behaviours that contribute to energy waste include not turning off lights in rooms and unused areas, not replacing regular bulbs with energy-saving bulbs, and not unplugging phones, tablets, computers, and other devices after charging them. The survey results confirmed that children contribute significantly to the waste of water and energy. The results of the experiments confirmed that the volume of water wasted due to these behaviours is enormous. The national water waste was estimated at 127,869,650 cubic meters of potable water due to not turning off the tap while washing their hands, face, and feet, and during ablution. The results confirmed that replacing regular light bulbs with energy-saving ones, in addition to adopting environmentally friendly water-conserving behaviours, can reduce the water bill by 50%.