Morocco Grapples with Diesel Car Dilemma as Global Markets Shift

In Morocco, the automotive sector faces a major challenge, that of finding a balance between economic imperatives and the preservation of the environment and health. The kingdom continues to market diesel cars for economic reasons, as the cost of diesel in Morocco remains lower than that of gasoline. This government strategy aims to maintain market stability and offer affordable options to consumers. Especially since the transition from diesel vehicles to cleaner cars, such as electric cars, requires the mobilization of huge investments in infrastructure, such as electric charging stations and the modernization of road networks. But the use of diesel cars is not without consequences for the environment and health, recalls Al3omk.

Diesel engines produce a set of air pollutants, particularly fine particles and nitrogen oxides, which cause serious health problems such as asthma, respiratory diseases and heart disease, it is pointed out. Witness a 2012 WHO study that concludes that these emissions are associated with an increased risk of lung and bladder cancer. In Morocco, the high proportion of diesel cars on the roads is the cause of the increase in respiratory and urinary disease rates in major cities. In addition, diesel emissions contribute to air pollution and the increase in greenhouse gases, exacerbating global warming, according to a 2021 World Bank report entitled "Air Quality and Climate Change in Developing Cities: Case Study of Morocco".

However, there are alternative policies that the Moroccan government could implement to reduce the use of diesel cars, as some European countries are doing. Morocco could adopt fiscal policies aimed at reducing the use of diesel engines, including imposing taxes on high-emission vehicles and encouraging citizens to switch to electric or hybrid cars by offering tax exemptions or financial incentives. Morocco must not only focus on investments in improving and expanding public transport networks, but must also improve the quality of public transport services and make them more attractive.

Other solutions: offer financial and legislative incentives to encourage the purchase of electric cars, such as tax reductions and customs duty exemptions; strengthen the necessary infrastructure to support electric cars, such as increasing the number of charging stations and facilitating access to them; launch awareness campaigns aimed at informing the public about the health and environmental risks of diesel, as well as the importance of switching to cleaner alternatives, and finally encourage individual responsibility and encourage citizens to adopt more sustainable behaviors.