Biodiversity financing and sustainable development in Morocco: Institutional frameworks, policy instruments, and pathways toward ecological sustainability
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Reda Benhima 1 * , Achraf Mabrouk 2 , Ayoub Souileh 3 , Nabil Dahhou 4 , Ahmed Birouk 5 , Mohammed Ibriz 1
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1 Laboratory of Botany, Biotechnologies, and Plant Protection, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, MOROCCO2 National Forestry School of Engineers, Tabriquet, Salé, MOROCCO3 Laboratory of Applied Geophysics, Geotechnics, Engineering Geology, and Environment, Mohammadia School of Engineers, Mohammed V University, Rabat, MOROCCO4 Laboratory of Economics and Organizations Management, Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, MOROCCO5 Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Hassan II, Madinat Al Irfane, Rabat, MOROCCO* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Morocco has progressively integrated biodiversity conservation into its sustainable development agenda, recognizing natural capital as a strategic foundation for economic resilience and social stability. However, the country faces a persistent biodiversity finance gap that reflects a structural misalignment between policy commitments and effective resource mobilization. While global biodiversity financing needs are estimated at USD 722-967 billion annually, current global flows amount to only USD 124-143 billion, illustrating the scale of underinvestment. In Morocco, biodiversity-related expenditures remain fragmented, weakly traceable, and heavily reliant on international funding, limiting long-term planning capacity. This study provides a systemic analysis of the institutional, legal, and financial architecture governing biodiversity financing in Morocco. Using the biodiversity finance initiative methodology, it assesses existing financial flows, identifies structural bottlenecks, and examines policy instruments adapted to the national context, including biodiversity budget tagging, payments for ecosystem services, access and benefit-sharing mechanisms governing benefits derived from the utilization of genetic resources, and natural capital accounting under the SEEA-EA framework. The findings highlight the need for improved budgetary transparency, ecological fiscal reform, strengthened inter-institutional coordination, and enhanced private-sector engagement. By positioning biodiversity finance as a macroeconomic and governance rather than as an environmental externality, the article proposes a pathway toward institutionalizing nature-positive public finance in Morocco.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EUR J SUSTAIN DEV RES, Volume 10, Issue 3, 2026, Article No: em0419

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejosdr/18974

Publication date: 15 Jul 2026

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