Using the Sustainable Development Goals to Facilitate Comprehensive Planning : A mapping of interlinkages between the targetsof Agenda 2030 and seawater desalination in Agadir, Morocco

Abstract: Freshwater scarcity is an issue with multiple origins, currently affecting a major part of theearths' population. Rapid urbanization, intensive agriculture, people growth and overconsumption leads to stress on freshwater resources; a concern that is expected to increase inthe future due to the impacts of climate change. One of the most acknowledged technologiesto cope with increasing freshwater scarcity in coastal areas is seawater desalination, andcurrently a large-scale desalination project is carried out in Morocco. The project aims toprovide millions of people with drinking water simultaneously as supporting the importantagriculture with irrigation water. In the Souss-Massa region, where the desalination plant isbeing built, water access is closely linked to the economy through agriculture and tourism, aswell as wellbeing for individuals and nature. UN describes the need for effective planning tomeet climate-related and humanitarian threats as urgent and has agreed on the currentSustainable Development Goals in Agenda 2030. This thesis provides a mapping ofinterlinkages between the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Moroccan desalinationproject. It is aimed to support and facilitate decision making on planning level in order toreach the Sustainable Development Goals. Here evidence in literature is used to identifysynergies and trade-offs between desalination and fulfilment of the SDG targets in the region.In total 46 synergies and 17 trade-offs were identified, and the synergies and trade-offs arepresented in illustrations and text and table form Appendix 1. The identified interlinkages arediscussed based on the result shown in Appendix 1 and the supplementary informationprovided in section 5.1-5.3.