A new international survey has found that 84% of Moroccan adults support action to reduce methane emissions. The poll, conducted by the Global Methane Hub and the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, measured public awareness of climate change and methane and tracked attitudes toward methane-reduction solutions. The results show that nearly half of respondents, 47%, are very concerned about climate change.
The survey also found that concern runs higher around more immediate environmental threats, with 54% of respondents very concerned about poor water quality, 54% worried about droughts, and 51% very concerned about heat and heatwaves. These concerns are likely linked to the extreme heat and water scarcity that communities and agriculture have faced across Morocco. This summer brought repeated heatwaves, with temperatures reaching as high as 50°C in some areas.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, contributing to roughly 30% of global warming since preindustrial times and is more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Cutting methane emissions is seen as the fastest route to lowering global temperatures, with reductions also carrying public health and economic benefits. Moroccan respondents backed methane cuts across the three sectors responsible for most human-caused emissions: agriculture, waste, and energy.
Support for methane action was high across these sectors, reaching 80% for agriculture, 85% for waste, and 86% for energy. Overall, the 84% who support methane action match the 84% who support broader climate action. Respondents also identified major industries, particularly oil and gas and waste management companies, as significant contributors to climate change. They looked primarily to national and international governments as capable of driving solutions.
The survey found that 64% of respondents viewed national governments as very capable of meaningful action, and 63% said the same of international governments. Other findings showed that nearly three-quarters, 73%, believe climate change is caused by human activity. About half, 51%, are familiar with methane, up six percentage points since 2025.
The results of the survey were welcomed by experts, with Marcelo Mena, CEO of the Global Methane Hub, tying the results to conditions on the ground. He noted that many Moroccans recognize the importance of tackling powerful climate pollutants like methane at a time when extreme heat and water scarcity are putting growing pressure on communities. Laury Haytayan, Middle East and North Africa Director at the Natural Resource Governance Institute, read the findings as a call for shared responsibility.
The Moroccan results mirror a broader pattern, with 85% of respondents across 18 countries surveyed supporting action to reduce methane pollution. Support ran particularly high in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The survey underlines the stakes, with methane responsible for roughly 30% of warming since preindustrial times. Cutting human-caused methane emissions by 45% this decade could prevent nearly 0.3°C of warming by 2045.
Key points
- 84% of Moroccans support action to reduce methane emissions.
- Concern about climate change and its impacts is high among Moroccans.
- Reducing methane emissions can have significant benefits for public health and the economy.
