Cooperation to remove the barbed wire: Europe and the Maghreb

The author contends that the EU must move away from criminalizing migrants and implementing neoliberal economic models in the Maghreb. Instead, the document proposes a cooperation framework based on reciprocity and ecological awareness, highlighting how environmental issues—such as desertification in coastal areas and water scarcity linked to fracking in Algeria—drive social instability and migration. It criticizes the 'Washington consensus' and the lack of international legal recognition for environmental refugees, who are estimated to reach 250 million by 2050. The text also notes that political instability, corruption, and bilateral conflicts between nations like Morocco and Algeria hinder regional cooperation and the development of interregional projects.

• Environmental degradation is intrinsically linked to social unrest, war, and migration, yet 'environmental refugees' lack recognition in international statutes. Estimates suggest these refugees could reach 250 million by 2050.
• Neoliberal and neo-Keynesian economic models are unsuitable for the Maghreb because they ignore the reality of finite resources and the region's environmental deterioration.
• Specific ecological pressures in the region include drought in Mauritania affecting 12 million people, desertification of coastal areas, and water scarcity exacerbated by the introduction of fracking in Algeria.
• Regional cooperation through the Arab Maghreb Union is stalled due to bilateral conflicts, such as the dispute between Morocco and Algeria over Western Sahara and the phosphate mines there.

APA

del Peral, R. (2015). Cooperation to remove the barbed wire: Europe and the Maghreb. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/cooperation-to-remove-the-barbed-wire-europe-and-the-maghreb/

Chicago

del Peral, Rafael. Cooperation to remove the barbed wire: Europe and the Maghreb. Green European Journal, 2015. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/cooperation-to-remove-the-barbed-wire-europe-and-the-maghreb/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=del Peral |first1=Rafael |title=Cooperation to remove the barbed wire: Europe and the Maghreb |publisher=Green European Journal |date=1 March 2015 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/cooperation-to-remove-the-barbed-wire-europe-and-the-maghreb/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{delperal2015cooperation, author = {del Peral, Rafael}, title = {{Cooperation to remove the barbed wire: Europe and the Maghreb}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2015}, month = mar, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/cooperation-to-remove-the-barbed-wire-europe-and-the-maghreb/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }