Thesis Proposal Environmental Engineer in Morocco Casablanca – Free Word Template Download with AI

This Thesis Proposal outlines a critical research initiative focused on developing and implementing sustainable waste management systems tailored to the unique environmental challenges of Morocco Casablanca. As the economic heartland of Morocco, Casablanca faces escalating pressures from rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, and climate change impacts, resulting in severe waste accumulation, water pollution in the Bouregreg River basin, and heightened greenhouse gas emissions. This research will be spearheaded by an Environmental Engineer specializing in integrated resource recovery systems. The proposed study directly addresses Morocco's National Strategy for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) and its commitment to achieving circular economy goals within urban centers like Casablanca. By focusing on scalable, low-carbon waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies combined with community engagement, this Thesis Proposal establishes a vital pathway for the Environmental Engineer to contribute tangible solutions to Casablanca's environmental crisis while aligning with national sustainability targets.

Morocco Casablanca, home to over 4 million inhabitants and a major port city, exemplifies the complex environmental dilemmas confronting rapidly growing African metropolises. Current waste management practices—predominantly reliant on landfilling at sites like Dar el Beida—generate methane emissions, leachate contamination of groundwater and the Bouregreg River, and represent a massive lost resource. The Casablanca Agglomeration's annual municipal solid waste (MSW) generation exceeds 1.5 million tons, with less than 10% undergoing any form of recycling or energy recovery (Moroccan Ministry of Energy, Mines & Sustainable Development, 2023). This inefficiency is unsustainable and directly contradicts Morocco's ambitious carbon neutrality goals by 2050. The role of the Environmental Engineer in Morocco Casablanca is thus not merely technical but imperative for urban resilience. This Thesis Proposal argues that the integration of advanced WtE technologies, specifically adapted to Casablanca's waste composition and socio-economic context, represents a critical intervention point requiring specialized Environmental Engineering expertise.

The primary goal of this thesis is to design, model, and propose a feasible integrated WtE system for selected neighborhoods in Morocco Casablanca. Specific objectives include:

• Objective 1: Conduct a comprehensive waste characterization study across three distinct Casablanca districts (e.g., Aïn Chock, Sidi Bernoussi, and Hay Mohammadi) to analyze organic content, plastic fraction, and seasonal variations in MSW streams.
• Objective 2: Assess the technical viability and economic feasibility of small-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) for organic waste combined with gasification for residual plastics/paper, tailored to Casablanca's infrastructure constraints.
• Objective 3: Develop a community engagement strategy in collaboration with local municipalities (e.g., CASABLANCA CITY HALL) and NGOs to ensure social acceptance, waste segregation at source, and potential employment creation for the Environmental Engineer as a community liaison.
• Objective 4: Model the environmental impact (GHG reduction, water savings) and economic return on investment (ROI) of the proposed system compared to current landfilling practices within Morocco Casablanca's specific regulatory framework.

This research will employ a mixed-methods approach, ensuring practical relevance for an Environmental Engineer working in Morocco Casablanca:

1. Field Survey & Waste Characterization: Collaborate with the Casablanca Urban Development Agency (CAD) to collect and analyze 120+ waste samples over a six-month period, utilizing standardized ISO protocols. Focus on organic fraction (key for AD), plastic types, and moisture content.
2. Technology Assessment & Modeling: Utilize software like Aspen Plus for process simulation of the selected WtE pathways (AD + Gasification). Incorporate Casablanca-specific data: energy grid requirements, waste transport distances to potential facility sites (e.g., near industrial zones in Hay Hassani), and local labor costs.
3. Stakeholder Engagement & Social Analysis: Conduct focus group discussions with residents, municipal workers, and waste pickers across target neighborhoods. Analyze feasibility through the lens of Moroccan cultural norms and existing informal waste economy structures common in Casablanca.
4. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) & Economic Modeling: Perform an LCA using SimaPro software to quantify carbon footprint and resource use. Develop a detailed economic model including capital expenditure (CapEx), operational expenditure (OpEx), potential revenue from electricity sales or compost, and ROI calculations for Casablanca context.

This Thesis Proposal holds significant strategic value for both academic advancement and practical application in Morocco Casablanca. For the field of Environmental Engineering, it will provide a replicable framework for implementing decentralized WtE systems in similar North African urban settings, moving beyond generic models. Specifically, it addresses a critical gap: the lack of context-specific engineering solutions adapted to Casablanca's waste streams and socio-technical realities. The proposed system directly supports Morocco's National Waste Management Strategy (2019-2034), which prioritizes waste reduction at source and valorization over disposal. Furthermore, the research will empower the Environmental Engineer as a key agent of change within Casablanca's municipal landscape, fostering skills in cross-sector collaboration with local government (e.g., AMO - Agence de la Mobilité et de l'Environnement), private sector partners for technology transfer (like Moroccan companies specializing in renewable energy), and civil society. The expected outcome—a validated, community-integrated WtE pilot model—offers a scalable blueprint for Casablanca's expansion towards circularity, directly contributing to the city's climate action plan (2021-2035) by reducing landfill methane emissions and generating renewable energy for local use.

The environmental challenges confronting Morocco Casablanca demand innovative, locally grounded solutions led by specialized Environmental Engineers. This Thesis Proposal presents a focused, actionable research agenda addressing the critical nexus of urban waste management, climate resilience, and circular economy principles within the specific context of Casablanca. By rigorously investigating and proposing an integrated WtE system through field-based data collection, engineering modeling tailored to Casablanca's needs, and community-driven implementation strategies, this research will generate invaluable knowledge for both academic discourse on Environmental Engineering in Africa and practical municipal action plans. The successful execution of this study will position the Environmental Engineer not just as a technical expert but as a pivotal facilitator of sustainable urban transformation for Morocco Casablanca, ultimately contributing to national sustainability goals and improving the environmental health of one of North Africa's most vital cities.

Moroccan Ministry of Energy, Mines & Sustainable Development. (2023). *National Solid Waste Management Report: Casablanca Agglomeration*. Rabat.
Kingdom of Morocco. (2019). *National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2021-2030*.
Kingdom of Morocco. (2019). *National Waste Management Strategy 2019-2034*.
UNEP. (2021). *Waste to Energy in Urban Contexts: Global Best Practices for the Global South*. Nairobi.