Major Environmental Concerns

[ Land | Forest | Biodiversity | Water | Marine & Coastal Environments | Urban & Industrial Environments ]

Underlying Causes

[ Social | Economic | Institutional | Environmental ]

Africa is a large continent with many different dynamics. Since the 1960s, it has experienced persistent and severe economic and environmental problems, as well as political and social turmoil in some countries. Its population growth rate-the world's highest - has placed additional strains on all systems. Poverty has perpetuated underdevelopment and mismanagement of resources in the region. Furthermore, deterioration in the terms of trade and lack of financial resources for investment have made it difficult for several countries to develop patterns of livelihood that would reduce pressure on the natural resource base.

However, this is only a part of African reality. Other significant changes have also occurred, including the dramatic demise of apartheid in South Africa, the end of civil wars and the subsequent accession of elected Governments to power in Angola and Mozambique, implementation of structural adjustment programs in 35 countries that have successfully put in place economic reform measures, a surge towards political liberalization, and emergence of an increasingly strengthened civil society (UNDP, 1996). These are examples of social and political transitions towards peace and economic progress, although their impacts on the environment are yet to be assessed. Africa is at a critical turning point.

Amid these changes, environmental degradation continues. One of the major problems common to the countries of Africa relates to the great imbalance in the use of its natural resources: those such as soil and vegetation are overexploited, while water, energy, minerals, and organic resources are underused or exported raw. Striking a balance between economic development and sustainability for the growing number of people remains the major environment and development challenge. The two are interlinked, requiring a coherent and integrated regional approach for their solution. The difficulty of finding the right path is compounded by the region's great variance in cultural heritage and natural resource endowments.

Various regional fora of African Government leaders have consistently mentioned the following priority environmental concerns (UNECA, 1992, 1993a, 1993c; OAU, 1995; UNEP, 1996a):

• land degradation and desertification problems, particularly in relation to the need for food security and self-sufficiency;
• the protection and sustainable use of forests;
• effective management and protection of biodiversity;
• water resources issues, including the problem of water scarcity and efficient water management;
• pollution problems, particularly those affecting freshwater resources as well as urban, coastal, and marine areas;
• climatic problems, including drought and climate change; and
• demographic change and population pressures on natural resources and in urban areas.

United Nations Environment Programme