Award-winning wildlife and conservation photographer and Earth.Org Photographer Amish Chhagan reflects on the recent announcement by the government of Namibia to cull hundreds of wild animals in response to a severe drought that is affecting the country.

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“Humankind must learn to understand that the life of an animal is in no way less precious than our own.” – Paul Oxton

Namibia is planning to kill more than 700 wild animals, including elephants, zebras and hippos, and distribute the meat to the people struggling with food insecurity as the country grapples with its worst drought in 100 years. The animals set to be culled include 83 elephants, 30 hippos, 60 buffalo, 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest and 300 zebras, the country’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism announced in August.

An update from Zimbabwe less than a month later states that the government will cull 200 wild elephants to feed communities facing severe hunger during the worst drought in four decades.

Zimbabwe’s environment minister, Sithembiso Nyoni said: “We are having a discussion with ZimParks and some communities to do like what Namibia has done, so that we can cull the elephants and mobilise the women to maybe dry the meat, package it, and ensure that it gets to some communities that need the protein.”

Awareness

My son has a collection of National Geographic Kids books, each dedicated to a single species – something his grandmother so kindly gifted him. He loves them and he will flick through them and keep himself entertained for ages. One day, while reading the book on elephants, he came up to me and proudly recited facts: where they live, how many sub-species exist and that they weigh like 300 times more than him. His enthusiasm was contagious.

He then showed me the endangered scale that was highlighted orange, indicating that they are endangered (red is “Critically Endangered”) and went on to explain that people destroy their homes and also kill them for their tusks.

My heart sank. He is five years old.

On one hand I was so proud – yes, he and I have watched wildlife documentaries and he has seen many of these African species in person. His awareness and understanding was so perceptive, clearly showing concern for other living species – more than most people, let alone his age mates. On the other hand, the bigger picture comes into play and it is on days like this where optimism fades away.

It was only a couple of hours after I had read the aforementioned article. The timing was jarring.

Bigger Picture

These articles saddens me quite deeply.

The devastating drought in Namibia and the rest of Southern Africa is not an isolated event; it is part of a larger global pattern of environmental crises exacerbated primarily by human actions – bigger picture thinking. While this move may seem like a practical solution in a dire situation, it raises profound ethical questions about the relationship between humanity and the natural world. I should note, this piece is also not an isolated event; it reflects a culmination of thoughts and emotions that have built up over time, with this particular piece igniting something within me.

Overpopulation, unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation, overfishing, industrial pollution, illegal wildlife trade, plastic consumption, waste mismanagement, rising sea levels – just a few I have come up with in 30 seconds. These have all in some way contributed to the disruption of natural cycles and the depletion of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. While the immediate cause of Namibia’s drought may be climatic, the underlying drivers are deeply rooted in the ways humans have altered the planet.

Fact. Not opinion, not fake news, not misinformation. Fact.

The Namibian government’s decision to cull these animals is supported by international organisations, including the United Nations, under the Convention on Biological Diversity, which permits bushmeat consumption from sustainable sources. However, those familiar with Africa’s wildlife management know that this is a grey and murky area. Much like the justification of professional hunting, which claims to target only the old, weak, and diseased animals, the rationale for culling often fails to hold up under scrutiny. In reality, these practices can lead to further imbalances in ecosystems and the unnecessary suffering of animals.

Again – Fact.

When such credible and influential organisations show even the slightest support, it normalises these types of strategies and diminishes the long term impacts. As the saying goes, “give a finger and they’ll take the whole hand.” Another argument justifying the cull is that it could reduce human-wildlife conflict and prevent the animals from suffering due to the drought. Yet, wildlife is inherently resilient, far more so than humans. Given time and space, these animals can adapt to changing conditions. The notion that we must intervene to “save” them from suffering is rooted in a misunderstanding of nature’s processes.

Burden

I am not saying I have a solution to the drought crisis, nor do I condone human suffering. I am also talking from a privileged position, dare I admit. In all honestly, I am venting. I am empathetic towards those suffering, as I am to other similar events in other parts of the world – I have seen and witnessed this growing up in Zambia. But accountability falls to us, this is our responsibility; the governments, NGO’s, private and international aid, those who volunteer and help. Not wildlife. We have this idea that humans are the priority over everything and every other living species.

My concern is the injustice and unfairness to wildlife – as that is exactly what this is. Are we to believe that all other potential solutions have been exhausted? Are we really solving the root problem here? What about foreign aid? Is the situation so dire that the only recourse is to make wildlife pay the price for a crisis that we, as humans, have contributed to? Do we realise how short-sighted this is? Would we make a similar sacrifice if the roles were reversed? Most definitely not (and I am not suggesting we do).

The fact that we turn to culling animals – beings that had no hand in creating this crisis – suggests a failure to fully explore and implement alternative measures. It is a harsh reminder that the burden of human-induced crises often falls on the innocent, including the wildlife that plays a crucial role in our planet’s ecosystems.

I had conversations with several stakeholders familiar with the matter. Here is a quote that sums up this situation:

“What is done to the animals inevitably will impact the people, as it’s these same animals and their habitat that contribute significantly to ecotourism in the country. The governments must search for solutions that benefit all. In the end we will either succeed or fail, but it will be in unison.” Stacy James, Dazzle Africa.

As philosopher Immanuel Kant once said, “Animals are there merely as a means to an end. That end is man.”

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About the Author & Disclaimer: Amish Chhagan (Chags Photography) is an award-winning wildlife and conservation photographer and Earth.Org Photographer. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. You can find more of Amish’s work on his website, Instagram, and X. This article was first published on Chhagan’s blog.

The post Collateral Damage – On Namibia’s Plans to Kill Wildlife for Drought Relief appeared first on Earth.Org.

In this article, we will explore the tales of two critically endangered gorillas – the Eastern Gorilla and the Western Gorilla – forging connections that transcend the ordinary and learning about the extraordinary efforts being made to ensure their continued existence. 

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Have you ever wondered what it is like to stand face to face with a creature so powerful yet so achingly human in its gaze? Imagine, for a moment, being in the heart of Africa’s mystical forests, surrounded by towering trees and the ethereal sounds of nature. And there, in that sacred realm, you find yourself in the presence of gorillas – these gentle giants, our kin in the animal kingdom, who hold a mirror to our own humanity. It i a question that tugs at the soul: What is it like to share a moment, a connection, with these magnificent beings? 

As we embark on this journey, we’ll delve deep into their world, discovering not just their extraordinary physicality but also their intricate social structures, their boundless resilience, and their undeniable charm. These are not just creatures of the wild; they are living legends, each with their own unique story. In this article, we’ll explore the tales of the Eastern Gorilla and the Western Gorilla, forging connections that transcend the ordinary and learning about the extraordinary efforts being made to ensure their continued existence. 

Gorillas, those magnificent forest guardians, have long captured our imagination with their immense strength and remarkable intelligence. These gentle giants, divided into two distinct species, the Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and the Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), each boast their own unique charm. 

In the heart of Africa, the Eastern Gorilla comes in two distinct flavours – the Mountain Gorilla, shrouded in the mists of the Virunga Mountains, and the Eastern Lowland Gorilla, a giant of the lush, lowland rainforests. Meanwhile, on the other side of the continent, the Western Gorilla reigns supreme, with the Western Lowland Gorilla reigning in the vast lowland forests and the Cross River Gorilla fighting for survival on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon.

You might also like: 6 Facts About the Endangered Eastern Gorilla You Should Know About

In recent years, the fate of these incredible creatures has hung in balance. The Mountain Gorilla population has shown signs of a miraculous resurgence, with roughly 1,000 individuals spotted in a recent count. In stark contrast, the Eastern Lowland Gorilla faces an alarming decline, with fewer than 6,800 individuals navigating a perilous path through a landscape marred by habitat loss and poaching. Western Lowland Gorillas, though more numerous with an estimated 150,000-250,000 individuals, are far from secure, grappling with the ever-encroaching threats of habitat degradation and disease. The Cross River Gorilla, meanwhile, remains a rare gem, with just 200-300 individuals clinging to the brink of extinction.

This tapestry of gorilla diversity is fraying at the edges, with all four subspecies listed as endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The culprits behind their decline are all too familiar: deforestation, mining, agriculture, and the relentless illegal trade in bushmeat and live animals.

Endangered Gorillas: Threats, Challenges and Conservation Efforts

The decline of gorilla populations is a tragic consequence of a multitude of interconnected factors. One of the foremost contributors is habitat destruction due to deforestation, mining activities, and agricultural expansion. As human populations grow, pristine forests are cleared to make way for settlements and agriculture, leaving gorillas with dwindling territories. This habitat loss disrupts their foraging grounds and fragments their communities, making it more challenging for gorilla groups to find adequate food and maintain healthy social structures.

Compounding this issue is the insidious illegal wildlife trade, which relentlessly targets gorillas for bushmeat and captures them for the pet trade or the entertainment industry. Poaching takes a heavy toll on their numbers, as they are killed or captured in alarming numbers, adding to the peril they face. Furthermore, disease outbreaks, often linked to human interaction, threaten gorillas, particularly the spread of illnesses like Ebola. The entire population of what was once the world’s second-largest protected community of gorillas and chimpanzees was wiped out by the 1994 outbreak in Minkébé, located in northern Gabon. These multifaceted threats combine to cast a shadow of uncertainty over the future of these incredible beings.

You might also like: 10 of the World’s Most Endangered Animals

Central to the survival of gorillas are the dedicated and tireless efforts of conservation organizations that have made it their mission to protect these magnificent creatures and their habitats. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is a beacon of hope among these organisations. Named after the renowned primatologist Dian Fossey, whose groundbreaking work with Mountain Gorillas inspired countless others, the organization conducts a multifaceted approach to gorilla conservation. They have forged a path toward coexistence through scientific research, anti-poaching measures, and community engagement. Their work not only safeguards gorillas but also empowers local communities, ensuring that the well-being of both humans and gorillas is intertwined. Additionally, the Jane Goodall Institute, famous for its work with chimpanzees, extends its dedication to gorilla conservation through community-based programmes that reduce poaching and habitat destruction while promoting sustainable livelihoods. 

These organisations, along with others like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), play pivotal roles in protecting the great apes, reminding us that collective action is essential to secure the future of these extraordinary beings.

As Dian Fossey, the tireless guardian of Mountain Gorillas, once said, “When you realize the value of all life, you dwell less on what is past and concentrate more on the preservation of the future.” 

Her words echo through time, a poignant reminder of the urgency that surrounds gorilla conservation. Their future is the mirror in which we see the value we place on all life, a reflection of our commitment to preserving the intricate web of existence that sustains us. With their strength, gentle souls, and resolute spirit, Gorillas call upon us to protect their world – a world that is, ultimately, our shared heritage. 

This article was originally published on October 4, 2023

The post The Precarious Existence of Critically Endangered Gorillas appeared first on Earth.Org.

Elephants play a vital role in their ecosystems and contribute to tourism and community incomes in many areas. Unfortunately, with only 40,000-50,000 left in the wild, this species is classified as endangered. To celebrate World Elephant Day 2024, an international day dedicated to the preservation and protection of this wonderful animal, here are 12 facts about elephants you might not know about. 

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12 Facts About Elephants You Might Not Know About

1. Elephants are the world’s largest land animal

As the largest land mammal on the planet, an average male elephant can measure up to three meters (13 feet) in height and weigh up to six tonnes. Elephants also have large brains – they weigh about 4-6kg, the largest for terrestrial mammals. Those that live in the wild can grow to be 60-70 years old. 

2. African Elephants and Asian Elephants are the two main species

Aside from their geographical locations, African Elephants are distinctly larger in size with bigger ears shaped like the African continent. Asian elephants, on the other hand, are smaller sized with more rounded ears. The two species also have different trunks: while African elephants have two identifiable spikes at the tip of their trunks, Asian elephants have just one.

Recent estimates suggest there are approximately 415,428 African elephants left in the wild, half of which are located in southern Africa’s Botswana and Namibia, whilst the Asian variety has fallen to below 30,000 individuals. 

3. Asian Elephants are endangered

The Asian elephant is currently listed as an endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and its population continues to drop with every day. Some estimates have put the 50% population loss within the last 75 years and possibly as low as 20,000 Asian elephants are left in the wild.

They can be found in forested regions of India and throughout Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, with about a third of Asian elephants currently living in captivity, many of which are forced into wildlife tourism. 

4. Elephants communicate with vibrations through their feet

Here’s one of the most interesting facts about elephants: they can communicate with their feet. There are many ways in which elephants can communicate. They can trumpet call each other –  usually when greeting family members – use body language, and typical senses such as touching and scenting. However, one of the most unique communication methods elephants use is through seismic signals, where they create vibrations in the ground, allowing other elephants to detect and absorb them through their feet and bones. The communication channel can work at incredibly vast distances and speed.

5. Elephant family units are matriarchal 

The matriarch of an elephant unit is typically the oldest and largest adult female member of the family, and they are the ones leading the herd when travelling long distances for food and water. The matriarch is also responsible for providing stability and conflict resolutions. However, members of a family unit have also often displayed extraordinary teamwork when it comes to group defence, food hunting, and sharing the responsibilities of caring for a young calf. 

6. Elephant trunks function as their hands

An elephant’s trunk is more than just a nose for smelling and breathing, and it also functions very much like a long arm to grab food and items, dig through soil and tree trunks, and even play. Elephants also rely on their trunks to consume water. They can pour up to 12 litres of water into their mouths. They enjoy a refreshing shower by sucking up water and spraying it back over their bodies with the handy trunks. There are around 100,000 different muscles in the trunk alone, with the “finger” or spikes located at the end to help pick up small objects. 

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7. Elephants tusks are actually their teeth

Elephant tusks are actually enlarged incisor teeth that first appear when elephants are around two years old. These tusks serve several important functions for elephants. They are used for digging to access food and water sources, as well as for stripping bark off of trees. For male elephants, the tusks are especially crucial – they tend to be larger in size and are used in battles to establish dominance within the herd.

8. Elephants are vegetarians 

Elephants are herbivores, with a diet consisting entirely of vegetation. Despite being the largest land mammal on the planet, their entire diet consists of roots, grasses, fruits, and bark. However, it’s the sheer volume of food they consume that helps the animal get to their massive size. An adult elephant can eat up to 300 pounds of food in a single day.

9. Elephants have incredible thick skin

Elephants’ thick hides do not mean they don’t get upset easily, but rather that the animal physically has very thick skin that protects them from the brutal heat and sun. The skin is also extremely dry, and the numerous folds and wrinkles can collect and store moisture when elephants bathe in water and mud.

10. Elephants are highly intelligent creatures 

Elephants are regarded as one of the world’s most intelligent animals, comparable to great apes and dolphins. They have demonstrated the ability to make and use tools with their trunks, experience complex emotions such as compassion and grief, and have shown evidence of self-awareness when presented with a mirror.

11. Elephant poaching for ivory has destroyed 90% of elephant population in the past century

One of the most unfortunate facts about elephants is their relationship with the ivory trade. Ivory, found in elephant tusks, has been an incredibly lucrative industry for centuries, often seen as a status symbol. Due to massive illegal poaching in the 1970s and 1980s to satisfy the demand for ivory, particularly in Asia, around 90% of Africa’s elephant population has been wiped out in the past century. Although many countries have now banned the ivory trade, more than 20,000 elephants are still killed every year to meet the continuing demand in places like China and Japan.

12. Human-elephant conflicts have been on the rise

Due to growing human population density and farming expansion, particularly in countries in Africa, the overlap between human settlements and wildlife habitats has fueled conflicts. From crop-raiding elephants in local farms, which are often the sole source of income for many people, to the degradation of natural habitats due to land development, the conservation of elephants and their ecosystems is greatly needed.

Featured image by EO Photographer: William Fortescue

You might also like: All You Need to Know About the Endangered Asian Elephant

The post 12 Incredible Facts About Elephants appeared first on Earth.Org.

June 21 is World Giraffe Day, a special day dedicated to celebrating and raising awareness for giraffes. These gentle giants, with their towering presence and graceful gait, are a symbol of the African savannah. World Giraffe Day not only highlights their unique beauty but also underscores the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect them. 

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While most people might picture a single type of giraffe, there are actually four distinct species, each with unique characteristics and conservation challenges.

The reticulated giraffe, easily recognized by its intricate network of brown markings on a chestnut background, occupies savannas and woodlands in East and Southern Africa. Once abundant, their population has plummeted by a staggering 70% since the 1990s. Habitat loss due to human expansion and illegal hunting for meat are the primary culprits. While classified as “Endangered” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a glimmer of hope remains for their future.

The Masai giraffe, the largest subspecies, dominates the savannas of Kenya and Tanzania. Identified by their rich, reddish-brown blotches against a lighter background, they boast the most complex social structures among all giraffes. However, mirroring the plight of the reticulated giraffe, they are also classified as “Endangered” by the IUCN, facing similar threats from habitat loss and hunting.

The northern giraffe paints a bleaker picture.  These giraffes, found in the arid regions of West and Central Africa, are the rarest subspecies. Distinguishable by their lighter coat with larger, squarish markings, their population has suffered the most dramatic decline, dropping over 90% in the past three decades. This alarming statistic has led the IUCN to classify them as “Critically Endangered.”

The southern giraffe, the second-largest subspecies, inhabits South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Their trademark is a star-shaped pattern on their coat, particularly prominent on their legs. While the southern giraffe boasts the largest population, habitat loss and fragmentation remains a significant threat. 

Beyond their distinct markings, all giraffes share a remarkable set of adaptations. Their extraordinary necks, a result of elongated vertebrae rather than extra bones, allow them to reach leaves unavailable to other herbivores. Their powerful hearts act like pumps, defying gravity to deliver oxygen to their brains. Their prehensile tongues, stretching up to 46 cm (18 inches), are perfectly designed for snatching leaves.  Despite their size, they can surprise with bursts of speed, reaching up to 56km/h (35 mph) in short sprints.

Threats and Conservation Efforts

Giraffes are under threat from a variety of human activities. Habitat destruction due to agriculture, deforestation, and infrastructure development significantly reduces their living spaces. Poaching for bushmeat and traditional medicine also poses a severe threat, especially in areas with weak law enforcement.

Climate change further complicates their survival, affecting the availability of food and water. Giraffes rely on specific trees and shrubs for their diet, and changes in weather patterns can disrupt their feeding and migration habits.

Conservation programs are crucial for the survival of giraffes. Organizations like the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) work hard to protect these animals through research, habitat restoration, and anti-poaching measures. These programs often involve local communities, promoting sustainable land-use practices and raising awareness about the importance of giraffes in their ecosystems.

One of the successful strategies has been the creation of giraffe conservation areas and translocation projects. These initiatives move giraffes from high-risk areas to safer, protected regions, helping to stabilize certain populations and reintroduce giraffes to places where they had disappeared.

A Personal Call to Action

Without continued conservation efforts, giraffes may face an uncertain future. We can all contribute by supporting organizations dedicated to their protection, advocating for stronger wildlife laws, and promoting sustainable practices that reduce habitat destruction.

This World Giraffe Day, let’s stand tall for giraffes, just as they do in the wild. By raising our voices and taking action, we can ensure that future generations will have the chance to see these gentle giants roaming freely across Africa’s landscapes. Together, we can make a difference and help giraffes continue to thrive.

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons

The post World Giraffe Day 2024: Honoring Africa’s Tallest Giants appeared first on Earth.Org.

An estimated 6.3 billion people – about 78% of the global population – experienced at least 31 days of atypical warmth, which anthropogenic climate change made at least two times more likely to occur., the study found.

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Human-caused climate change is boosting extreme heat around the world, affecting billions of people and threatening food and water security, a new report has found.

According to a new joint analysis, carried out by Climate Central, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, and World Weather Attribution (WWA) and published Tuesday, 76 extreme heatwaves occurred between May 15, 2023 and May 15, 2024 across 90 countries. These included regions in the Global South, from the Sahel and Horn of Africa to Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Philippines in Southeast Asia and Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia in South America.

An estimated 6.3 billion people – about 78% of the global population – experienced at least 31 days of atypical warmth, which anthropogenic climate change made at least two times more likely to occur. The report classifies extreme heat days as days when the temperature exceeds 90% of the daily temperature recorded in a given place between 1991 and 2020.

2023 was the hottest year on record, supercharged by the El Niño weather pattern, which pushed temperatures off the charts around the world. Despite it gradually weakening, global temperatures have continued to rise this year, with April becoming the latest and 11th consecutive month to break records.

In the past 12 months, climate change added an average of 26 extreme heat days that would have otherwise not happened, the study found. However, in some countries, the number of excess heat days was exponentially higher. Suriname in South America saw an excess 158 extreme heat days; Ecuador 170, El Salvador 148; Guyana 141, and Panama 137.

Heatwaves are spreading rapidly across the world, affecting billions of people, with an increasing number of studies pointing at climate change as a driving factor. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), with further global warming, we can expect an increase in the intensity, frequency and duration of heatwaves. Extreme heat impacts human health – particularly affecting vulnerable categories including the elderly and infirm, pregnant women, infants, outdoor workers, and athletes.

Stress on human bodies caused by heat prevents normal daily activities and our ability to cool down properly. Areas that generally have more humidity can also put lives at risk. Sweat helps our bodies cool off, but humidity changes the way sweat evaporates from the body. Not being able to cool down puts people’s health at risk, and can lead to increased cardiovascular and respiratory complications, dehydration, heatstroke, higher blood pressure, and sleep deprivation.

An April 2024 assessment by Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) found that heat-related mortality in Europe, which is warming twice as fast as any other continent, has increased by around 30% in the past two decades, while heat-related deaths are estimated to have increased in 94% of the European regions monitored.

Excess heat also compromises water and food resources and threatens both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Recent marine heatwaves and near-record ocean temperatures.

The relentless rise of ocean temperatures has taken a toll on coral reefs around the world, leading to the fourth global coral bleaching event in history, already the second this decade. These important ecosystems support at least 25% of marine species; they are integral to sustaining Earth’s vast and interconnected web of marine biodiversity and provide ecosystem services valued up to $9.9 trillion annually. 

“Flooding and hurricanes may capture the headlines, but the impacts of extreme heat are equally deadly,” said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

“We need to focus attention on climate change’s silent killer. The IFRC is making heat – and urban action to reduce its impacts – a priority and remains committed to working with communities that are at risk of extreme heat through our global network of National Societies.”

So far, the world has warmed by 1.2C compared to pre-industrial times, though data suggests that 20-40% of the global human population live in regions that, by the decade 2006–2015, had already experienced warming of more than 1.5C in at least one season. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), every 0.5C (0.9F) of global warming will cause discernible increases in the frequency and severity of heat extremes, heavy rainfall events, and regional droughts.

The burning of coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity and heat is the single-largest source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the primary drivers of global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere and raising Earth’s surface temperature. Global fossil fuel consumption has more than doubled in the last 50 years, as countries around the world aim to improve their standards of living and economic output. In 2023, all three of the most potent GHGs – carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide – reached record highs.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has urged countries to halt new gas and oil field projects, arguing that this is the only way to keep the 1.5C-compatible net-zero emissions scenario alive.

Featured image: Kyle Lam/hongkongfp.com

The post Human-Caused Climate Change Added 26 Days of Extreme Heat in Past 12 Months: Report appeared first on Earth.Org.

Both the failing water infrastructure and the ever-increasing population have exacerbated the water crisis in South Africa, forcing its residents to adopt strict habits. Official mandates regarding significant reductions in water usage have led to overcrowded communal water taps, dangerous bore-holing, and the desperate acceptance of contaminated groundwater sources, all to combat a drought that has plagued the South African locale for over seven years. While local crisis response groups are available to support residents, there is only so much that can be done to solve the water crisis in South Africa when there are simply no sources of clean, freshwater available. 

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South Africa is a country known for many things: its resilient beauty, its diverse cultures, and more recently, its social and economic growth. According to the World Bank, the Republic of South Africa (RSA), a newly industrialised nation, boasts the 33rd largest economy, and the 23rd largest population on the planet.

The RSA is also the most populated nation south of the equator, home to over 59 million people. This number is only expected to increase as citizens from poorer countries in the vicinity migrate to look for new homes, work and other opportunities.  

Unfortunately, South Africa’s consistent population increases are spelling trouble for a vastly underprepared water infrastructure. This, combined with low rainfall in recent years, has caused a severe and trying water crisis, the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the Cape Town water shortage that affected the life of residents in 2018. 

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What Led to A Water Crisis in South Africa?

As experts in the field have agreed, the water crisis in South Africa can likely be attributed to economic (a lack of investment), as well as physical (a lack of rain) water scarcity. 

In an article, spokesman for the government committee appointed to respond to the water crisis in South Africa Luvuyo Bangazi described how dire the situation in South Africa has become.

 “We haven’t had good rains for more than seven years and we’ve had a sharp increase in water consumption from across sectors, be it residential, business, or other. So, compounding that with obviously ailing infrastructure that leads to severe water leaks … almost 25-30% of our water [is] being lost due to water leaks caused by failing infrastructure.”

It is estimated that 70 million litres of treated, clean, drinkable water is lost daily as a result of the thousands upon thousands of leaks that characterise South Africa’s water piping system. Thankfully, a recently formed local group known as the Water Crisis Committee has pushed the RSA administration to respond to the damage; since June 2022, an emergency response team has managed to fix over 9,700 leaks.  

The water leaks are of course serious, but the consistent lack of rain, year after year, has officials far more concerned. South Africa is already a normally arid locale, with an average yearly rainfall almost half the global average and ranked 29th driest out of 193 nations. 

Since 2015, South Africa has experienced record-low levels of precipitation, likely the result of anthropogenic climate change. A study completed by researchers at the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, International Food Policy Research Institute, and CGIAR found that there was a chance greater than 50% that South Africa’s mid-century temperatures would experience a threefold increase over the current climate’s variability range, meaning whatever temperature changes South Africa experiences will likely be three times higher than normal. What’s more, the risk of decreased precipitation in the country is three to four times higher than the risk of increased precipitation. 

The Sacrifice of Local Residents

The Cape Town water crisis that occurred four years ago nearly left the South African economic hub completely without water. To quell water usage, car washes, swimming pools, and fountains were all banned, residents were told to consume no more than 50 litres per household, and new strict agricultural water quota limits were put in place. The city had become so hopelessly desperate that officials were encouraging residents to shower for no more than two minutes, to recycle and reuse greywater, and to flush their toilets only when absolutely necessary.  

Today, the residents of the Nelson Mandela Bay, otherwise known as Port Elizabeth, are suffering the greatest shortages. The Kouga, Churchill, Impofu, Loerie, and Groendal Dams–-the dams that supply the Nelson Mandela Bay locale–are a mere 16% full on average. This has left their sizeable population of 1.28 million people worried for the future, forced to take precautions and watch their water usage very carefully. 

“There needs to be a very conscious reduction in water demand,” said Sputnik Ratau, media liaison for the South African Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs. “We should be able to get through this period”.

According to the Safe Drinking Water Foundation, the average human, at minimum, requires 235 litres of sanitary water every day. The residents of Nelson Mandela Bay, much like those of Cape Town four years prior, are currently being asked to consume a maximum of 50 litres of water per day.  

 “Nelson Mandela Bay currently faces an unprecedented crisis in the delivery of basic water supply,” said members of a local community-based committee in a statement.

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Overcoming the Water Crisis in South Africa: The Problem with the “Solution”

To prepare for a possible “day zero” (the day municipal taps are shut off), Gift of the Givers, a non-governmental South African disaster relief organisation, has been drilling boreholes near public locations like hospitals and schools to access water deposits deep beneath the South African landscape. The boreholes have been a true lifesaver for the locals who use them. However, some experts worry that they may cause more trouble than it’s worth.

“What is not being revealed [to citizens] is that because of the geological nature of the coastal zone, [fresh]water being extracted may be replaced by saline water intrusion coming from the sea via certain fissures in the rocks.” said Phumelele Gama, head of the botany department at Nelson Mandela University in an interview with Mongabay. According to Gama, the saline water intrusions would eventually render the borehole water deposits completely undrinkable in as little as six months after “day zero”.  

Furthermore, the water deposits being accessed by these boreholes often contain an unhealthy and possibly deadly amount of bacteria. A 2020 study out of South Africa’s University of Venda and the Tshwane University of Technology, for example, found that 33% of the water found in borehole deposits near Vhembe rural areas in South Africa’s Limpopo province was contaminated with E. coli bacteria. Another study completed in South Africa came to similar conclusions, discovering that the boreholes near 10 public schools in the Giyani region of Limpopo contained multiple bacterial strains, including Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacteria and E. coli. 

Building a Better Tomorrow 

Though the climate forecast of Nelson Mandela Bay, as well as all of South Africa as a whole, continues to look grim, there are many who relentlessly strive for a better tomorrow.  A multidisciplinary academic team from universities in the Western Cape province came together after the Cape Town water crisis to better understand water scarcity, and how best to respond to it in the future. The collaboration, known as “Cities facing escalating water shortages,” workshopped with 50 stakeholders, assessing political, economic, technical science, natural science, social science, and civil society facets. As described in an article published in Brookings, the team formulated five key lessons: 

1. Build water-sensitive and resilient cities 
2. Practice integrated water planning and management that ensure sustainable and equitable water access.
3. Build water-smart cities that are connected with real-time relevant data and information that is shared widely.
4. Ensure a collaborative and supportive governance environment to unlock synergies.
5. Cultivate informed and engaged water citizens, and empower residents, government, businesses, NGOs, and the agricultural sector to make a difference.

If you are looking to help with the water crisis in South Africa yourself, The Water Project, a top-rated non-profit organisation, provides an easy-to-use platform for sending donations on their website, as does Greenpeace, and World Vision. The Water Institute of South Africa is also asking for support, internationally and within. Local citizens are encouraged to donate empty water bottles, to provide their time at water points, or to act as deliverers.  

Featured Image by Jeff Ackley on Unsplash

This article was originally published on October 5, 2022

The post Water Crisis in South Africa: Causes, Effects, And Solutions appeared first on Earth.Org.

This weekly round-up brings you key climate news from the past seven days, including deadly floods in East Africa and Brazil and yet another record-breaking month for global temperatures.

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1. April Marks 11th Consecutive Month of Record-Breaking Temperatures As Scientists Warn of ‘Uncharted Territory’

April was the eleventh month in a row to set a new record after temperatures in March reached unprecedented levels, new data has shown. This has only happened another time before, during the last El Niño event in 2015-2016.

According to the latest climate bulletin published Tuesday by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the average global temperature last month stood at 15.03C, 0.67C higher than the 1991-2020 average for April and breaking the previous record set in 2016.

Despite the gradual weakening of El Niño, a weather pattern associated with the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, the global sea surface temperature remained “unusually high” last month, Copernicus said, averaging at 21.04C – the highest value on record for April.

Read more here.

2. High Court Finds UK’s Net-Zero Strategy ‘Unlawful’ for Second Time in Less Than 2 Years

In last week’s ruling, Mr Justice Clive Sheldon said the decision of former energy security and net zero secretary to approve the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan (CBDP) in March 2023 “was taken on the basis of a mistaken understanding of the true factual position,” and was “simply not justified by the evidence.”

Under the country’s Climate Change Act, the Secretary of State is required to adopt plans and proposals that will enable upcoming, legally binding carbon budgets – a cap on the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in the UK over a five-year period – to be delivered.

Once again, the Secretary of State was given 12 months to draw up a revised plan, ensuring that the UK achieves its legally binding carbon budgets and its pledge to cut emissions by over 68% by 2030 relative to 1990 levels. 

Read more here.

3. Brazil Floods: More than 100 Dead and 200,000 Displaced as Experts Link Disaster With Climate Change

The death toll from the devastating floods that have submerged entire cities and towns in southern Brazil has risen to 107 on Thursday, as authorities fear water levels will rise further as more torrential rain is forecast in the region over the weekend.

Nearly 1.5 million people have been affected by the deadly floods that wreaked havoc across 428 municipalities in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, displacing more than 165,000 as of Thursday evening. Local authorities said the floods were the worst natural calamity ever to hit the state, home to 11 million people.

While Brazil and neighbouring countries are no strangers to major rainfall, last week’s storms were significantly stronger and devastating, with experts attributing the heightened rainfall to a combination of global warming and the El Niño weather pattern, a phenomenon associated with the warming of waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean. According to the Brazilian Reporter, Rio Grande do Sul authorities issued a total of 953 emergency or calamity decrees since 2013, with around 28% of them issued last year alone.

Read more here.

4. Kenya, Tanzania Hit By First-Ever Cyclone Following Weeks of Heavy Rain, Deadly Floods

Cyclone Hidaya, which brought winds of up to 165 kph (102.5 mph) and waves almost eight meters high, prompted the Kenyan government to issue mandatory evacuation orders for residents near 178 dams and water reservoirs in 33 counties. No casualties or damage were reported, although most of Tanzania experienced a major blackout and thousands of people were displaced. 

Hundreds of people have died in East Africa in recent weeks from floods and landslides triggered by heavier-than-usual torrential rains. The extreme weather, experts say, is linked to the El Niño weather pattern, a climate phenomenon related to the warming of sea surface temperatures in the central-east equatorial Pacific.

In Kenya, flash floods have claimed at least 228 lives and displaced 200,000 people since March, according to the toll from the Ministry of Interior and National Administration updated on Sunday. In neighboring Tanzania, flood-related deaths rose to at least 155 and over 200,000 refugees hosted in two refugee camps were affected.

Read more here.

5. ‘Impossible Not to Feel Hopeless’ – Guardian Survey of IPCC Scientists Reveals 1.5C Goal Out of Reach 

An exclusive survey of nearly half of all lead authors and review editors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports since 2018 conducted by the Guardian revealed that the 1.5C goal is increasingly out of reach. 

Of the 380 authors and editors interviewed, 132 (34.7%) expect global temperatures to rise by 2.5C this century, while 100 (26.3%) predict at least 3C of warming. In total, 358 respondents, more than 94%, think humanity will breach the 1.5C threshold.

So far, the world has warmed by 1.1C compared to pre-industrial times, though IPCC data suggests that 20-40% of the global human population live in regions that, by the decade 2006–2015, had already experienced warming of more than 1.5C in at least one season. According to the UN body, every 0.5C (0.9F) of global warming will cause discernible increases in the frequency and severity of heat extremes, heavy rainfall events, and regional droughts.

Read more here.

The post Week in Review: Top Climate News for May 6-10, 2024 appeared first on Earth.Org.

Tropical Cyclone Hidaya brought torrential rain and high-speed winds to Tanzania and neighboring Kenya, where floods had already claimed more than 400 lives in recent weeks. 

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A tropical cyclone on Saturday brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to East Africa, a region already battered by weeks of extreme weather and deadly floods. 

Cyclone Hidaya, which brought winds of up to 165 kph (102.5 mph) and waves almost eight meters high, prompted the Kenyan government to issue mandatory evacuation orders for residents near 178 dams and water reservoirs in 33 counties. No casualties or damage were reported, although most of Tanzania experienced a major blackout and thousands of people were displaced. 

Hidaya, the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane, is the first of its kind to develop in eastern Africa, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Though local authorities confirmed on Sunday that Cyclone Hidaya had completely lost its strength, the situation in the region, especially in Tanzania and Kenya, remained dire, with heavy rainfall expected to continue into Monday.

“Following its landfall at Mafia Island on Saturday, May 4, 2024, Tropical Cyclone Hidaya completely lost its strength. The remnants of the rain clouds that accompanied the cyclone have been observed to weaken and spread out in various areas of the southern region of Tanzania, as confirmed by the Tanzania Meteorological Authority,” said David Gikungu, Director of Kenya’s Meteorological Services.

More on the topic: Extreme Heat, Heavy Rain Kill Hundreds Across Thailand, East Africa

Hundreds of people have died in East Africa in recent weeks from floods and landslides triggered by heavier-than-usual torrential rains. The extreme weather, experts say, is linked to the El Niño weather pattern, a climate phenomenon related to the warming of sea surface temperatures in the central-east equatorial Pacific.

In Kenya, flash floods have claimed at least 228 lives and displaced 200,000 people since March, according to the toll from the Ministry of Interior and National Administration updated on Sunday. Last Monday, at least 45 people died after a dam in Nakuru County burst its banks. According to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, nearly 20,000 refugees in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camps – which hosts 380,000 people – have been displaced due to rising water levels.

In neighboring Tanzania, flood-related deaths rose to at least 155 and over 200,000 refugees hosted in two refugee camps were affected. In Somalia, also among the hardest hit countries in East Africa, over 46,000 internally displaced people had to be relocated due to flash floods, according to UN data.

Featured image: EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid/Flickr (2018)

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Extreme heat in Thailand has killed 30 people so far this year, compared to 37 in 2023. Meanwhile, East Africa has been battling torrential rain over the past month, which triggered floods and landslides that claimed more than 200 lives across Kenya and Tanzania.

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Climate change-related extreme weather events are wreaking havoc around the world, killing hundreds and displacing thousands of people.

Extreme Heat

Thailand has been battling with extreme heat for days. The country’s northern and northeastern regions are expected to be the warmest until the end of the month, with the mercury hitting 44C in some areas, the Thai Meteorological Department said. Hail and thunderstorms may strike the two regions in the coming days, it added.

On Thursday, authorities in the capital Bangkok issued an extreme heat warning for the sixth consecutive day as the apparent temperature – a measure of how temperature is perceived by humans when humidity is taken into account – rose to 52C (126F). Local authorities prompted people to stay indoors.

On Monday evening, electricity demand reached a record high of 35,380 megawatts, the eight time the record was broken since February 22, the Bangkok Post reported.

The number of heat-related casualties nationwide has reached 30 so far this year, compared to the 37 heat-related deaths recorded in the country in 2023, according to data by the Thai Health Ministry.

Southeast Asian countries are among those most heavily affected by climate change. The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in the region have been increasing markedly, often leading to the loss of life, homes, and livelihoods and causing severe economic damage.

A report on the state of the climate in Asia published earlier this week by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) found that 47% of all 984,263 climate and natural disaster-related deaths over the past five decades occurred in Asia, with tropical cyclones claiming the highest number of lives. In 2023 alone, Asia saw a total of 79 water hazard-related disasters, which resulted in more than 2,000 fatalities and directly affected 9 million people.

Temperatures in the continent were 0.91C above the 1991-2020 reference period in 2023, the second-highest on record. A historic heatwave swept across the continent in April and May, bringing all-time high temperatures to Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. While a period of intense heat is not uncommon before the rainy season kicks in, the intensity of last year’s heatwave, which shattered all previous records, was unprecedented. 

More on the topic: ‘Sobering’ WMO Report Shows Asia Hit Hardest By Climate Change in 2023

Torrential Rain

Meanwhile, East Africa has been battling heavy rains for the past month. In hard-hit Kenya, floods have killed 10 people this week, bringing the total death toll since last month to 45. According to Reuters, Kenyan President William Ruto deployed the military on Thursday to help with rescue operations. 

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said almost 103,500 people have been affected and 40,265 have been displaced in 21 out of the 47 counties of Kenya as of April 19. The UN body said relief efforts led by national authorities with the support from humanitarian parters are helping to deliver assistance to 20,590 people.

The situation is tragic in neighboring Tanzania, too. Here, the death toll from heavy rains has reached 155, with 236 more injured, according to Kaasim Majaliwa, the country’s prime minister. Reporting to parliament on the situation in the country, Majaliwa said a combination of El Niño-fuelled heavy rains and strong winds resulted in floods and landslides that caused significant damage. He warned that the rains might continue into May, urging people to leave flood-prone areas.

Featured image: qimono/Pixabay

The post Extreme Heat, Heavy Rain Kill Hundreds Across Thailand, East Africa appeared first on Earth.Org.

Conceived as a symbol of hope in the fight against environmental degradation in the Sahel region of Africa, the Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative aims to reverse the damage inflicted upon the fragile ecosystem through reforestation. However, the project has faced numerous challenges as its progress has been hindered by the complex interplay of environmental, socio-cultural, and political factors prevalent in the region.

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In 2007, the Africa Union (AU) General Assembly adopted a resolution to implement the Great Green Wall (GGW) project across the Sahel region. The GGW – an ecological reclamation – aims to combat desertification and ecosystem degradation by restoring at least 100 million hectares of degraded land, sequestering 250 million metric tons of carbon, and creating 10 million green jobs by 2030. The project is expected to cover a landmass of nearly 8,000 kilometres (4,971 miles) with a width of 15 kilometres (9.3 mi), stretching from Djibouti through West Africa to Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa. 

Over the last 60 years, the Sahel region has seen temperatures rise exponentially, owing to more frequent and intense heatwaves. These changes have contributed to famine, poverty, and armed conflicts that have plagued the region for four decades. Rapidly deteriorating natural ecosystems across the Sahel have exacerbated these issues, along with the effects of poor land and water management and unsustainable ecological practices. The region’s growing population, one of the fastest in the world, has also contributed to the problem by intensifying competition for food and water within the ecosystem that supports the lives and species of the region.

Beyond halting and reversing decades of ecosystem degradation across the Sahel, the project also aims to ensure food security, provide jobs, enhance livelihoods, and combat poverty in the region.

Making a Case for the Great Green Wall

The Sahel region experiences annual rainfall patterns that fluctuate between 200-800mm and is increasingly affected by flash and riverine flooding. These conditions results in crop failures for rainfed agriculture, which is catastrophic for the region, since about 80% of the population are subsistence farmers, pastoralists, and fishermen whose livelihoods heavily rely on crops, which, unfortunately, are extremely sensitive to variations in climatic conditions.

In 2020 alone, over 220,000 people were displaced, at least 45 were killed, and 10,000 hectares of cropped farmlands were destroyed in Niger alone due to droughts. The ecological implications of droughts are particularly significant for the Sahel, leading to desertification, reduced plant cover across the region, and the attenuation of key regional water sources such as the Lake Chad basin. The lake has shrunk to one-tenth of its original size since the 1970s, with the surface area contracting from 25,000 square kilometres (9,653 square miles) to just over 3,789 square kilometres in 2017, resulting in the loss of surrounding vegetation cover and rendering the ecosystem desolate.

More on the topic: Desertification in Africa: Causes, Effects and Solutions

Acute food shortages and rising poverty arose in the region in recent years as a consequence of environmental degradation, climate change, and an exponentially growing population. 

According to the World Bank, the population of the Sahel will grow from 200 million to 340 million by 2050, a growth that is seen as the primary driver of armed conflict in the region. Land productivity across the region has decreased, resulting in declining crop yields. Farmers have started seeking new fertile land for agriculture, encroaching on traditional grazing rangelands, and triggering conflicts between farmers and herders. 

Reports by the US Council on Foreign Relations and other researchers have also cited these local conflicts as a plausible alibi for the recruitment of vulnerable local farmers and herders by terrorist groups like the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), a militant group and administrative division of the Islamic State (IS), and Boko Haram, an Islamist jihadist organization based in northeastern Nigeria but also active in Chad, Niger, northern Cameroon, and Mali. 

Several experts attest that the socio-ecological problems in the Sahel have significantly eroded the ability of local communities to adapt. Against this background, the Great Green Wall initiative was established. 

Initially conceived as a reforestation intervention, the GGW has metamorphosed into a more ambitious strategy for regional ecosystem rejuvenation and a broader ecological, economic, and social enhancement vehicle for the Sahel. The project is now expected to lead to greater precipitation, a cooler surface temperature, and increased ground cover, which will protect the soil from encroaching desertification. 

More on the topic: The Great Green Wall Receives an Economic Boost, But Is It Enough to Save It?

Criticism of the GGW

The idea of the GGW is not entirely novel. A similar afforestation program was initiated in the United States in the 1930s, seeking to plant walls of trees from the Great Plains to Texas to slow the growth of the Dust Bowl. China also launched a Green Wall in the 1970s to halt the spread of sand dunes outside the Gobi Desert. 

Despite the potential of the GGW to restore ecosystems and stop desertification, it has been met with skepticism from several experts. They have raised concerns about the efficacy of this strategy and its capacity to halt and reverse ecological degradation across the Sahel region. The idea that the GGW is solely based on extensive tree planting as a form of ecosystem restoration has been contested by these academics. Critics of the initiative contend that the current complex ecological problems in the Sahel cannot be adequately addressed by a rigid wall of trees, arguing that livelihoods are better served through diversification and dynamic fine-tuning of strategies, as demanded by specific local risks and milieus.

According to Chris Reji, a Senior Fellow at the World Resources Institute, the 20% survival rate of newly planted trees in the Sahara since the 1980s is evidence of the ineffectiveness and efficacy of the current afforestation approach of the GGW. Experts are also concerned that improperly managed afforestation could potentially result in the variation of biomes and the introduction of non-native and potentially invasive species, depriving local species of their habitats and causing a significant loss of agricultural revenue. 

In a statement to the Indigenous People of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC), Sada Albachir, the head of a local Tuareg organization in Niger, criticized the introduction of non-native species, which led to the distortion of biodiversity and water scarcity in the region. For their part, indigenous pastoralist groups are worried that the GGW is disrupting the historical migration patterns of pastoralists, as they are presently unable to move as freely as they used to on account of this. In a socio-spatial context, growing expansive plantations as part of the GGW could lead to the displacement of people currently living on this land, a source of worry for most indigenous communities.

Scientific arguments have also been made against the initiative. Recent studies suggest that the project will significantly impact the regional climate and beyond. Palaeoclimatologist Deepak Chandan explained that the presence of thick vegetation in the Sahel region will result in a darker land surface instead of the blinding desert sands. This will cause the ground to absorb more heat. Moreover, denser vegetation affects the amount of dust in the atmosphere, reducing available dust particles’ ability to reflect sunlight into space. As a result, more solar radiation reaches the surrounding land, causing more heat and humidity relative to the ocean. This leads to larger differentials in atmospheric pressure, resulting in stronger monsoon winds.

Another major failing of the GGW, as indicated by another analysis, is the erratic monitoring of already implemented initiatives. The GGW initiative has been criticized for inadequate monitoring of already implemented initiatives. Experts have found that the metrics designed for monitoring progress do not fully grasp the specific socio-ecological frameworks and vulnerabilities of the communities involved.   

More on the topic: The Great Green Wall Is Failing, But its Legacy Could Still Be A Success

Progress 

Despite widespread criticism against the GGW, the project has achieved varying measures of success across participating countries: Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan and Chad.

.Unlike other ecological interventions in the region that often rely on international NGOs and civil society for traction, the GGW has maximized local knowledge to drive this ecosystem reclamation process. The initiative has grown beyond a mere tree planting campaign to one centred around sustainable indigenous land use practices. 

A 2020 report by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) showed that the project has been split into smaller initiatives, promoting greater autonomy and biodiversity. This has allowed for a wider range of plant and tree species to be used in various sub-projects that are adapted to local social, economic, and environmental conditions. For example, subprojects in Burkina Faso and Niger have helped local farmers transform over 300,000 hectares of previously unproductive lands into arable land for food production. They achieved this by building deep planting pits (“zai”), which help retain water during the dry season, and stone barriers around planting fields to prevent runoffs.

However, in spite of this progress, the project has been encumbered by a paucity of funds, a reality that is presently hampering its ability to reach its target of covering 100 million hectares across the Sahel by 2030. GGW member states and their indigenous communities need to plant over 8 million trees annually, which requires funding of US$4.3 billion per year. 

Additionally, the socio-ecological concerns of the indigenous people living in this region need to be addressed and traditional land management systems incorporated into the GGW to avoid negatively impacting local livelihoods.

Furthermore, the perennial climate of instability in the Sahel region raises questions about the feasibility of completing the project. Presently, the Sahel region has earned the epithet of the “Coup Belt” of Africa due to the prevalence of military coups that have occurred in at least one-third of the countries in the area. At least one-third of countries in the region are led by military juntas that forcefully seized power from democratically elected governments. The most recent being Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all of which have been suspended from the regional bloc – ECOWAS, further complicating the political situation in the region.  Additionally, there are swathes of ungovernable spaces being held by terror groups across the region. This political instability is a major obstacle to initiatives like the Great Green Wall project. In some areas, work has come to a halt, while in others, progress is shrouded in uncertainty, making it difficult to ascertain work progress.

Overall, while the GGW presents a novel and plausible strategy for the implementation to restore the degraded ecosystem of the region, its implementation has been slow and the pace of deforestation in the region remains alarming, risking it may overtake any meaningful remediation action taken to address it. Therefore, to ensure that the project is successful, a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework should be developed. Additionally, it is important to involve local communities in the planning and implementation of the project. Finally, regional governments across the Sahel must increase their efforts in both adaptation and mitigation measures to contain the effects of climate change and to ensure its long-term sustainability.

Featured image: Mission de l’ONU au Mali – UN Mission in Mali/Flickr

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