WebCurrent Issues Deforestation. But due to the lack of education and lack of proper rules, the extraction of oil is done through the same methods. The list of third most important issues was dominated by: poverty; corruption; education. The relentless advance of climate change brought more drought, flooding and heatwaves to communities around the world last year, compounding threats to peoples lives and livelihoods, the UNs World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Friday. In Nigeria, for example, "A sea level rise of one meter could displace 6.3 million people in Lagos alone and change the spatial distribution and density of both formal and informal urban settlements (Grant, 2015). This too, contributes to air pollution. Some of the less obvious side effects of Russias illegal war on Ukraine are its impact on global environmental pollution. Temperatures there are predicted to rise by five degrees or more, particularly in the parts of Namibia, Botswana and Zambia that are already intolerably hot. 2023 BBC. By day, they keep the first Lidar system in central Africa running. Africa, in particular, suffers from an excess of advice yet a lack of opportunity for real engagement on global issues. We also have a sub-regional office for West Africa in Cte d'Ivoire, a liaison office in Ethiopia and offices in South Africa and Tanzania. According to a 2019 NASA study, 780,000 premature deaths in Africa each year can be attributed to air 3. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa has destroyed lives, decimated communities, and orphaned children in the affected countries. This shows there is a common group within the population that could be targeted for environmental and social change movements. The Lidar measures winds in the lowest few kilometres of the atmosphere, helping to fill the vast data void in central Africa. The survey was carried out five years ago and the COVID-19 pandemic has since had a huge impact on peoples lives. The highest ranked issues were unemployment, HIV and crime. WebAfrica + Environment. Furthermore, since agriculture accounts for the primary share of Africa's economic activity, the continent is especially vulnerable to climate changeyet is comprised of national economies that are ill-equipped to adapt. But Africa will suffer more acutely than other regions if the AU fails to act. The region is projected to grow by 3.4 percent, buoyed by the global recovery, increased trade, higher commodity prices, and a resumption of capital inflows. The AU should reflect on how it can show greater leadership in this crucial area - especially as Africa environment day approaches in early March. The causes of water pollution, and its effects on people, flora and fauna, is currently one of the biggest environmental threats to Africa. Swimming pools of the rich driving city water crises, study says. African climate is replete with complexity and marvels. Senior Research Fellow, Centre for the Study of Governance Innovation, University of Pretoria. Among respondents who believed that more tax money should be spent on the environment, 62.28% were male and 37.72% female. Africa accepts solid waste from the developed countries like America, European countries and Japan for which they get paid. Yet the continent has a woefully inadequate structure for the governance of the environment. Deforestation. Africa Day is celebrated around the world. We have new insights brought through that scientific ingenuity. Swimming pools of the rich driving city water crises, study says. This requires African voices to be present and represented. WebAfrican environmental issues are caused by human impacts on the natural environment and affect humans and nearly all forms of life. Out of all the respondents, 65% listed unemployment (1st), 15% stated HIV/AIDS (2nd) and 11% cited crime and safety (3rd) as the top three challenges in the country. "In African contexts, sustainability must incorporate improvements in housing, living, and working conditions for the poor to complement environmental initiatives" (Grant, 2015). Countries will need to invest in agriculture and related sectors, as well as in water, health, and in education services to reduce vulnerabilities and build capacities to withstand shocks. Sudan has a population of 48 million. Climate change is an issue impacting many countries right across the world, including many in Africa. In southern Africa we are seeing a delay in the onset and a drying of early summer rains, which is predicted to worsen in forthcoming decades. Africa has enormous natural resource wealth. In South Africa, for example, poverty, inequality, violence and access to education and employment tend to overshadow climate change efforts. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The AU should encourage member states to do the same. The region is projected to grow by 3.4 percent, buoyed by the global recovery, increased trade, higher commodity prices, and a resumption of capital inflows. On 23 March 2014 WHOs African Regional Office reported an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Guinea. Credit: WMO/Cornel Vermaak. Many environmental agreements require cooperation between several different ministries and agencies. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Although environmental policies vary in each African country, the continent's general climate plan trajectory is not on a sustainable platform. There are 25 UN entities operating in Sudan. 21 April 2023 Climate and Environment. It is the third largest on the African continent. April 2023. 70% of the energy is generated by burning coal and wood, which results in deforestation, soil erosion, air pollution, and ecological imbalance. In 2020, 281.6 million of Africans suffered from hunger. In 2002, the OAU became the African Union. WebAnd the benefits of limiting climate change to 1.5 C are enormous, with the report detailing the difference in the consequences between a 1.5 C increase and a 2 C increase. We know remarkably little about that climate system - it is scarcely even monitored - there are more reporting rain gauges in the UK county of Oxfordshire than the entire Congo Basin. UN Climate Change News, 27 October 2020 Increasing temperatures and sea levels, changing precipitation patterns and more extreme weather are threatening human health and safety, food and water security and socio-economic development in Africa, according to a new report devoted exclusively to the This website uses cookies to improve your experience. It is widely acknowledged that Africa is the continent most vulnerable to climate change and the least equipped to cope. For the decades following the 1960s and peaking in 1984, there was a downturn of rainfall of some 30% across the Sahel, which led to famine and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and the displacement of many millions. Participants responded to three questions: what they saw as South Africas three most important challenges (in order), whether peoples taxes were being used for the environment. And the solutions sought and information communicated should be suited to the populations livelihoods, food production and consumption needs, and economies. Only 0.09% of the respondents reported environmental issues as the most important priority in the country. Deforestation. Africa is in need of global climate leadership that can administer international financing and ensure an adequate balance among adaptation, mitigation, and resilience in the face of environmental threats. African countries face a wide array of environmental problems that pose a major threat to people in the region. Addressing climate change requires vast resources, including financial investment to decarbonise economies and produce food sustainably. Climate change has not been prominently featured in most countries' development programs, and few national development projects have a climate change focus from the initial planning stage (Grant, 2015). WebCurrent Issues Deforestation. The URL has been copied to your clipboard. This observed change sits uncomfortably next to predictions of a wetter future in the same season - a problem scientists have termed the East African Climate Paradox. To combat the threat of climate change, Africa's most vulnerable regions need special support to break perpetuating cycles of underdevelopment, poverty, food insecurity, environmental degradation, and rapid population growth. The analysis has been published by FAO together with the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD. There are 25 UN entities operating in Sudan. Many of them burn up lands and forests in order to find animals easily. Displacement due to environmental change has been on the rise across the continent. Richard Washington is a professor of climate science at the School of Geography and the Environment at Oxford University in the UK. Africa can address this shortcoming in several ways. Africa's urban poor are more likely to live in high-risk zones and are less able to move in the event of natural disaster. Through its unique capacities as the worlds premiere vehicle for international cooperation, the UN system plays a crucial role in coordinating assistance of all kinds to help Africa help itself. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Climate change poses an additional risk to current and future endeavours to protect livelihoods, grow the economy, and prevent disease and loss of life. We need to find out ways on how to save our environment. There must be robust institutions to ensure that regional and international decisions can be translated into policy changes at a national level and then into on action on the ground. Deforestation has become one of the major factors, which is affecting the ecological balance of not only Air Pollution. Top Environmental Issues in Africa in 2023 1. The AU has a colossal task in promoting effective environmental governance infrastructure across the continent. And while it is beyond doubt that the war is an existential threat for Ukraine, it is also compounding the degradation of the environment and creating enormous new problems that may affect the global environment long into the It is now serving as the first development agency of the African Union. Photo: UNIDO, Sustainable Development and Climate Action, United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD), Africa, Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition, Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, Statute of the International Court of Justice, Annual Report of the Secretary-General on the Work of the Organization, Secretary-General's Action Agenda on Internal Displacement, Prevention of Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect, Black Sea Grain Initiative Joint Coordination Centre, Trkiye-Syria Earthquake Response (Donate). However, in 2020, Africa experienced a 3.4 percent contraction in GDP. Though the countries of this continent do not contribute much to the world air pollution, the increasing Water Pollution. The vision and ideals in the Agenda serve as pillars for the continent in the foreseeable future, which will be translated into concrete objectives, milestones, goals, targets and actions/measures. Credit: WMO/Cornel Vermaak. At the end of World War II in 1945, nearly every country in Africa was subject to colonial rule or administration. But on the scientific front there is hope. All these concerns are linked, however. WebAfrican environmental issues are caused by human impacts on the natural environment and affect humans and nearly all forms of life. The study population were adults, aged 16 years and older, of both sexes and all races, geographical locations and nationalities. Other roadblocks include insecurity and conflict, lack of technical capacity and restricted access due to poor infrastructure. These include a lack of finances, expertise, and data with which to design, implement and monitor effective environmental policies. Projections of climate change depend on climate models of which there are dozens, each as complicated to understand as the real world. Participants who ranked social challenges as a main priority were also more likely to have positive attitudes towards environmental challenges. Third, they can begin growing crops that tolerate more heat and less rain and withstand summer droughts. PIP: Half of Africa's almost 450 million inhabitants have no access to health services, while two-thirds lack safe drinking water, according to a 1991 report by the World Bank. The AU can play an important role in promoting and supporting such research. Second, altering the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reflect Africa's changing environmental conditions is highly recommended. Receive daily updates directly in your inbox -, New FAO report highlights urgent need to restore Africas degraded landscape, Review of Forest and Landscape Restoration in Africa 2021, Africa has one billion hectares of drylands, Boost investments in nature to combat climate, biodiversity and land degradation crises, FROM THE FIELD: Restoring life to Ghanas land, UN agency calls for urgent action to protect global soil from depletion, degradation, Restoring nature the test of our generation: UN General Assembly President, UN chief:Desertification and drought destabilizingwell-being of 3.2 billion people, World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. Through efforts such as the ongoing Future Climate for Africa (FCFA), a programme funded by the UK's Department for International Development and Natural Environment Research Council, the experience and insights of African climate scientists have led to a discernible jump in our ability to understand and model African climate. Here are six charts that tell the story: Sub-Saharan Africa will be the worlds slowest growing region in 2021. Cyclone Idai: 'We saw 200 bodies by the roadside', MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Adidas sued by investors over Kanye West deal, US principal visits David sculpture after nudity row, US bank makes last ditch bid to find rescuer, UK chip giant Arm files for blockbuster share sale, Pope urges Hungarians to 'open doors' to migrants. Third, there needs to be more accountability for companies that pollute heavily. This has led to the death of many other animals too. April 2023. And in 2000, when the AU was set up, sustainable development was made one of its underlying objectives. The rainfall arrives in shorter bursts, causing more runoff and longer dry-spells in between. Extreme weather like widespread drought is causing economic losses amongst farmers in Africa. Fourth, more funding is needed to promote sustainable development practices, such as creating more resilient communities and climate-proofing cities to help Africans prepare for and respond to the inevitable impacts of climate change (Grant, 2015). Stepping up global efforts to combat land degradation is the only way to safeguard food and water security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ward against future threats to health and the environment, the UN General Assembly President told ambassadors meeting in New York on Monday. This means countries that are not abiding by the Convention cannot be brought to task. In South Africa, one in every four women aged 1849 years old has experienced violence from an intimate partner. Despite our efforts, every year more forest disappears, costing the continent a three per cent loss of GDP, said Abebe Haile-Gabriel, Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO) Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa. Every year Africa loses 3 percent of GDP as a result of degradation, forest and land restoration is essential.Learn more from this new publication by @FAO and @NEPAD_Agency Review of Forest and Landscape Restoration in Africa 2021Download https://t.co/uKor47bsSQ pic.twitter.com/BwO0HAQqtV. Deforestation is one of the main factors that harm the ecological balance of the entire planet, not 2. Camilla Adelle does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Africa led research and knowledge is essential and currently insufficient to develop sound environmental policies. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation US, Inc. One of the earliest conventions adopted by the AUs predecessor the Organisation of African Unity was the 1968 African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Richard Grant, "Africa: Geographies of Change," Oxford University Press: New York, (2015). This is an important step towards treating climate change as a national priority. Africa is more dependent on renewable natural resources and ecosystem services than other regions. For Africans to deal effectively with climate change, they should not be merely the recipients of advice but also participants in discussions on how to best deal with the challenge. Africa's need for international aid and financing is essential for it to address climate change effectively. However, at present other socioeconomic challenges plaguing the population are at the centre of the governments national spending. Senior Lecturer, Demography and Population Studies, Schools of Social Sciences and Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand. The clearing of forest cover for wood and agricultural land has resulted in soil erosion, climate change, less rainfall, and many other adverse conditions. The ICTR delivered its last trial judgement in December 2012. Results were controlled for these demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. For the continent's development to be sustainable, its countries need to focus on five inter-related dimensions of sustainability: economic, social, ecological, physical, and political. Africa Day is an annual commemoration of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on May 25, 1963. And while the overall trend is moving downward, net loss of forests is still increasing in Africa, with four million hectares of forest disappearing every year. Following the founding of the UN in 1945 and its massive decolonization effort, Africa is now virtually free from colonial rule. At the same time it is extremely vulnerable to the impact of environmental degradation, including climate change. These issues have become a serious concern for not only the continent, but also for the entire world. If not, then competing and conflicting sectoral strategies towards human and natural development are inevitable. Many African countries are still rich in natural resources. Focusing on these factors will give African states a more effective way to achieve sustainable development and bring more of their populace out of poverty. For many, many countries that are also feeling the devastating impacts of sea level rise or huge floods like the one we saw in Pakistan, or droughts like the one that they're experiencing in the northern part of Africa or the one we're seeing here at home, we know that climate change is also very destructive.. UN Climate Change News, 27 October 2020 Increasing temperatures and sea levels, changing precipitation patterns and more extreme weather are threatening human health and safety, food and water security and socio-economic development in Africa, according to a new report devoted exclusively to the Only 0.09% of the respondents listed the environment as their top priority. Moreover, Africa's environmental health is deteriorating in both rural and urban settings, causing an increase in poverty and hampering development. That is, an African led strategy and solution is required. Most of the projects assessed in the Review have a strong climate change dimension that not only aims to sequester carbon but also to create jobs and reduce the vulnerabilities of rural people to food insecurity. With 61 percent, Rwanda has the highest proportion of women parliamentarians in the world. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation US, Inc. African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. WebAfrica + Environment. Climate change is likely to lessen crop yields, increase water scarcity, aggravate biodiversity loss and contribute to desertification, hence imposing a severe challenge on the continent. Standard global climate models can only represent these key systems indirectly but the new models are capable of representing thunderstorms systems adequately for the first time. Africa has an estimated additional 132 million hectares of degraded cropland, which combined with climate change, makes millions more vulnerable. Males and urban residents were more likely to have negative attitudes to environmental issues than females and rural residents. Climate change poses a significant threat to economic, social and environmental development in Africa. African countries face a wide array of environmental problems that pose a major threat to people in the region. A more collaborative effort to tackle climate change in Africa will require several additional centers of Africa-based knowledge. Only 0.09% of the respondents reported environmental issues as the most important priority in the country. The environment ranked 17th among respondents top priorities. Its our planet, and if we cannot save it, then no one else can. Its therefore important to know what the public thinks about environmental issues and the value of addressing them. Climate change poses a significant threat to economic, social and environmental development in Africa. But these solid wastes are not processed properly, and are dumped in the rivers and other water bodies. Second, efforts to reduce the competing challenges could create an opportunity for more awareness around environmental change and development concerns. WebAbstract. Here are some of the biggest issues affecting the continent. The causes of water pollution, and its effects on people, flora and fauna, is currently one of the biggest environmental threats to Africa. The outbreak has been the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976. The war in Ukraine is having a terrible impact on the environment, said Monica Medina, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental And Scientific Affairs. Africa's environmental challenges threaten not only the continent's public health but also its economy and social fabric. Transitioning to sustainable development offers a unique opportunity for cross-collaboration among non-traditional partners toward a more holistic approach to the African development experience. Africa has the highest regional female entrepreneurial activity rate in the world. Even a little less rainfall in the future could endanger the forest and its massive carbon store. Up to 65 per cent of productive land is degraded, while desertification affects 45 per cent of Africas land area, according to the review. The region is almost completely devoid of weather measurements yet it is a key driver of the West African monsoon system, which brings three months of rain that interrupts the nine-month long dry season across the Sahel region, south of the desert. The continent's biggest environmental challenges are water pollution, air pollution, and droughts, which directly impact the health of Africans. In short, for Africa to achieve sustainable development in the face of the grave threat of global climate change, it is vital to increase funding, integrate more local perspectives into the policymaking process, and demand greater accountability from companies that heavily pollute. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. From promoting the development of democratic institutions, to establishing peace between warring nations, the UN is present on the ground supporting economic and social development and the promotion and protection of human rights. UN peacekeepers serve in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Mali, Western Sahara, South Sudan and Sudan - one mission in Darfur (with the African Union) and one in the disputed Abyei area. Chaos at port as thousands rush to leave Sudan, Air strikes pound Sudan capital as truce extended, Suspected IS chief killed in Syria, Turkey says. Deforestation is one of the main factors that harm the ecological balance of the entire planet, not 2. [1] African governments and individuals need to pressure high-polluting industries to demand change. Environmental security will be in jeopardy if there is not a transition soon to low carbon energy and increased implementation of sustainable, environment-friendly technologies. But so far, only 12 have done so. We hope you enjoy this website. April 2023. WebCurrent Issues Deforestation. Read about our approach to external linking. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules, What Europe's royals could teach King Charles. The Africa Program works to address the most critical issues facing Africa and U.S.-Africa relations, build mutually beneficial U.S.-Africa relations, and enhance knowledge and understanding about Africa in the United States. The AUs latest Strategic Plan also places importance on environment and natural resources management. This is because too few member states have ratified it. African countries and their partners need to continue to scale-up their efforts in forest and landscape restoration as a viable solution to climate change and building forward better in response to COVID-19, while also protecting their natural capital, said Ms. Berrahmouni. We also have a sub-regional office for West Africa in Cte d'Ivoire, a liaison office in Ethiopia and offices in South Africa and Tanzania. The African continent will be hardest hit by climate change. This results in water pollution. Such breakthroughs are improbable when you consider that these researchers download massive data sets through cheap Sim cards in their mobile phones and analyse the output overnight. One in four women starts or manages a business. Deforestation has become one of the major factors, which is affecting the ecological balance of not only Air Pollution. This is understandable. Africa will be hardest hit by climate change, but has contributed the least to causing that change. The groups that were inclined to be negative about the environment were: older than 16-19; female; black; less educated; unemployed. South Africans regard these as urgent issues warranting immediate attention. Some of the MDGs should be altered to include building African capacity, creating more sustainable cities, and eliminating poverty. Climate change poses a significant threat to economic, social and environmental development in Africa. [We] will continue to push forward on solving these great environmental challenges so that we can ensure that our children and our grandchildren will have a healthy planet., The War in Ukraine and Impact on Environmental Degradation and Climate Change. Africa has one billion hectares of drylands, 393 million hectares of which need restoration in Africas Great Green Wall areas.. AFR100 has committed 31 African Governments to restoring 100 million hectares by 2030 a challenge already exceeded.. Africa has an estimated additional 132 million hectares of degraded cropland, which They are global challenges, said Assistant Secretary Medina. The advanced technology used to get oil is very dangerous and hazardous for the environment. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. The African continent will be hardest hit by climate change. It is the third largest on the African continent. Environmental issues like climate change, air pollution and water scarcity do not stop at national borders. Deforestation. Here are some of the biggest issues affecting the continent. WebUN Environment Programme, Africa Office, is located in Nairobi, Kenya. Garth Meyers, "Environmental Issues in Africa's Cities," Wiley Online Library, (April 2019), https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118568446.eurs0002, Carolyn Lamere, "UNEP Highlights Environmental Impacts on Health in Africa," New Security Beat, (March 2013), https://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2013/03/unep-highlights-environmental-impacts-health-africa/, Globe Afrique, "Africa Faces Some Serious Environmental Problems: Greenpeace," Globe Afrique, (November 2016), https://globeafrique.com/africa-faces-some-serious-environmental-problems-greenpeace/, R Clay, "A Continent in Chaos: Africa's Environmental Issues," National Library of Medicine, (December 1994), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7713013/, Akin Mabogunje, "Environmental Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa," Africa Technology Forum, (May 1998): http://web.mit.edu/africantech/www/articles/EnvChall.htm, Scott Fields, "Continental Divide: Why Africa's Climate Burden is Greater," Environmental Health Perspectives 113 no.
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