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Nature laid waste: The destruction of Africa



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The massive scale of environmental devastation across the continent has been fully revealed for the first time in an atlas compiled by UN geographers. Michael McCarthy reports


It was long shrouded in mystery, called "the Dark Continent" by Europeans in awe of its massive size and impenetrable depths. Then its wondrous natural riches were revealed to the world. Now a third image of Africa and its environment is being laid before us – one of destruction on a vast and disturbing scale.

Using "before and after" satellite photos, taken in all 53 countries, UN geographers have constructed an African atlas of environmental change over the past four decades – the vast majority of it for the worse.

In nearly 400 pages of dramatic pictures, disappearing forests, shrinking lakes, vanishing glaciers and degraded landscapes are brought together for the first time, providing a deeply disturbing portfolio of devastation.

The atlas, compiled by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at the request of African environment ministers, and launched yesterday simultaneously in Johannesburg and London, underlines how extensively development choices, population growth, regional conflicts and climate change are impacting on the natural world and the nature-based assets of the continent.

The satellite photos, some of them spanning a 35-year period, offer striking snapshots of environmental transformation in every country.

The purpose of the atlas is to inspire African governments to improve their records as environmental custodians, and as such, its language and tone are studiously neutral, generally referring to environmental "change" rather than destruction. But although there are some examples given of change for the better, the vast majority of the case studies are of large-scale environmental degradation, and the atlas compilers freely accept that this represents the true picture.

They write of "the swell of grey-coloured cities over a once-green countryside; protected areas shrinking as farms encroach upon their boundaries; the tracks of road networks through forests; pollutants that drift over borders of neighbouring countries; the erosion of deltas; refugee settlements scattered across the continent causing further pressure on the environment; and shrinking mountain glaciers."
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This is a human tragedy.
JanforGore

14 responses // Nature laid waste: The destruction of Africa

  • Tragic indeed.
    JanforGore? Who would you recommend to contact regarding my thoughts and feelings that would do the most good?
    huntre
  • This is really sad. What needs to happen for the world to wake up and realize how quickly we are tearing up the place?
    jefftego
  • My first impulse would be to suggest the UN or the UNEP. I sometimes am at a loss myself. The main crux of all of this is population... and in many countries in Africa there are tribes that will not allow contraception because it goes against their traditions. So the key is bringing education in order to explain to them that their traditions are actually in essence what is contributing in part to what they see taking place. Of course, that is a part from the the obvious political corruption, waste, multi nationals looking to take them over, and effects of the climate crisis we are causing.

    It boggles my mind that they contribute perhaps between 10 to 13% of the carbon emissions in this world and yet see the most devastation from them. It is frustrating to then see governments moving so slowly on this. They need nutrition, water, and the means to make that themselves to give them hope, as well as primarily education and solar power. Bringing solar power continentwide is in my view one thing that could help save her. But anyway, the United Nations Environment Programme might be at least one good place to start.
    JanforGore
  • Thanks. I'll do whatever I can.
    huntre
  • Just to add: I would truly love to see Mr. Gore as our Nobel Peace Prize recipient giving a speech on the current environmental state of our planet with an emphasis on the areas like Africa that need the most aid with education and hope. To me, his words truly inspire.
    JanforGore
    1 response to this
  • huntre: Thanks.
    JanforGore
  • I firmly believe that this is one of the reasons of Global Warming and our weather imbalance throughout the Earth. Studies have been made a long time in Brazil that proves that when you take out the trees, some soils becomes desert sand.
    stopnoise
  • The governing bodies aren't stupid. If they cared they would do something about it. They know what they are doing.
    diode
  • africa has to become a strong co2 absorber like the amazon (and the amazon has to go back to 1970s size, or prior) and they have to leave the food business to india and the americas
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_South_American_Na...
    and how long will it take for europe to invest in solar energy in the north of africa, helping both continents tremendously
    lfm
    • lfm
    • 2 months ago
    1 response to this
  • You always keep us informed on our mother Gaia thanks JANforGore!!!!! I sent a statement to UNEP.
    amirct3
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxMLYNmRc_I
    Carving up the Congo.

    This is a crime.

    And Amirct3: thanks.
    JanforGore
  • "Change Is Not Always Progress (for Africa and Africans)"
    Africa.
    don't let them
    steal
    your face or
    take your circles
    and make them squares.
    don't let them
    steel
    your body as to put
    100 stories of concrete on you
    so that you
    arrogantly
    scrape
    the
    sky.
    -Don L. Lee
    Nuevarine

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