By Leonissah Munjoma – SANF 04 no 32
Africa’s record of outstanding wildlife conservation is impressive despite the continent’s challenges arising from extreme poverty, water stress and scarcity and land degradation.
According to the recently launched Global Environment Outlook Yearbook 2003 (GEO Year Book 2003), the continent has excelled in the area of wildlife conservation with an increased number of protected areas established both at national and regional levels. The continent has also demonstrated commitment to several international agreements.
Africa has been identified as one of the regions that are making serious efforts to meet the challenges that undermine efforts to address environmental degradation. Some of the major challenges noted during 2003 include poverty, armed conflict, water issues and famine.
“These negative changes, however, have been tempered by Africa’s impressive wildlife conservation record, including a well-established network of protected areas and the region’s commitment to multilateral environmental agreements,” says the Geo Year Book 2003.
Africa has in the past come under the spotlight for alleged wildlife abuse. In 1989, the international community, through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) banned the sale of ivory due to increased concern for the elephant population.
Reports such as the GEO Year Book 2003, which cite examples of Africa’s good management of its wildlife resources, provide information on the strategies Africa has adopted to protect its wildlife.
The GEO Year Book 2003 is the first in the annual series of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports. A decision to have annual GEO reports was taken at the 22nd session of the UN Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF) early last year.
The GEO annual reports are expected to highlight significant environmental events and achievements during the year and raise awareness of emerging issues from scientific research and other sources.
The Year Book notes that African countries also participate in many regional and sub-regional initiatives and programmes aimed at addressing environmental issues.
The revised 1968 African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources adopted by the African Union (AU) and the 1991 Bamako Convention on the Ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of Transboundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Waste within Africa, are some of such initiatives.
“Africa’s commitment to biodiversity conservation was further reinforced by the Africa Forest Law Enforcement and Governance Ministerial Declaration of October 2003, which recognizes that the biodiversity of Africa’s forest ecosystems is essential for the livelihoods of the African people,” the Year Book says.
During the year under review, the Year Book notes, water issues were a priority in Africa. Governments in the region, and their partners, participated in various water-related events, including the Pan-African Implementation and Partnership Conference on Water, convened in December 2003 in Addis Ababa. One of its objectives was to explore ways of reaching the internationally agreed water and sanitation targets.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) stipulate that the world should halve the number of people without access to clean water and sanitation by the year 2015. For Africa to meet this target, it means ensuring improved access to safe water for 405 million people and improved sanitation for 247 million.
The GEO Year Book 2003 acknowledges that these targets are demanding and for Africa to meet them, it requires necessary investment, which it does not have. Although Africa has developed good plans for addressing environmental issues, the challenge is implementation.
Apart from recording successes on the wildlife conservation front, Africa made significant progress during 2003 to phase out leaded vehicle fuel, whose emissions are both an environmental and human health risk.
A UNEP survey cited in the Year Book, found that most African countries will be using lead-free petrol or should be close to phasing out lead from vehicle fuel, by the end of 2005.
Famine was a major issue in Africa affecting millions of people and increasing their vulnerability to disease and other hardships. The situation was worsened by severe drought in southern Africa during the 2002/2003 rainy seasons. In the Horn of Africa, while drought was a factor, war worsened the famine situation.
The GEO Year Book 2003, compiled with the assistance of collaborating centres from various parts of the world, contains four sections. The first section provides an overview of major global and regional environmental issues and developments that shaped policy decisions and actions during the course of the year.
This is followed by a feature focus on freshwater and its critical role in realizing various internationally agreed development goals and targets.
The third section highlights emerging challenges – new findings presenting scientific progress made in 2003 that may assist society in recognizing and better understanding emerging environmental issues and helps decision makers in designing adequate responses.
The last section provides GEO indicators highlighting some of the key global and regional environmental issues and trends that have been identified in GEO reports.
The Musokotwane Environment Resource Centre for Southern Africa (IMERCSA) of the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) was the collaborating partner in compiling the Africa component of the GEO Year Book 2003.
The others include the Arab Centre for the Studies of Arabian Gulf University (AGU); Centro Latino Americano de Ecología Social (CLAES); European Environment Agency (EEA); Global Resource Information Database (GRID-Arendal); International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD); Observatorio del Desarrollo Universidad de Costa Rica; RING Alliance of Policy Research Organizations through the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED); Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE); and the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
An outstanding challenge is dissemination of the report especially in Africa. This would assist with publicising the findings and also providing best practices for stakeholders in the region. (SARDC)
