For example, the Congo Basin Forest is one of the world’s most valuable ecosystems as it stores more than 60 billion metric tons of carbon. This is more than all the tropical forests in the Amazon and in Asia, combined. However, many ecosystems in the region are facing severe degradation leading to the loss of biodiversity and the impairment or disruption of ecosystem functions and services.
Agenda 2063 within “The Africa We Want”, places “Environmentally sustainable climate and resilient economies and communities” at the heart of its aspiration to build a prosperous Africa. The global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) underline that a healthy natural world is fundamental to a world free of poverty, hunger, war and inequality. This also applies to Africa.
With many ecosystems still intact, Africa has the potential to get it right, but proper policies and measures are needed. The core occupation of the UNEP’s Healthy and Productive Ecosystems Sub Programme in Africa is to support African countries to protect, conserve and restore Africa’s nature. The tools that we use are as diverse as the wide range of ecosystems we support. Read more about our key focus areas below.
Africa is home to some of the most unique freshwater ecosystems in the world. For instance, Lake Turkana is the world’s largest desert lake; while Lake Malawi hosts the richest freshwater fish fauna in the world, with 14 percent of the world’s freshwater fish species, 99 percent of which are found only in this lake. However, Africa’s freshwater ecosystems are under pressure from over extraction, pollution, land degradation, biodiversity loss and floods and droughts. These issues are common to many regions in the continent. Climate change poses a new threat to the freshwater ecosystems in Africa, changing rainfall patterns and water quality.
Freshwater is key to the economic development and public health in Africa. Sustainable water management is also an essential part of the solution to both mitigating and adapting to climate change. It is in fact, a lifeline for flora and fauna. The UNEP Africa Office supports countries in managing their freshwater resources and studies the quality and availability of water resources and help to find solutions to reduce pressures on water resources, such as those brought on by floods and droughts. When freshwater is shared, cooperation between countries to promote the keeping of freshwater resources healthy, arise. In UNEP interventions, UNEP is always looking for nature-based solutions. For example, restoring a wetland that has benefits for flood protection, income generation and increased biodiversity.
Biodiversity
Africa has extraordinarily rich biodiversity and ecosystems as well as a wealth of indigenous and local knowledge. It is the last place on earth with a significant variety of large, land-based mammals. Unfortunately, Africa’s biodiversity is threatened by several factors including climate change, invasive alien species, and the illegal trade in wildlife.
Agenda 2063 “The Africa We Want” recognises natural resources as a key pillar in the quest to transform the continent towards sustainable development. Africa has opportunities to fully realize the benefits of having such rich biodiversity and to explore ways of using it in a sustainable way as to contribute to its economic and technological development. Yet, the true value of nature’s contributions to human well-being is still underappreciated in the decision-making process.
The decline and loss of biodiversity is reducing nature’s contributions enjoyed by the people of Africa, affecting daily lives and hampering the sustainable social and economic development targeted by African countries. Africa’s current population of 1.25 billion is likely to double by 2050, putting severe pressure on the continent’s biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people, unless appropriate policies and strategies are adopted and effectively implemented.
UNEP supports measures taken by African governments to protect biodiversity, such as expansion of protected areas, control of invasive alien species and the restoration of ecosystems. These have shown to contribute to the recovery of some threatened species, while averting pressures on many others. UNEP also supports the African Group of Negotiators on Biodiversity.
A Guest Editorial