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Africa’s environment under stress, says atlas

Africa's environment under stress

 

Eyes in the sky don’t lie. Satellite pictures show that the African environment is under tremendous stress. According to an atlas prepared by the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), Africa’s forest resources are fast depleting and the continent’s few glaciers are shrinking at an alarming rate. Every year, according to the atlas, Africa looses 4 million hectares of forest, which is roughly the size of Switzerland to agriculture, urbanization and other developmental activities. Deforestation has become a major problem in 35 countries in Africa.

Satellite pictures collected over decades clearly show the recent scars on the equatorial rain forests and the shrinking of the continents few glaciers which is having a profound impact on water supplies. The atlas states, 300 million people faced water scarcity and that areas in sub-Saharan Africa experiencing shortages were expected to increase by almost a third by 2050. However all is not lost in Africa. Many places across the continent, where people have taken action, there were signs of hope and the environment has actually revived and improved according to the atlas.

Via ENN

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