GREEN-er AFRICA
Over the centuries Europe and North America acquired resources from other regions of the world, most of the time violently, and rapaciously with less regard of the consequences to future generations. These consequences include civil wars, imperialism, and, most recently, the dramatic exploitation of the planet that has brought us to the edge of a dramatic climate change.
Africans have argued that since they were some of the most recent and most violently subjugated victims of both population and resource exploitation, they cannot make a greener economy a priority during this current period of economic development. There is a resounding view that the West has created climate problems and it is therefore up to the West to solve it.
Although this opinion is fair and understandable, there also exists a body that believes that a greener and more sustainable path of development can bring more growth and can repair some of the environmental damage.
For example, on June 17th Heads of State from African countries met in N’djamena, Chad, to begin developing a 7,000-km transcontinental tree planting project. It is proposed to run from Senegal to Djibouti in east Africa, and will also include Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is an ambitious project that is still in its infancy, but it marks a new stage of engagement between African governments and their concern for the environment.
Chad’s Minister of Environment, Hassan Térap, explained how, in ‘09, drought has caused the death of over 780,000 animals. Furthermore, the UN’s food and agriculture organisation’s recent report said the country’s 11.9 million hectares of existing forest land has shrunk by at least 0.6 percent annually for the last 20 years.
Since ‘09 Chad’s government has criminalized the cutting down of trees to make charcoal, in an effort to reverse deforestation and it has started planting 160,000 heat-resistant trees, including acacia in N’Djamena. Punishments for tree felling include a six-month prison sentence and fines.
However, now that governments are aware of the importance of making Africa a greener place, it is imperative that the private sector joins them in the effort. Planting trees, for instance, is not enough since they also need to be nurtured: a task that might be performed by private individuals who can create new businesses and help the environment as well.
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