African Environmental Challenges
Water Pollution – dirty water from factories and human/animal waste Don’t have enough clean water (Nile, niger, and congo rivers are very important to all who live near) Factories, fertilizers, oil spills, and people pollute Water Produces disease, environmental damage
Unequal distribution of Water Not enough access to water/rivers for population Water is needed for agriculture Polluted water from both industrial and natural waste make the need for clean water even greater Local / Regional Conflict caused by Dams on Rivers
Poor Soil & Deforestation Need for jobs / need for wood products Expanding population – need for habitable land forest cleared for farms /used for overgrazing Droughts (little rainfall) limits nutrients / hurts soil Expansion of the sahel leads to Desertification African Ecosystem impacted
Desertification 1/3rd of Africa is involved Deforestation contributes to the problem: Poor soil due to poor farming techniques barriers removed + Drought = Wind erosion Land overused – powdery soil blows away Leads to less food, migration by population Expanding Sahara, Kalahari + Shrinking Savana and rain forest = Less living space for all