Environmental problems in Africa

The shortage of natural resources indispensable for life, such as Potable water and fertile earthis one of the main environmental problems in Africa. It affects both human populations and animal populations, which day by day they must fight to get water and vegetation to stock up.

The shortage of water in the continent is due to the little natural abundance of fresh water, the few rainfall, to the contamination of existing water bodies and the poor management of water resources. It is estimated that approximately 60% of the population of sub -Saharan Africa countries They have no direct access to drinking water.

To learn more about water scarcity, do not hesitate to read the following Ecology Verde article where it is explained what is the shortage of water, its causes and consequences.

In the case of the Earth, there are studies that suggest that 65% of the land used to cultivate in Africa is so damaged that it will not allow short -term sustainable agriculture. This soil degradation implies that There are not enough cultivable land to supply the growing African population. If you are interested in knowing more details on this topic, visit the article where we explain what it is and how soil degradation can be avoided.

When we talk about pollution in Africa we cannot ignore air pollution. Many of the countries with the worst air quality in the world are found in Africa: Somalia, Kenia, Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigeria, Congo, Angola, South Africa, Mali, Ghana, Algeria and Egypt are some of the African countries where the level of pollution in the air is so high that it is a worrying damage to health. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), infections and cancers in the respiratory tract are three of the ten main causes of human death in the world. All these diseases are related to air pollution and, only in Africa, cause more than 1 million deaths every year.

He poor establishment and compliance with regulations that regulate the issuance of co² and other harmful gases are the main factor of air pollution in Africa. In addition, various studies indicate that Exposure to dust storms from the Sahara desert cause more than half a million deaths a year throughout the continent because it promotes respiratory, cardiovascular and infectious diseases.

You can find out more on the subject, visiting the following ecology article Verde we explain to you atmospheric pollution: causes, consequences and solutions.

In addition to shortage, there are other problems with water in Africa derived from pollution. Frequently, wastewater and Incorrectly treated toxic waste of the factories, the countryside and the cities end contaminated the scarce bodies of fresh water that is in Africa. This contaminated water alters trophic chains and ecosystems and is used by many people to drink, bathe and cook.

Contaminated water consumption is the main cause of infection of intestinal parasites, bacteria and viruses that cause poisoning and diarrheal diseases in humans. Diarrheal diseases are among the 10 main causes of human death in underdeveloped countries and it is known that in Africa they are charged between 500 thousand and 1.3 million lives a year. It has also been shown that many of the fish and shellfish that are marketed in Africa are harmful to human consumption because they come from contaminated water.

Learn more on the subject in these other Ecology Verdes to know what industrial discharges are and their treatment or the causes and consequences of water pollution.

Africa has 6 of the countries with the greatest number of forested forest areas in the last 30 years worldwide: Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria and Ethiopia. This massive deforestation is due to:

• Agricultural overexploitation
• Livestock
• Housing construction
• The timber industry
• The use of firewood as the main fuel when cooking
• Illegal plants traffic

In addition to the human incidence, soil infertility is one of the consequences of the geographical location of Africa. Due to the arid or semi -arid nature of the weather, the erosion of the soil and the constant droughts, the degradation and natural desertification of the African soils take place. Soil degradation prevents it from being fertile. Taking into account that the subsistence method of more than 40% of the African population is based on agriculture, the growing degradation and desertification of soils are a huge environmental and economic problem.

You can continue informing you about droughts and desertification in the following Ecology Verde articles where you can know what drought, its causes and consequences and desertification: definition, causes and consequences.

In Africa there are almost a third of the world’s mining resources. In Ghana and South Africa are two of the largest gold reserves. Specifically in South Africa is the largest chrome site, while in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest Coltán reserve. On the other hand, in Botsuana and Democratic Republic of the Congo are two of the world’s largest diamond reserves. Basically, the African continent has almost 20% of uranium worldwide In addition to containing a great abundance of minerals such as iron, copper, cobalt and platinum.

Most of the mining exploitation in Africa occurs illegally. These activities are carried out at an unsustainable pace and harm the environment because They are not regulated by any government entity. Nor are they advised by environmental organizations or comply with any of the laws of soil protection, flora, fauna or natural resources. Large percentage of mining gains are embezzled and used to finance war conflicts and corrupt governments.

If you want to know more, do not hesitate to take a look at this Ecology Verde article to know how mineral extraction affects the environment.

In Africa, poaching and illegal trafficking of endemic flora and fauna is so high that despite the persecution given to hunters and smuggers, more and more species that enter into the list of endangered or Critical danger of extinction. Some examples are African elephants and lions. It is an environmental problem that enriches a few but harms all humanity and nature.

In the event that you want to learn more about the situation of animals in Africa, do not hesitate to read articles such as in danger of extinction in Africa in Ecology Verde.

In Africa, basic hygiene and sanitation are so poorly considered a serious public health problem. There is no correct treatment of solid waste or wastewater, which contributes to the contamination of water bodies and the spread of viruses and infectious diseases. The shortage of economic resources prevents financing urban sanitation projects And the water is so scarce, that more than half of the population does not have showers, washing machines or toilets in their homes.

Africa is considered an overpopulated continent because it houses more people than its natural resources can supply. More than 40% of the African population It is found in extreme poverty situation And because the continent has the highest birth rate in the world (with an average of 4.7 children per woman), it is expected that the shortage of natural resources, environmental problems and poverty index will increase significantly in the coming years.

In the following Ecology Verde, we are talking about world overpopulation: causes, consequences and solutions.

He Climate change in Africa It is one of the most obvious in the world. This is reflected in the continuous increase in temperature, the decrease in rainfall and the worsening of droughts, the hasty degradation of soils, the flooding of the coasts and the excessive propagation of infectious diseases.

Here you can learn more about the effects of climate change and solutions for climate change.

If you want to read more articles similar to Environmental problems in Africawe recommend that you enter our pollution category.