Current dynamics of deforestation in Africa

The social consequences of the environmental processes under scrutiny are one of the greatest challenges the international community will face in the coming years. Today, the effects of long-standing environmental changes seem obvious to many citizens of our planet. Desertification, increasing soil salinity, land degradation, wasteful deforestation, and rising sea levels are just a few of the issues discussed below which influence everyday life for at least two billion people worldwide. As Wangari Muta Maathai pointed out over 20 % of global warming emissions may be the direct cause of deforestation.

Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees or derived charcoal are used as, or sold, for fuel or as timber, while cleared land is used as pasture for livestock, plantations of commodities, and settlements. The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss, aridity, air and water pollution. It has adverse impacts on biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforestation has also been used in war to deprive an enemy of cover for its forces and also vital resources. A modern example of this, for example, was the use of Agent orange in Vietnam. Deforested regions typically incur significant adverse soil erosion and frequently degrade into wasteland (semi deserts). One factor contributing to the continent's high rates of deforestation is the dependence of 90% of its population on wood as fuel for cooking and heating and inappropriate agricultural practices (slash-and-burn agricultural techniques).

Deforestation is one of the main consequences of the process of industrialization, especially of the extraction of natural resources (such as oil extraction, mining). Wasteful deforestation can lead to an irreversible imbalance in the natural environment (as in the Amazon Jungle), or the growing scale of the desertification of soils. Increasing the scale of deforestation in many countries (for example in China) have enormous environmental consequences, forcing many people to migrate. According to United Nations analysis Nigeria has the world's highest deforestation rate, Brazil loses the largest area of forest annually, and Congo consumes more bushmeat than any other tropical country. Amazon deforestation currently is considered as one of the greatest environmental problems in last years. Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon dropped nearly 46 percent from August 2008 to July 2009. Desertification continues to be a major problem facing China's environment, despite efforts to expand forest cover and plant trees. The leading causes of deforestation in Africa are associated with human activity.

Deforestation in Africa: Facts and Statistics

- The vast majority of Africa`s moist and rainforest exist in West and Central part of the continent. According to Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Africa lost the highest percentage of rainforests during the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.

- In 1990, Africa had an estimated 528 million hectares of tropical forests (30 % of the world`s tropical forests).

- Around 2000 Africa had some 193.000 sq. Miles (500.000 sq. km) of rainforest. According to the FAO estimations (1997), only 22.8 percent of West Africa`s moist forests remain.

- In most populous countries, notably Nigeria, the main cause of deforestation is population growth & demographic pressure, while other countries (e.g. Cote d`Ivoire) are suffered deforestation caused by expansion of agriculture and commercial logging.

- In the interior countries of Mali and Niger the important cause of deforestation are droughts and soil erosion (coastal areas).

- In several Sub-Saharan countries the annual rate of deforestation significantly exceeded the global annual average.

- According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Africa is suffering deforestation at the twice the world rate. Some authors noted thate deforestation has already wiped out roughly 85-90 % of original forests in West Africa.

- In just 15 years (1990-2005) Nigeria has lost nearly 81 % of its old-growth forests

- Deforestation is a significant transnational issue in the DRC (annual deforestation rate is 311,000 ha or 1,200 sq mi; 0.2 %). The main causes of deforestation are as follows: 1. development of road infrastructure, 2. transformation forest areas intro agricultural lands (slash and burn model), 3. the collection of fuelwood and charcoal, 3. illegal small scale and artisanal logging.

- According to some sources in 1963 Kenya had forest cover of some 10 % and by 2006 only 1.7 %.

- Desertification, droughts, land degradation and deforestation has currently affected more than 94 % of Madagascar`s productive areas.

- The annual rate of deforestation in Nigeria is 3.5%, which is approximately 350,000-400,000 hectares per year. Between 2000 and 2005 Nigeria has the largest deforestation rates in the worlds, having lost 55,5 % of their primary forests.