Greenpeace Afrique présente ses plus sincères condoléances aux familles des victimes des glissements de terrain survenus dans la capitale camerounaise, Yaoundé, et appelle le gouvernement camerounais à améliorer l’aménagement du territoire pour la sécurité de ses citoyens.
Toute l'actu sur la protection de l'environnement
Greenpeace Afrique présente ses plus sincères condoléances aux familles des victimes des glissements de terrain survenus dans la capitale camerounaise, Yaoundé, et appelle le gouvernement camerounais à améliorer l’aménagement du territoire pour la sécurité de ses citoyens.
Stella Tchoukep, chargée de campagne Forêts à Greenpeace Afrique, a déclaré :
« La tragédie de Mbankolo n’est pas un incident nouveau ou isolé. Le plus frustrant, c’est qu’elle était prévisible. Le processus d’aménagement du territoire au Cameroun a débuté en 2011 avec la loi d’orientation pour l’aménagement et le développement durable du territoire, et la validation du Plan National d’Aménagement et de Développement Durable du Territoire en 2016. Les autorités doivent s’assurer que le terrain est approprié avant de s’y installer et restreindre certains types d’utilisation des terres là où la stabilité géologique et des pentes reste un problème.
“Les glissements de terrain causent des pertes humaines et économiques considérables et s’aggravent en raison des émissions nocives et de l’obstruction à l’action climatique de l’industrie des combustibles fossiles. Il est temps que ces pollueurs paient pour les pertes et les dommages qu’ils causent », a ajouté Stella Tchoukep.
En octobre et novembre 2022, Yaoundé a enregistré deux autres glissements de terrain mortels à Mimboman et Damas. Une tragédie similaire s’est produite en août 2021 dans la ville de Foumban, tuant un père et ses deux enfants. D’autres glissements de terrain ont tué près de 43 personnes en 2019 dans la ville de Bafoussam (Ouest Cameroun).
Greenpeace Afrique
The 2023 report on the development goals (SDGs) in Africa notes that the proportion of people living in shanty towns has fallen. This is an indicator of the continent’s progress on SDG11, which concerns sustainable cities and communities.
Africa still has a long way to go when it comes to the eleventh Sustainable Development Goal (SDG11), the theme of which is « sustainable cities and communities ». However, as far as the sustainable habitat component is concerned, the 2023 report on the SDGs in Africa notes a reduction in the proportion of people living in shanty towns.
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a shanty town is a disadvantaged part of a city characterised by very unhealthy housing built by the inhabitants from salvaged materials, extreme poverty and no rights or security of tenure. According to the World Bank, over 60% of Africa’s urban population now lives in shanty towns. These almost 285 million urban dwellers represent 60% of Africa’s urban population. In 2003, Africans living in shanty towns made up 71.9% of the urban population.
The reduction in the proportion of Africans living in shanty towns is mainly due to the efforts of North African countries. This is the only sub-region in Africa and the developing world where the number (8.7 million) and proportion of slum dwellers have fallen steadily (from 20% to 13%), according to the United Nations Habitat Organization (UN-Habitat). Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia have been the most successful countries in this respect. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, the total proportion of the urban population living in shanty towns has fallen by just 5%, or 17 million people.
To improve Africa’s progress on SDG11, the report recommends greater investment in infrastructure to improve access to public transport, waste management and air quality in African cities.
Entitled « Accelerating recovery from the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 at all levels », The 2023 Report on the MDGs in Africa was published on the sidelines of the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations by the UNDP, the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Fanta Mabo
AFRICA: a reduction in the proportion of people living in shanty towns
The 2023 report on the development goals (SDGs) in Africa notes that the proportion of people living in shanty towns has fallen. This is an indicator of the continent’s progress on SDG11, which concerns sustainable cities and communities.
Of all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), African countries are clearly on track to achieve SDG 9, which aims for sustainable industrialization that benefits all and encourages innovation. Nearly 4 out of five people on the African continent own a cell phone, the world’s fastest-growing mobile phone market. However, the annual report on the MDGs in Africa points to delays and disparities in the expansion of rural roads.
Internet connectivity and cell phone penetration are the anchor points for Africa’s progress towards the ninth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 9), namely to achieve inclusive and sustainable industrialization, combined with innovation and infrastructure, by 2030. The 2023 Africa SDG Report reveals that the continent is on track in terms of mobile network coverage and that, based on current trends, Africa will reach the goal corresponding to Objective 9 by the deadline set by the United Nations.
Figures collected by the Cluster Digital Africa platform show that nearly 4 out of every five people on the African continent own a cell phone. With almost 725 million cell phone users, the continent is the fastest-growing mobile phone market in the world.
Lack of transport infrastructure
Africa’s progress on SDG9 does not, however, cover all the targets (sub-goals) of this goal. The continent is lagging behind when it comes to transport infrastructure. According to new estimates by the African Development Bank (AfDB), $130 to $170 billion a year would be needed to develop the continent’s infrastructure, with a financing gap of between $68 and $108 billion.
The 2023 SDG report therefore calls for accelerated construction and expansion of rural roads to achieve rural connectivity and regional integration to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas. According to the document, this will advance intra-African trade and thus facilitate the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
Entitled « Accelerating recovery from the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 at all levels », The 2023 Report on Sustainable Development in Africa was published on the sidelines of the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations, by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Fanta Mabo
AFRICA: the continent is well on the way to achieving SDG 9
Of all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), African countries are clearly on track to achieve SDG 9, which aims for sustainable industrialization that benefits all and encourages innovation. Nearly 4 out of five people on the African continent own a cell phone, the world’s fastest-growing mobile phone market. However, the annual report on the MDGs in Africa points to delays and disparities in the expansion of rural roads.
The 2023 report on the development goals (SDGs) in Africa notes that the continent is lagging behind in progress towards the targets of SDG7. Namely, to ensure access for all to reliable, sustainable and modern energy services at an affordable cost by 2030. In 2018, only 20% of the electricity produced in Africa came from renewable sources.
Africa is lagging behind in progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), defined and adopted by the Member States of the United Nations (UN), to improve living conditions around the world. In terms of clean and affordable energy (SDG 7), the 2023 Africa SDG Assessment Report notes that electrification rates have increased, but the use of clean cooking fuels and technologies remains limited. In addition, the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies is slow.
Despite its rich potential for renewable energies, particularly solar thermal and photovoltaic energy, geothermal energy and hydraulic resources, Africa’s electricity supply remains precarious and uneven. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in 2018, less than half the population had access to electricity. Of the electricity produced in Africa that year, only 20% came from renewable sources.
Irena estimates that between 2000 and 2020, 2.8 billion dollars were invested in renewable energies worldwide. Only 2% of this investment was made in Africa, and less than 3% of the world’s jobs in this type of energy system are on the continent.
Increasing investment in renewable energies
To make up for Africa’s lag on MDG7, the report calls for increased funding for infrastructure and technologies to boost sustainable energy production in Africa.
Entitled « Accelerating recovery from the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 at all levels », The 2023 Report on Sustainable Development in Africa was published on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
At the World Summit on Climate Ambition, held on 20 September 2023 in New York in the United States of America, UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called for the acceleration of the ecological transition in Africa. In his appeal, supported by Greenpeace, Guterres also called on nations to make ambitious commitments to phase out fossil fuels. According to IRENA, nearly 70% of Africa’s total electricity production currently comes from coal, natural gas and oil.
Fanta Mabo
AFRICA: ODD7, the energy transition is slow (Report)
The 2023 report on the development goals (SDGs) in Africa notes that the continent is lagging behind in progress towards the targets of SDG7. Namely, to ensure access for all to reliable, sustainable and modern energy services at an affordable cost by 2030. In 2018, only 20% of the electricity produced in Africa came from renewable sources.
Published on the sidelines of the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations, the latest report on sustainable development in Africa assesses the continent’s progress in implementing the five main Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It shows steady progress on the key targets of the SDGs, in particular on 4G mobile network coverage and access to drinking water and electricity.
Out of 48 countries assessed in Africa, only Egypt and Tunisia are on track to achieve the goal of universal basic sanitation by 2030. The 2023 report on sustainable development in Africa indicates that, with regard to the sixth sustainable development goal (SDG6), African countries have improved access to safe drinking water services, but there is still a significant disparity between rural and urban areas. Three out of five Africans, or 411 million people, still lack safe drinking water. The report calls on African countries to invest in water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and to build capacity for integrated water resource management.
The 2023 report, entitled « Accelerating recovery from the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 at all levels », was published on the sidelines of the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations. It was produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The document assesses Africa’s progress in implementing the five main SDGs, namely SDG 6 (drinking water and sanitation), SDG 7 (clean and affordable energy), SDG 9 (innovation, industry and infrastructure), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and SDG 17 (partnerships). In addition to access to drinking water, the report notes steady progress on 4G mobile network coverage and access to electricity.
« Africa’s continued progress on the SDGs is commendable. It is encouraging to learn that the continent is on track to achieve some of the goals, particularly those related to innovation and technology, which are powerful catalysts for advancing sustainable development, » explains Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa.
The report notes that although Africa is making progress towards achieving the SDGs, the number of goals on track is lower than the number requiring acceleration or reversal. It calls for rapid interventions to accelerate countries’ progress on the key SDGs and the aspirations, goals and targets of the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063.
Fanta Mabo
AFRICA: with the exception of Egypt and Tunisia other countries will not achieve SDG6
Published on the sidelines of the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations, the latest report on sustainable development in Africa assesses the continent’s progress in implementing the five main Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It shows steady progress on the key targets of the SDGs, in particular on 4G mobile network coverage and access to drinking water and electricity.
A new funding mechanism to protect the forests of the Congo Basin has been launched. Presented on 22 September 2023 at the UN Climate Summit in New York, the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Forest Fund (IIFF) will enable these groups to play a leading role in securing, protecting and managing the forests on which they depend. The $5 million initiative, launched by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN), is dedicated to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which holds around two-thirds of the forest in the Congo Basin.
The link between human rights and biodiversity is becoming clearer in Africa. In a study published in 2021, the Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN) notes and deplores the low level of climate finance allocated to indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in tropical countries. Over the last ten years, they have received an average of only around 270 million dollars a year. This is equivalent to less than 1% of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) earmarked for climate change mitigation and adaptation over the same period. It also represents only 30% of what has been identified as necessary for transformational land reform in just 24 tropical countries.
But for IPLCs in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the situation should improve. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the RFN have set up a fund that can be accessed directly by these peoples. This is the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Forest Fund (IIFF). Launched on 22 September 2023 at the United Nations Climate Change Summit in New York, this $5 million fund will enable indigenous forest peoples, particularly those from the Equateur and South Kivu provinces (Aka and Twa), to play a leading role in securing, protecting and managing the forests on which they depend. These groups are jealous of their ‘lands’ and have a long tradition of opposing deforestation and the illegal trade in wildlife. The creation of this facility demonstrates our commitment to facilitating financing opportunities for indigenous peoples and local communities while respecting their values and their role in protecting the forests of the Congo Basin. Communities play a central role in the protection of high integrity ecosystems and, in turn, high integrity ecosystems are essential to the well-being of communities, as their endogenous knowledge, traditions, livelihoods and land tenure systems are deeply linked to these DRC forests », explains Jean-Paul Kibambe, Country Programme Director for WCS DRC. And yet these first peoples, who witness illegal logging and mining in the forest on a daily basis, are often forgotten by the international community.
Part of the new funding will be used to combat the abusive evictions of indigenous peoples in the DRC and to give them direct access to capital (without intermediaries) to develop community forestry and their historically ecological practices. The launch of the Fund was also made possible by seed funding from the Bezos Earth Fund set up by US billionaire Jeff Bezos, the Norwegian International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) and the UK government’s €288 million Forest Governance, Markets and Climate Programme (FGMC).
Fanta Mabo
DRC: launch of a $5m support fund for indigenous forest peoples
A new funding mechanism to protect the forests of the Congo Basin has been launched. Presented on 22 September 2023 at the UN Climate Summit in New York, the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Forest Fund (IIFF) will enable these groups to play a leading role in securing, protecting and managing the forests on which they depend. The $5 million initiative, launched by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN), is dedicated to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which holds around two-thirds of the forest in the Congo Basin.
Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park has been awarded Gorilla FriendlyTM certification. The award of this ecolabel means that the protected area in the north of the Republic of Congo guarantees the application of best practice in all tourism or research operations involving gorillas, to safeguard the well-being of the primates and ensure the active inclusion of the park’s neighbouring communities.
Threatened by habitat loss and poaching, gorillas represent an important cultural, ecological and economic resource, the protection of which provides an opportunity to involve neighbouring communities. Those in charge of the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park have understood this ecosystemic role. The protected area in the far north of the Republic of Congo has just been awarded Gorilla FriendlyTM certification.
Awarded by the Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN) and the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), this certification is obtained after a process of verification of protocols and their application in the field, and requires an annual audit. It ensures that the management of Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park follows the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines on best practice for great ape tourism and incorporates the criteria of the World Council on Sustainable Tourism.
« Gorilla Friendly » certification rewards decades of work devoted to habituating four (and soon five) groups of gorillas to the presence of humans, which has led to major advances in our understanding of their ecology and social structures, and which enables the park to offer a unique tourist experience. »The World Conservation Society (WCS), which has been managing Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park since 2014 under a public-private partnership (PPP) signed with the Congolese Ministry of Forest Economy, is delighted.
In February 2023, the park was expanded to include the Triangle de Djéké, an unlogged forest rich in gorillas, home to the three habituated gorilla groups and the Mondika research site. The Djéké Triangle includes a community sustainable use zone, allowing for the continued collection of non-timber forest products and traditional fishing.
Fanta Mabo
CONGO: Nouabalé-Ndoki Park receives Gorilla Friendly certification
Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park has been awarded Gorilla FriendlyTM certification. The award of this ecolabel means that the protected area in the north of the Republic of Congo guarantees the application of best practice in all tourism or research operations involving gorillas, to safeguard the well-being of the primates and ensure the active inclusion of the park’s neighbouring communities.