Great Green Wall
Encyclopedia
The Great Green Wall is a project developed by the African Union
to face desertification
in South Sahara
. The project, held by 11 african countries, consists to create a green belt, 15 km thick and 7,775 km long, from Senegal
to Djibouti
.
Its origins can be traced back to Burkina Faso's
president Thomas Sankara
, who led efforts fighting desertification in his country from 1983-1987. In July 2005, under the Presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, the African Union
decided to adopt and support the project, which shows similarities to the more decentrally organized Green Belt Movement
which has been initiated by Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai
.
This green barrier, coordinated by Senegal, is aimed to protect the land against encroaching sand and erosion. Contributing to improve local incomes, this green barrier will be a global answer to the combined effect of natural resources degradation and drought in rural areas.
On June 17, 2010, the Global Environment Facility
(GEF) announces that the project will be first financed by a $119 million, already adopted by the African Union
in 2007.
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
to face desertification
Desertification
Desertification is the degradation of land in drylands. Caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities, desertification is one of the most significant global environmental problems.-Definitions:...
in South Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
. The project, held by 11 african countries, consists to create a green belt, 15 km thick and 7,775 km long, from Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
to Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
.
Its origins can be traced back to Burkina Faso's
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
president Thomas Sankara
Thomas Sankara
Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara was a Burkinabé military captain, Marxist revolutionary, Pan-Africanist theorist, and President of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987...
, who led efforts fighting desertification in his country from 1983-1987. In July 2005, under the Presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
decided to adopt and support the project, which shows similarities to the more decentrally organized Green Belt Movement
Green Belt Movement
The Green Belt Movement is an indigenous grassroots non-governmental organization based in Nairobi, Kenya that takes a holistic approach to development by focusing on environmental conservation, community development and capacity building...
which has been initiated by Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai
Wangari Maathai
Wangari Muta Mary Jo Maathai was a Kenyan environmental and political activist. She was educated in the United States at Mount St. Scholastica and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as the University of Nairobi in Kenya...
.
This green barrier, coordinated by Senegal, is aimed to protect the land against encroaching sand and erosion. Contributing to improve local incomes, this green barrier will be a global answer to the combined effect of natural resources degradation and drought in rural areas.
On June 17, 2010, the Global Environment Facility
Global Environment Facility
The Global Environment Facility unites 182 member governments — in partnership with international institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector — to address global environmental issues....
(GEF) announces that the project will be first financed by a $119 million, already adopted by the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
in 2007.
See also
- GeoengineeringGeoengineeringThe concept of Geoengineering refers to the deliberate large-scale engineering and manipulation of the planetary environment to combat or counteract anthropogenic changes in atmospheric chemistry The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded in 2007 that geoengineering options, such...
- Green Belt MovementGreen Belt MovementThe Green Belt Movement is an indigenous grassroots non-governmental organization based in Nairobi, Kenya that takes a holistic approach to development by focusing on environmental conservation, community development and capacity building...
- DesertificationDesertificationDesertification is the degradation of land in drylands. Caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities, desertification is one of the most significant global environmental problems.-Definitions:...
- Green Wall of ChinaGreen Wall of ChinaThe Green Wall of China, also known as the Green Great Wall or Great Green Wall , will be a series of human-planted forest strips in the People's Republic of China, designed to hold back the expansion of the Gobi Desert...