key term - Great Green Wall

Definition

The Great Green Wall is an ambitious African-led initiative aimed at combating desertification and climate change by creating a mosaic of green and productive landscapes across the Sahel region. Spanning approximately 8,000 kilometers from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east, this project seeks to restore degraded land, improve food security, and enhance biodiversity while promoting sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Great Green Wall aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, improving the resilience of communities against climate change.
2. This initiative involves multiple countries and organizations, highlighting the importance of regional cooperation in addressing environmental challenges.
3. In addition to environmental restoration, the Great Green Wall project promotes economic development through sustainable agriculture and job creation.
4. The initiative also addresses social issues such as food security, as restoring land can lead to increased crop production for local populations.
5. Community involvement is crucial to the success of the Great Green Wall, ensuring that local knowledge and practices are integrated into restoration efforts.

Review Questions

• How does the Great Green Wall address both environmental and social issues in the Sahel region?
  • The Great Green Wall tackles environmental challenges like desertification by restoring degraded lands, which improves biodiversity and helps combat climate change. Simultaneously, it addresses social issues such as food security by enabling local communities to produce more crops on restored land. This dual approach ensures that environmental restoration goes hand-in-hand with enhancing the livelihoods of those affected by these pressing issues.
• Evaluate the importance of regional cooperation in the implementation of the Great Green Wall initiative across multiple countries.
  • Regional cooperation is vital for the success of the Great Green Wall because environmental issues like desertification do not respect national borders. By collaborating across countries, stakeholders can share resources, knowledge, and best practices to create a more effective and unified approach to land restoration. Such partnerships also help coordinate efforts, secure funding, and promote a shared vision for sustainable development that benefits all involved nations.
• Analyze the long-term implications of the Great Green Wall for environmental sustainability and socio-economic development in the Sahel region.
  • The long-term implications of the Great Green Wall could be transformative for both environmental sustainability and socio-economic development in the Sahel region. By restoring ecosystems and improving land productivity, this initiative can significantly mitigate the impacts of climate change while enhancing food security for local populations. Additionally, sustainable agricultural practices promoted through this project can lead to job creation and economic growth, ultimately contributing to greater stability and resilience in a region historically challenged by environmental degradation and poverty.

Related terms

Sahel Region:

A semi-arid zone located south of the Sahara Desert, stretching across several countries in West and North Africa, experiencing significant environmental degradation and desertification.

Desertification: The process by which fertile land becomes increasingly arid and unproductive, often due to climate change, deforestation, and unsustainable agricultural practices.

Biodiversity: The variety of plant and animal life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, which is essential for maintaining ecological balance and resilience.