Energy News  
UN Launches World's Largest Program To Fight Desertification In Africa

Climate change: a burden Africa cannot afford. Photo courtesy: Greenpeace.

Nairobi (AFP) Oct 24, 2005
The United Nations and international lenders on Monday launched a multi-billion-dollar initiative to fight desertification in Africa, billed as the world's largest scheme to prevent land degradation.

TerrAfrica plans to invest four billion dollars (3.3 billion euros) over 12 years to stem the expansion of African deserts and promote sustainable land management as part of wider efforts to reduce the continent's crushing poverty, officials said.

The multi-agency partnership, made up of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), The World Bank, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), hopes to coordinate a concerted push to ease the problem which affects more than 65 percent of all Africans, they said.

Formed in response to calls to action by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), it aims to increase agricultural productivity by six percent a year and encourage governments to allocate 10 percent of their national budgets for agriculture, they said.

"It promises to be a real shot in the arm to restoring the health of the continent's fragile lands and overcoming the seemingly relentless slide," UNEP executive director Klaus Toepfer told a news conference.

Environmental economists estimate that every dollar strategically invested in anti-land degradation measures can garner a three-dollar return, he said.

Despite increased financial resources, TerrAfrica officials acknowledged the need for community involvement to fully address desertification.

"The challenge is to not only mobilize the communities on this issue, but to include them so they become part of the elements of change," said Kenya's deputy environment minister and Nobel peace laureate Wangari Maathai.

TerrAfrica was formed as senior officials from the 179 state parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification are meeting at UNEP's Nairobi headquarters to discuss progress made on halting land degradation.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express
Weather News at TerraDaily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


UN Urges Early Warning Systems To Combat Desertification
Nairobi (AFP) Oct 17, 2005
More than 250 million people worldwide are directly affected by creeping desertification, the United Nations said Monday, urging the creation of early warning systems to fight the expansion of deserts.







  • Scientists Synthesize Cheap, Easy-to-Make Ultra-thin Photovoltaic Films
  • Oil Prices Dip After Hurricane Moves Out To Sea
  • Outlook Bright For Hydrogen Biofuel Cell
  • World's First Biogas Train Makes Maiden Voyage In Sweden

  • India Calls For Action Against Nuclear Proliferators
  • France Announces Part-Privatisation Of Energy Giant EDF
  • US Blacklists Eight North Korea Entities Over WMD Proliferation
  • India-U.S. Nuke Deal Uphill Task

  • Getting To The TOPP Of Houston's Air Pollution
  • Scientists Seek Sprite Light Source



  • Farm Talks Collapse In Geneva
  • Defeating The 'Superpests'
  • Crop Scientists Improve "Supergrain" For Impoverished Farmers
  • Gourmet Space Dinner On Greenland Icecap

  • Japan Creates The World's Fastest Electric Sedan
  • Motorists To Pay 'Congestion' Charge Over Broader Swath Of London
  • Solar Cars Driving Towards A Hydrogen Future
  • Mapflow And DTO Announce Dublin Satellite Tolling Study

  • US Forced Israel To Freeze Venezuelan F-16 Contract: Ministry
  • Wright Brothers Upstaged! Dinos Invented Biplanes
  • Boeing Awarded Common Bomber Mission Planning Enterprise Contract
  • Capability Assessment Helps AF Prepare For Future

  • NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter
  • Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission
  • Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program
  • Boeing-Led Team to Study Nuclear-Powered Space Systems

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement