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Environmental issues in Africa are caused by anthropogenic effects on the African natural environment and have major impacts on humans and nearly all forms of endemic life. Issues include desertification, problems with access to safe water supply, population explosion and fauna depletion. These issues are ultimately linked to over-population in Africa, as well as on a global scale. Nearly all of Africa's environmental problems are geographically variable and human induced, though not necessarily by Africans.〔Duncan, B.N. , West J.J., Yoshlda, Y. , Flore, A.M. , & Zlemke, J.R. (2008). The influence of European pollution on ozone in the Near East and northern Africa. ''Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions. 8'', 1913-1950. Retrieved from http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/1913/2008/acpd-8-1913-2008.pdf〕 ==Deforestation== The large scale falling of trees and the resulting decreases in forest areas are the main environmental challenges of the African Continent. Rampant clearing of the forest goes on for agriculture, settlement and fuel needs. Ninety percent of Africa’s population requires wood to use as fuel for heating and cooking. As a result, forested areas are decreasing daily, as for example, in the region of equatorial evergreen forests. Africa’s desertification rate is twice that of the world’s. The rate of illegal logging, which is another main cause of deforestation, varies from country to country, such as 50% in Cameroon and 80% in Liberia. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, desertification is primarily caused by the needs of the poor ''citizens'', along with unsupervised logging and mining. In Ethiopia, the main cause is the country’s growing population, which induces an increase in agriculture, livestock production, and fuel wood. Low education and little government intervention also contributes to deforestation. Madagascar’s forest loss is partially caused by citizens using slash-and-burn techniques after independence from the French. Nigeria has the highest rate of deforestation of primary forests, according to the FAO. Deforestation in Nigeria is caused by logging, subsistence agriculture, and the collection of wood for fuel. According to the FAO, deforestation has wiped out nearly 90% of Africa’s forest. West Africa only has 22.8% of its moist forests left, and 81% of Nigeria’s old-growth forests disappeared within 15 years. Deforestation also lowers the chance of rainfall; Ethiopia has experienced famine and droughts because of this. 98% of Ethiopia’s forests have disappeared over the last 50 years. Within 43 years, Kenya’s forest coverage decreased from about 10% to 1.7%. Deforestation in Madagascar has also led to desertification, soil loss, and water source degradation, resulting in the country’s inability to provide necessary resources for its growing population. In the last five years, Nigeria lost nearly half of its primary forests. Ethiopia’s government, along with organizations like Farm Africa, is starting to take steps to stop excessive deforestation. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Environmental Issues in Africa」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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