Africa Builds the Great Green Wall to Fight Desertification

Eleven nations restore degraded land across the vast Sahel region.

Restoring the African Continent

The Great Green Wall represents a massive African environmental initiative. Leaders want to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land. The project stretches 8,000 kilometers from Senegal to Djibouti. The African Union officially launched this ambitious project in 2007. It targets the climate-vulnerable Sahel region south of the Sahara.

Tackling Climate Challenges

The Sahel experiences rapidly rising temperatures and erratic rainfall. Overgrazing and population growth turned productive soil into barren ground. This severe land degradation forces communities to migrate or compete. The initiative combines tree planting with sustainable dryland farming techniques. Communities use rainwater harvesting to restore their local landscapes.

Ambitious Goals and Funding

The project set three major headline targets for 2030. Leaders plan to sequester 250 million tons of carbon. They also want to create 10 million green jobs. International organizations pledged over $19 billion to support the effort. However, regional conflicts and harsh weather complicate the physical progress.

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