SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO: In 1976 the iconic glacier of East Africa—though still reduced from its size at the beginning of the 20th century—still covered the entire peak. [Link to this slide] UNEP
ROCKS OF KILIMANJARO:
By 2006, the glacier had shrunk to a fraction of its former size and scientists fear it may disappear entirely by 2020, completely exposing the rocky peak. Lesser known glaciers, such as those on the Rwenzori peaks of Uganda, may share the same fate....[More]
ROCKS OF KILIMANJARO:
By 2006, the glacier had shrunk to a fraction of its former size and scientists fear it may disappear entirely by 2020, completely exposing the rocky peak. Lesser known glaciers, such as those on the Rwenzori peaks of Uganda, may share the same fate.
[Less]
[Link to this slide]
UNEP
LAKE CHAD: In 1972 Lake Chad boasted a thriving fishery and covered more than 10,000 square miles (26,000 square kilometers) with its shallow waters. [Link to this slide] UNEP
SWAMP CHAD:
The lake, which is the main water source for the 20 million residents on its shores in Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria, had shrunk by 2006 to less than 580 square miles (1,500 square kilometers)....[More]
SWAMP CHAD:
The lake, which is the main water source for the 20 million residents on its shores in Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria, had shrunk by 2006 to less than 580 square miles (1,500 square kilometers). Less well-known lakes, such Mali's Lake Faguibine, are also disappearing.
[Less]
[Link to this slide]
UNEP
CAMEROON RAINFOREST: The Campo-Ma'an rainforest in southern Cameroon covers 1.9 million acres (770,000 hectares) and was relatively untouched in 1973. [Link to this slide] UNEP
CAMEROON PLANTATIONS: Logging and commercial forestry, such as palm and rubber plantations, have helped give this area of Cameroon one of the highest deforestation rates in central Africa, as visible here in 2001.
[Link to this slide] UNEP
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH: The Catoca diamond mine in Angola had barely scratched the surface in 1990. [Link to this slide] UNEP
DIAMOND MINE:
By 2006, the mine sprawls over the landscape, a pattern repeated at a host of such mineral mines across the continent: from the coltan mined in the Congo, used in computers and cell phones, to Zambian copper for electrical wire....[More]
DIAMOND MINE:
By 2006, the mine sprawls over the landscape, a pattern repeated at a host of such mineral mines across the continent: from the coltan mined in the Congo, used in computers and cell phones, to Zambian copper for electrical wire.
[Less]
[Link to this slide]
UNEP
PRESERVING PARKS: The border region between Burkina Faso, Benin and Niger, W-shaped courtesy of the meandering Niger River, has been protected since 1954. [Link to this slide] UNEP
PROTECTED PARKS: That protection has allowed the reserves on the eastern border of Burkina Faso to avoid the human encroachment found elsewhere, as seen here in 2005. [Link to this slide] UNEP
RESERVE FATE: The Beki Forest Reserve thrives in Ivory Coast—an island of green in 1986. [Link to this slide] UNEP
REDUCED RESERVE: But recent years of coups and a civil war have driven the desperate struggle to survive that has eliminated the forest reserve entirely as seen in this 2003 image. [Link to this slide] UNEP
YES! Send me a free issue of Scientific American with no obligation to continue the subscription. If I like it, I will be billed for the one-year subscription.
Is this not sad, kilimanjaro losing its glacier, but look at the diamond mine in Angola, surely with all the knowledge we have gathered over the years Afrioca can avoid the environmental patterns that occured else where, I think its just lack of caring, mining techniques are far more advanced than they were fifty years ago yet Angola is making the same mistakes.
People refuse to respect knowledge and to understand that the earth needs to be used properly we know how, Oh well, this is the end result of humans acting like the earth is indestructible.
I am very concerned about the destructive nature of deforestation. Most avenues of needed technology to aleviate the pending problems requires innovative utilization of waste products of developed communities. Paper, wood, plastics, solvents, solutions and many other social directed product developments need to implement recycling of usefull waste regardless of cost to prevent exhausting limited future consumption of natural products in the world. Solve it now not in the future. Nations can control their environmental future by implementing conservation and allowing cost to dictate creative solution before calamity demands it. Tom S Batavia, Ill USA
Raze of Glory: NASA Earth-Observing Climate Satellite Fails to Reach Orbit
NASA's Next Mars Probe to Spy on Red Planet from Above
Space Geology: From the Moon to Mars
New Year, New Science
The Top 10 Science Stories of 2011
Digging Mars: Mars Science Lab Set to Blast Off
How Failure of Climate Satellite Sets Back Earth Science
9 Ways NASA Can Tackle Climate Change
4 Comments
Add CommentIs this not sad, kilimanjaro losing its glacier, but look at the diamond mine in Angola, surely with all the knowledge we have gathered over the years Afrioca can avoid the environmental patterns that occured else where, I think its just lack of caring, mining techniques are far more advanced than they were fifty years ago yet Angola is making the same mistakes.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPeople refuse to respect knowledge and to understand that the earth needs to be used properly we know how, Oh well, this is the end result of humans acting like the earth is indestructible.
We humans deserve the eventual trashbin we will call home.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI can't wait till cockroaches rule the Earth. They know how to party
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am very concerned about the destructive nature of deforestation. Most avenues of needed technology to aleviate the pending problems requires innovative utilization of waste products of developed communities. Paper, wood, plastics, solvents, solutions and many other social directed product developments need to implement recycling of usefull waste regardless of cost to prevent exhausting limited future consumption of natural products in the world. Solve it now not in the future. Nations can control their environmental future by implementing conservation and allowing cost to dictate creative solution before calamity demands it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTom S Batavia, Ill USA