UNEP publishes “Africa: Atlas of Our Changing Environment”

    | June 16, 2008

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    Some of the most dramatic environmental changes to take place on the African continent, from the shrinking of Mount Kilimanjaro’s glaciers to the drying up of Lake Chad, have been well publicized – but what do they actually look like? Satellite images documenting these changes, and dozens of other shifts in Africa’s landscape, have been compiled in Africa: Atlas of Our Changing Environment, which was recently published by the United Nation’s Environment Programme. The atlas features “before and after” satellite images taken in 100 locations in every country in Africa, over 35 years. The pictures document environmental degradation, such as disappearing glaciers in Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains and widening corridors of deforestation in northern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The positive results of environmental initiatives, such as the expansion of wetlands resulting from a restoration project in Diawling National Park, Mauritania, and the protection of forests in Liberia’s Sapo National Park, are also graphically illustrated.

    -To search for “before and after” satellite photos by country or theme, follow this link:
    http://na.unep.net/AfricaAtlas/.
    -For a media release describing some of the most significant changes to the African landscape, go to: http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=538&ArticleID=5834&l=en.
    -To download the full report of Africa: Atlas of Our Changing Environment, in English or French, visit: http://www.unep.org/dewa/africa/AfricaAtlas/.