As the age-old adages say, “A picture is worth a thousand words” and “Seeing is believing”, this stunning 400-page “Africa: Atlas of our Changing Environment” is a unique and powerful publication which brings to light stories of environmental change at more than 100 locations spread across every country in Africa.

There are more than 300 satellite images, 300 ground photographs and 150 maps, along with informative graphs and charts that give a vivid visual portrayal of Africa and its changing environment. Using current and historical satellite images, the Atlas provides scientific evidence of the impact that natural and human activities have had on the continent’s environment over the past several decades.

The observations and measurements of environmental change illustrated in this Atlas help gauge the extent of progress made by African countries towards reaching the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals.

More importantly, this book contributes to the knowledge and understanding that are essential for adaptation and remediation. This UNEP publication should be of immense value to all those who want to know more about Africa and who care about the future of this continent.

Visit Africa: Atlas of our Changing Environment Download Page

You can download full publication in PDF format.

United Nations Environment Programme
PO Box 30552, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 7621234
Fax: +254 20 7623943/44
http://www.unep.org

FORWARD
Africa is made up of a stunning mosaic of forests and woodlands, mountains, deserts, coastal lands and freshwater ecosystems upon which hundreds of millions of people depend. However, environmental change threatens the people and natural resources of this vast continent.

Africa: Atlas of Our Changing Environment provides compelling evidence of the extent and severity of such dramatic change over the past 30 years on the region’s environment due to both natural processes and human activities. The Atlas is the fi rst major publication to depict environmental change in all of Africa’s countries using satellite imagery. By telling a vivid, visual story of the dramatic impacts on the continent’s landscapes, the Atlas is a resource for remedial action at local, national, and regional levels.

One of the Atlas’s most striking features is its site-specific, side-by-side display of historical and current remote-sensing imagery. “Before and after” satellite images show different kinds of environmental change: forest conversions and the loss or degradation of habitats; urban growth; altered hydrology (dams, shrinking lakes, river diversions, and drained wetlands); degraded coastal areas; mining developments; dryland modification; and the impacts of climate change.

While it’s generally a challenge to present visually the impacts of climate change and land degradation in Africa due to the often long intervals between cause-and-effect involving these two issues, the Atlas powerfully tells the story of climate change and its impacts through paired satellite images. Vignettes from people’s lives provide personal accounts, describing how environmental change has affected them, how they have adapted to it, and also helped to slow further deterioration or restore environmental quality.

The Africa: Atlas of Our Changing Environment is an immense resource for all who have an interest in the regional environment. ...

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