Mali’s Former Minister Leads Battle to Protect Forests Amid Growing Climate Crisis

Mali’s Former Minister Leads Battle to Protect Forests Amid Growing Climate Crisis

Aida M’bo, Mali’s former environment minister, has launched a tree planting initiative in the Zamblara forest to combat deforestation and climate change. Despite decades of forest protection, the Zamblara forest faces serious threats, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable solutions.

Mali’s fight against deforestation is a tragic paradox. On one hand, Aida M’bo’s nonprofit, Energia, is supported by the Great Green Wall, a massive tree planting project aiming to hold back the advancing Sahara Desert. Yet, the country remains heavily reliant on firewood, which continues to drive the destruction of forests. M’bo herself acknowledges the irony: while advocating for forest preservation, people in rural Mali, like Salimata Diabate, have no choice but to cut down trees for firewood because alternative cooking options like gas are out of reach due to high costs. This vicious cycle of deforestation for firewood is a direct result of widespread poverty, with nearly half the population unable to afford cleaner energy sources.

The efforts to plant trees and fight desertification face a grim reality. Over 7,700 square miles of Mali’s forests have been lost in the past three decades. And even with international support, including millions of trees planted across Africa through the Great Green Wall, many saplings have died, unable to survive in the harsh, changing environment.

The battle for Mali’s forests raises critical questions about the balance between environmental protection and the survival needs of the population. Can global initiatives like the Great Green Wall succeed if basic needs like affordable cooking energy remain unmet? What responsibility do richer nations bear for the environmental crisis in countries like Mali, which contributes little to global greenhouse gas emissions but bears the brunt of the effects? Share your thoughts on how the world can better support nations on the frontlines of climate change.

Source: Africa News