A new digital atlas is providing critical data on Africa’s wetlands to support conservation efforts and strengthen climate resilience across the continent. The project focuses on wetlands in the Sahel and Horn of Africa, ecosystems that are rapidly disappearing because of climate change and urbanization. The crisis is especially acute in the Sahel, where these ecosystems cover less than 10% of the land but are the primary life support for 75% of the population and drive over 85% of the region’s GDP. Beyond sustaining agriculture and livelihoods, these ecosystems also function as vital carbon sinks and provide natural flood protection. The atlas aims to fill a significant information gap regarding these wetlands, offering policymakers and conservationists a tool to safeguard them.
Semafor
