The North African Environment at Risk by Will D. Swearingen (Editor), Abdellatif Bencherifa (Editor)

From the Publisher

Deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, air and water pollution, loss of wildlife habitat, and declining biodiversity are interrelated manifestations of a growing environmental crisis in North Africa that has received relatively little attention from government policymakers and is poorly understood by North African peoples, the international development community, and scholars. In this book a multidisciplinary group of scholars explores the broad range of human activities causing the deterioration of North Africa's fragile environment, including population pressure and poverty, rapid urbanization, intense competition for land and water, and mismanagement of natural resources. The contributors examine in particular the conflict between economic development and environmental sustainability. They analyze the historical roots of current environmental problems, the underlying socio-economic causes, potential solutions, and differences in environmental policies among various countries. This is an insightful portrait of a developing region attempting to reconcile traditional methods of land use with growing demands for resources, the exigencies of economic development, and the limitations of its natural resource base.

Booknews

Scholars from North Africa, the US, and Britain examine the ecological problems of desertification and pollution in North Africa. In particular the contributors focus on the myriad factors which contribute to the deterioration of the environment: population pressure, poverty, urbanization, mismanagement of resources, drought, tourism, economic development in conflict with the environment, and the inattention of policymakers. The authors discuss possible solutions within a context of development and economic sustainability. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents