Journal of African Development

Forest governance in Central Africa is at a crucial crossroads. The Congo Basin, representing the second-largest rainforest in the world, faces significant governance and legal challenges that threaten its ecological and economic integrity. Illegal logging, poor law enforcement, corruption, and weak institutional frameworks undermine sustainable forest management, with repercussions for biodiversity, climate regulation, and regional stability. This article examines the state of forest governance and illegal logging in Central Africa, identifying drivers, impacts, and potential governance reforms.

Mining operations across Africa have propelled economic development but often at a profound environmental and social cost. This article explores the intersection of environmental justice issues and mining activities, examining the ways in which these operations disproportionately affect marginalized communities, undermine biodiversity, and challenge legal frameworks designed to protect people and ecosystems. Drawing on recent case studies, legal reviews, and statistical data, the analysis evaluates community struggles, emerging advocacy networks, and possible policy directions to secure more equitable outcomes for Africa’s resource-rich regions.

Abstract:
The Nile River, spanning over 6,650 kilometers and shared by eleven northeastern African countries, is a vital resource supporting the livelihoods and development of more than 300 million people. Historical treaties and the legacy of colonial arrangements have long fueled upstream–downstream tensions, particularly between Egypt, Sudan, and upstream states seeking equitable water usage. Recent decades have been marked by the emergence of critical flashpoints such as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a project emblematic of both the challenges and potential of transboundary water management. This article analyzes the historical underpinnings, institutional mechanisms such as the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) and the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), and the evolving dynamics of conflict and cooperation among riparian states. It highlights the pressures from population growth, climate change, and competing infrastructural demands, while also emphasizing the role of multilateral dialogue, data-sharing, regional institutions, and international partnerships in fostering collaboration. The article concludes by outlining future pathways for sustainable and peaceful water governance in the Nile Basin.

Green financing is rapidly evolving as a critical mechanism to accelerate sustainable development in Africa. As climate change amplifies vulnerability across the continent, green financing channels—including green bonds, climate funds, blended finance, and innovative banking models—support the transition to a low-carbon, resilient, and inclusive economy. This article explores the scale, dynamics, opportunities, and challenges of green financing within Africa, highlighting the leading instruments, institutions, and policy pathways in play, supported by data, current case studies, and recommended action steps.

Africa contains some of the world’s most unique and essential biodiversity, hosting expansive savannahs, rainforests, wetlands, and marine ecosystems that support countless endemic species and sustain local communities. This article explores the mutual relationship between biodiversity conservation and eco-tourism across the continent, examining the current status, effective management models, economic impact, and persistent challenges. While conservation areas and eco-tourism revenue have steadily grown, African biodiversity faces escalating threats such as habitat loss, poaching, climate change, and funding gaps. The paper analyzes leading policy and community-driven approaches, including transboundary conservation initiatives and community-based tourism, highlighting their success in linking environmental protection with economic wellbeing. It concludes by emphasizing the need for increased funding, robust governance, community empowerment, and sustainable tourism strategies to achieve long-term environmental and socioeconomic resilience in Africa.

This article examines the escalating phenomenon of climate-induced migration in the Sahel region, a zone stretching from Senegal to Sudan that faces acute environmental stress from rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, drought, and desertification. With livelihoods—primarily rain-fed agriculture and pastoralism—under severe threat, millions have become internally displaced or are forced to migrate within and across borders. The article details the drivers and dynamics of climate mobility, highlighting the interplay of food insecurity, livelihood collapse, and political instability, and maps out the changing patterns from adaptive seasonal movement to permanent, often distress-driven, displacement. Case studies from countries like Niger, Mali, and the Lake Chad Basin illustrate the human and economic consequences, including conflict escalation, poverty, and disproportionate impacts on vulnerable groups. The analysis further reviews policy responses and innovations, emphasizing the need for rights-based migration frameworks, investment in resilience and adaptation, and regional cooperation to address the multidimensional challenge. Ultimately, the article argues for integrated, forward-looking strategies to secure sustainable futures for climate-affected populations in the Sahel.

Indigenous communities play a pivotal role in the stewardship and sustainable management of natural resources worldwide. This article examines the principles and practices underpinning indigenous natural resource management (NRM), with a focus on African contexts. It explores traditional ecological knowledge, highlights contemporary community-based approaches, assesses their socio-economic, environmental, and governance impacts, and discusses current challenges and pathways for more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable conservation strategies. Empirical cases, data visualizations, and policy recommendations are provided.