Cameroon
Environment overview
Because of its geographic location and topography, Cameroon's ecology is very diverse. In accordance
with this kind of landscape, Cameroon's environmental problems are also varied. Drought and its
concomitant effects present a host of environmental challenges in the semi-arid regions to the north. The
retraction of forest landscape, specifically forest destruction and range degradation, as well as related
diminution of the biodiversity within, are the prevalent challenges throughout the rest of the country.
Key current environmental issues in Cameroon include deforestation. Overgrazing, desertification,
poaching, over fishing, tsetse fly infestation, threats to wildlife, prevalent waterborne diseases, Natural
hazards (recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases) are also prevalent.
There is a constant threat of natural disasters in Cameroon, particularly in a chain of still active volcanoes
that stretches from Mount Cameroon in the southwest, to the Kapsiki massif in the northern region of the
country. This threat ranges from volcanic eruption to seism, toxic gas emission from volcano lakes,
landslides, and floods, mostly in the Centre Province of the country. Cameroon has experienced an odd
form of natural disaster sometimes referred to as the "killer lake" phenomenon. In this unusual event, a
sudden change in the stratification of lake water causes the instant release of massive amounts of
carbon dioxide gas (CO2). The CO2, while not inherently toxic, displaces all breathable oxygen in the area
and thus suffocates all people and animals present. The cause of the phenomenon is poorly understood.
It may relate to seismic or volcanic activity, or it may just be the natural behavior of lakes with a certain,
critical configuration. A 1984 release from Lake Monoun killed 37 people. In August 1986 a massive CO 2
discharge from Lake Nyos was fatal to about 1,700 Cameroonians.
The root of the problem is the poor integration of natural threats into environmental protection and the low
level of awareness or concern of the population to the existence of these threats. The lack of regulation
governing natural threats, together with the irrational management of these threats, also contributes to
the overall problem. Several ministerial departments are implicated in the management of disasters,
namely the Ministries of Mines; Water and Energy; Scientific Research; Territorial Administration; Public
Health; and the Secretary of State for Internal Security.
The Government of Cameroon ratified the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol on 30 August
1989. The Government later ratified the various amendments to the Protocol (London, Copenhagen,
Montreal) in 1992 and 1996. This country has not yet ratified the Beijing Amendment. Cameroon’s
Country Progamme for phase out of ODS (Ozone Depleting Substances) approved by the Executive
Committee of the Multilateral Fund. Funds were approved by the Executive Committee for ODS phase
out activities at the level of US$ 5,642,962. UNEP and UNIDO are implementing these activities.
Industry and Chemicals
Cameroon has an important and diverse ecosystem that is highly linked to human food chains and is also
of interest to the global biodiversity resources. Presently, much of these resources have high potentials to
exposure to chemical pollution, particularly in the coastal zone where there is intensive use of hazardous
chemical and the generation of chemical wastes, but insufficient treatment and disposal. The National
awareness of chemicals risks is low, particularly as there have been several cases of chemicals
accidents and poisoning. The national infrastructure for management of chemicals (institutional, legal,
technical and financial) is weak. International trade in hazardous chemicals forms an important part of the
balance of payments. The main areas of use are in high-valued sectors of the national economy such as
agriculture, public health and industry. For example, in 1994, chemical imports was valued at 85 Million
US dollars or 43 Billion FCFA or 16% of total Imports, for a volume of 279,600 Tonnes. Stringent legal
restriction on use could have wide implications for economic activities. Cameroon occupies a critical
position and has a strategic role to play in management of dangerous chemicals in the Central African
Sub-region. This is because its landmark constitutes the main corridor for transit of chemicals imports by
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Cameroon
most of the neighboring countries. However, no specific sub-regional agreements or harmonized
procedures exist among the countries for management of dangerous chemicals in such areas as accident
prevention and response. Cameroon has interests to participate in negotiations in International
Conventions on chemicals - so as strengthen its national capacities in the areas of technology transfer,
legislation, public education, the development of exploitation of her natural resources that could be used
to manufacture non-chemicals alternatives.
Water and Sanitation
Pipeline leakages, groundwater contamination and fresh and marine water pollution are ever-present
dangers, especially since the pipeline makes at least 17 major river crossings. Also highly criticized has
been the project’s lack of a site-specific emergency response plan to deal with an oil spill. Even one leak
would endanger communities all along the pipeline route because they rely on surface water systems for
most of their water needs. The offshore loading facility from which millions of barrels of oil will be
transferred onto tankers will be located between Cameroon’s only two nature preserves. A spill would be
catastrophic and destroy the local fishing and tourism industries on which coastal inhabitants depend for
survival.
Biodiversity
Cameroon is endowed with a very rich biodiversity and this is explained by its geographical location near
the equator and in the heart of Africa, rich volcanic soils in the south and good watershed, which
accounts for good drainage systems. After Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Madagascar,
Cameroon comes 4th in biodiversity richness with a high degree of endemism. This rich biodiversity is
seriously under threat with heavy reduction of species numbers through agriculture, fishery, forestry
activities and wildlife poaching. An ecological assessment (Table 2.1) shows that Cameroon has a great
potential which ranges from the closed tropical rainforest which also contains biodiversity conservation
areas to arable land and pastures. The ecological value of the green environment is estimated at about
thousand million CFA. Within the Tropical forest zone, the slash and burn method of agriculture and
forestry activities are the principal causes of loss of biodiversity. Inventories have been made on about 14
million hectares of high forest and a potential of 4.165 billion cubic meters of timber is considered
available. Cameroon is party to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol.
Natural Resources
Cameroon is endowed with a forested area of 19.598.000 ha (FAO, 1997) 18.000.000 ha of this forest is
located in the humid forest zone. During the last decade, the share of forest related activities in the
economy has significantly increased. For instance, in 1995 export of timber products has amounted to
US$321 millions, representing 19.8% of the total value of Cameroon exports. The contribution of timber
harvesting to GNP has also risen, from US$ 488 millions in 1990 to US$ 612 millions in 1995, the
equivalent of 6.7% of the GNP. Cameroon has some of the greatest biodiversity in Africa, and also has
the highest percentage of logged forest of any African nation with substantial rain forest. Even
though Cameroon is still richly endowed with tropical forests of high quality (in fact in terms of quality, its
forest is second only to Democratic Republic of Congo) and deforestation does not take place at a high
rate yet.
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Cameroon
Most of the deforestation is the result of small-scale agricultural activities: shifting cultivators are
estimated to be responsible for 79% to 95% of all deforestation in Cameroon. However, it was noted the
indirect role played by timber in deforestation in Cameroon. Although the expansions of agricultural and
timber production activities are basically the proximate factors causing deforestation in Cameroon, the
more important underlying factors, mainly the economic incentive effects that may have been influenced
by the SAP still need to be identified.
Land degradation
Land degradation has been identified as one of the major environmental challenges facing the central
Africa sub-region. The main contributors to land degradation in this sub-region are erosion and soil
compacting, as a result of extensive removal of vegetation, and exposure of the soils to heavy rainfall,
increased evaporation and wind action. The main reasons for vegetation removal are commercial logging
and tree cutting to provide domestic fuel, as well as clearance of forests for commercial or subsistence
cultivation. Cameroon is one of the Sudano-Sahelian countries in Africa that shows signs of some
desertification. The northern part of the country was previously under forest, and due to the extreme
degradation of vegetative cover, it’s now under savannah grasslands. It appears therefore that
deforestation in Cameroon should be the preoccupation of environmental and human resource
economists, ecologists as well as policy makers because of its threat to ecological sustainability and
socio-economic development in the long run.
Partnership for Congo Basin Forests:
The country has engaged in a strong partnership with other countries in the Congo Basin, with the view to
manage their natural resources in a sustainable way. At the World Summit for Sustainable Development,
the United States joined forces with the governments of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of Congo along with
multilateral donors to promote economic development in the Congo River basin through natural resource
conservation programs. The program creates a network of parks and protected areas, well-managed
forestry concessions, and assistance to communities who depend upon the conservation of the forest
and wildlife resources in the Congo River Basin. The United States planned to invest $53 million through
2005 on this project and additional government, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners are
also expected to contribute funds.
The “Partnership for Congo Basin Forests” aims at sensitizing the international community on the threats
facing the world second biggest tropical forest, which provides ecological services to humanity. The
“Partnership for Congo Basin Forests” intends to support a network of around 10 million hectares of
national parks and protected areas in the perspective of sustainable management of forests.
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