Bargal District in Guardafui Proviance in Puntland state of Somalia , has been grappling with a myriad of environmental challenges, including deforestation and environmental degradation. These environmental issues are further exacerbated by the ongoing coal crisis, which has had a profound impact on the local ecosystem.
Deforestation in Somalia has been a cause for concern due to the country's extensive forest resources that have been decreasing at an alarming rate. The main drivers of deforestation in Somalia generally include illegal logging, charcoal production, . With an estimated 80% of Somalia covered by arid and semi-arid land, the remaining forested areas are crucial in supporting the local communities' livelihoods through natural resource-based activities such as pastoralism, and agriculture .
The adverse effects of deforestation in Somalia are far-reaching, including soil erosion, flooding, loss of biodiversity, and reduced availability of water resources. Deforestation also contributes to the release of greenhouse gases, further worsening climate change impacts, which are already acute in Somalia, characterized by recurrent droughts and flooding.
Somalia has also been grappling with environmental degradation, whereby natural resources such as land, water, and air are damaged, leading to degradation of ecosystems and reducing their ability to support human well-being. Environmental degradation, often caused by human activities such as open grazing, illegal cutting down of trees, and urbanization, has had a severe impact on the country's fragile ecosystems. The most affected areas are coastal regions, where degradation of coral reefs, mangroves, and wetlands has led to a decline in fisheries, increasing the vulnerability of fishing communities.
The ongoing coal crisis has also worsened the environmental challenges in Somalia, mainly due to diminishing access to alternative energy sources such as natural gas and renewable energy. The coal crisis has pushed the local communities to resort to charcoal, which is the most widely used and cheapest source of energy for cooking and heating. However, charcoal production is the leading cause of deforestation in Somalia, as trees are cut down to produce charcoal to meet the increasing demand.
In conclusion, Somalia's environmental challenges, including deforestation and environmental degradation, are further exacerbated by the ongoing coal crisis. The impact of these issues on the local communities' well-being is severe, including loss of biodiversity, soil degradation, and reduced access to water resources. Urgent measures are needed to address these environmental challenges, including promoting sustainable natural resource management, promoting alternative sources of energy, and supporting local communities' livelihoods through sustainable agriculture and forestry practices.
in recent years, there has been severe deforestation in the Gardafuu region, especially in the areas under the control of Bargal District.
The Puntland Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Climate Change, which is responsible to the Puntland government, has not launched an awareness campaign or operation to combat deforestation and charcoal burning in Bargal district, and the government appears to be only protecting its small tax revenue from deforestation. A national disaster that destroys the environment and the world.
