Population growth in Sub-Saharan and Central Africa
Current population projections by UN’s Population Division suggest an increase from ca. 0.9 billion today to 2.1 billion people by 2050 in Sub-Saharan Africa. The UN further estimates the urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa, currently at 38 percent, to increase to 56.5 percent in 2050. Among the many environmental effects of this increase in populations, as well as urbanization, is the impact on the continents forests as the relative use of charcoal as well as the absolute tonnage consumed will grow dramatically. If only 65% of Africans are charcoal consumers of an average of 66.5 kg each in 2050, they will consume 90.8 million tons of charcoal compared to an estimated official production of 30.6 million tons in 2012.
Year: 2014
From collection: The Environmental Crime Crisis
Cartographer: Riccardo Pravettoni, GRID Arendal