Natural and anthropogenic hazards in the African coastal and ocean environment: need for holistic and pragmatic early warning system and management approach

The African coastal and ocean environment span twenty two countries in the South and Central Eastern Atlantic Ocean and nine countries in the Indian Ocean. According to the World Bank, the population of Africa is approximately 650 million which is projected to grow at a rate of no less than 3% per year. With this growth rate, the population in the coastal urban area is expected to double within the next 30 years and by the year 2025, the urban coastal population will increase from a mean of 200 inhabitants/km to 500 inhabitants/km". The African coastal and ocean environment is richly blessed with a wide variety of living and non-living resources. Rapid industrial growth and the search for source of livelihood in the coastal cities have resulted in high pressures on the coastal resources. According to a Global Environmental facility report, the three greatest threats to the African coastal and ocean areas are pollution from land base activities, over exploitation of living resources, alteration and destruction of marine habitats. Global climate change and associated impacts like sea-level rise and flooding have been documented to have serious impacts on the socio-economic activities in both West and East African regions. The devastating mega thrust earthquake of December 26, 2004 in South East Asia produced gravity waves which propagated in the Indian Ocean for several hundreds of kilometers to reach the East African coast causing loss of lives and destruction of coastal infrastructure. Coastal storm surges caused by meteorological factors also cause widespread coastal flooding annually along the West African coast. While several national and International coastal and marine programmes are presently being implemented, many African coastal countries need international assistance to address coastal and marine hazards which are devastating the area. The need for an integrated and African-wide early warning system is now imperative to warn coastal population of impending hazards from flooding, earthquakes and other associated coastal hazards. Such an early warning system will also complement and ensure preparedness programmes to alleviate poverty and enhance national socio-economic developmental programmes. Implementation of an early warning system and coastal hazard mitigating options will be hampered by lack of human capacity, infrastructure and funds. The present focus of the United Nations, governments, private industries, and non governmental organisations for an integrated approach to coastal and marine environment management requires global cooperation and provision of the tools (funds, capacity building programmes, early warning system) that will ensure the health of the Africa coastal and the marine environment which constitute an integral part of the world's coastal and ocean environment.