Overpopulation: Development of Oil and Gas resources:

Indirect Threats to Marine Biodiversity Consrevaton in the WAMER

1. Overpopulation:

Coastal resource degradation is exeracerbated by an expanding coastal population, urbanization and industrial development. UNEP, 2007. The coastal region is where most of the people live and where most of the industrial infrastructure is located, historically because of access to port facilities. Coastal cities are likely to continue to be nodes of population growth for the near future, where it is perceived that there are opportunities over the longer term for people to improve their economic well- being. Coastal areas are intrinsically attractive for growing populations to take advantage of rich biodiversity and marine fisheries, and the extensive coastal and offshore oil and gas fields. Both are perceived as key assets with potential for boosting economic development and alleviating poverty UNEP, 2007. The continuing growth of coastal populations, and in particular the increasing urbanization along the coast, is placing severe stress on the living resources through physical disruption and pollution, resulting in the degradation or loss of habitats that have crucial value in ecosystem services and biodiversity.

2. Development of Oil and Gas resources:

During the last few years, off-shore oil prospecting has been increasing in the sub-region Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau. Some prospecting efforts are or were carried out in protected marine reserves where, because of inadequate technological development and surveillance, the risk of serious pollution is high UNEP, 2007. 3. Coastal Erosion: Coastal erosion by wave action has long been an important issue on the high-energy coasts of Western Africa. Reductions in the discharge of sand from the rivers due to damming and human settlement, the disruption of longshore sand transport by coastal engineering and the mining of beach sand for building constructions have exacerbated this process UNEP, 2007. Coastal erosion has resulted in the loss of sea turtle and marine bird habitat.

4. Global Climate Change: