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AFRICA
SAO TOME & PRINCIPE
MDG7
Progress Towards Environmental Sustainability
SÃO TOMÉ AND
PRÍNCIPE
Gulf of Guinea
Sao Tome and Principe’s ecosystem is very fragile and is prone to risks that
hamper the country’s socio-economic development, especially in the
São Tomé
absence of efficient implementation of a clear environmental strategy.
São Tomé
Poor sanitation poses a major challenge and threatens public health,
Porto Alegre
leading to high rates of mortality caused by water-borne diseases, a high
incidence of malaria, and environmental pollution caused by solid waste, thereby inflicting disastrous consequences
on the population’s health and the country’s economy.
The proportion of the population with access to a source of safe drinking water is low: only 19% of the population has access to
water points.The situation regarding sanitation is even worse,in that only 16% of families have access to basic sanitation. Deforestation
also poses a challenge, as many depend on selling wood as a source of living in order to support their families. Also, the majority of
the population uses wood as a source of energy, primarily because they cannot afford to buy petrol or gas for cooking. Moreover,
many houses are made of wood, which further exacerbates the problem of deforestation in Sao Tome and Principe, and harms the
country’s ecosystem.
QUICK FACTS
CURRENT PORTFOLIO BUDGET
Total UNDP-GEF and Co-Finance: $575,000
Total UNDP and Co-Finance: $1,645,000
Total MPU and Bilateral: $125,000
Total: $2,345,000
Príncipe
Santo Antônio
Coastal erosion will eventually have a devastating and irreversible impact if urgent measures are not taken to remedy this problem.
It is important to note that public environmental awareness is very limited in Sao Tome and Principe, and it is particularly worrisome
that the link between the importance of environmental sustainability
and development is largely unaccounted for, especially for such
a small and developing country. 1
Cumulative Total ODS Phased-Out:
2.8 ODP tonnes
A Legal Approach to Sustaining Biodiversity 2
SPOTLIGHT
Large construction projects near coastal areas, and the associated rapid deforestation and uncontrolled sand extraction, is causing
erosion and land degradation on the volcanic archipelago of São Tomé e Príncipe. Indigenous marine life has also fallen prey
to these commercial developments, as exemplified through the systematic plundering of female tortoise nests.
The Saotoméen government has been active in environmental affairs since 1993 and developed a strategy to create a dual-conservation
zone covering a total land area of 295 square km of mountainous and low-altitude ecosystems on both main islands.
Financial assistance of US$1.4 million was provided by the EU, with UNDP providing of technical, logistical and legal assistance.
UNDP proposed a partnership with the Central African ECOFAC forest use and conservation programme, to work together in harmonising
all legal environmental laws made in São Tomé e Príncipe, including all legislative documents concerning ECOFAC,
and establishing the Ôbo Natural Reserve. ECOFAC operates in remote, traditional societies with little integration into the
national economy, and without infrastructure and services.
As of 2005, protected forest boundaries have been drawn for the Ôbo Reserve and an eco-tourism initiative has been launched.
The creation and training of a corps of forest guards, forming the basis of a new national forest management service, highlights
the country’s efforts in environmental conservation and poverty reduction. Cadets will also be involved in leading day-hikes as
part of the eco-tourist initiative. In addition, nurseries and designated plantations for sustainable wood harvesting have been
BIODIVERSITY
established. Soil erosion due to the rapid expansion of commercial agriculture is being tackled by introducing modern cultivation
techniques as previously applied in a similar project in Cameroon. Finally, the project has developed awareness campaigns
designed specifically to educate young people on tortoise capture and protection.
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