On Saturday 16 September 2023, to mark World Clean-up Day, GREEN CONNEXION and 12 other organisations with a shared vision (protecting the environment) took part in a campaign to collect plastic waste. The event was organised jointly by the Let’s do it Camerooon consortium, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the municipality of Yde 3.
In addition to those mentioned above, the event brought together a number of other associations, including the Association des jeunes volontaires de Ngoaekelle, Touproprecamer, Water for life cameroon, AJACCGF, Clean environment for Africa, Mboa hub, CNEDD, Gic agro-solution, CONAPRODD and Les Petits bambous.
The initiative was inspired by the theme for 2023: “Let’s get involved in the fight against plastic waste pollution”.
At the end of the collection, the waste collected was given to Eco green, a recycling company, for processing.
The campaign took place in the commune of Yaounde 6. The first collection area was Chapelle Obili, the second Carrefour Kameni, the third Ecole de Source, the fourth Lycée de Biyem-assi and finally the Accacia district.
At the end of the collection, the waste collected was handed over to Name Recycling for processing.
Green Connexion and the environmental impact of urban disorder
World Environment Day, which is celebrated every 05 June, has as its theme this year: “Solutions to plastic pollution”, and is directly in line with the current concerns of Green Connexion, whose aim is to study the environmental impact of urban disorder in Cameroon.
Cameroon’s political capital, like other cities around the world, is experiencing strong population growth, resulting in anarchic construction that stands out for its insalubrity.
Household waste dumped near a faulty septic tank
This urban disorder is reflected not only in the deterioration of transport infrastructure, but also in the uncontrolled dumping of plastic waste and various effluents.
The large-scale contribution of urban disorder to climate change is a detail that is often unknown or overlooked by political and economic decision-makers. Indeed, “CO2 emissions vary according to the state of the road and the state of our environment”. These two aspects may seem trivial, but in a context such as that of the city of Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, for example, where sanitation services are not regular and road infrastructure is mostly in poor condition, the increase in GHG emissions is necessarily tenfold.
So we need to do something about it. It starts with each and every one of us:
I’m responsible for the waste I produce, so I recycle it. This would also contribute to the development of the green economy.
The theme for 2023, “Solutions to plastic pollution”, is one that Green Connexion fully supports and on which we are actively working.
Green Connexion is heavily involved in the process of rebuilding biodiversity through the effort to change the status of threatened species. This involves a gradual and long-term process of multiplying sub-populations and increasing their size.
This is the case for threatened species such as:
Eremospatha barendii (CR) ; Cola hypochrysea (EN) ; Trichoscypha hallei (EN) and Hypolytrum unispicatum (EN).
In 2019, WHO and UNICEF agreed that 2.2 billion people still lack access to safe and continuous drinking water. Cameroon is among the countries with the most critical situation with 34% of the population without access to safe drinking water.
Therefore, on this day, GREEN CONNEXION advocates for increased budgetary allocations in the water, hygiene and sanitation sector, for better access for all and to better respond to the health shocks we experience every day.
It is also an opportunity to advocate for the acceleration of projects aimed at the sustainable management of this natural resource.
Still called the green lung of the planet, the forest in one way or another is linked to our daily life. Among its many ecological benefits, it is important to remember on this day that forests contribute to water and air quality through their role in preserving and purifying the environment.
It is therefore mandatory to act in favour of forests because healthy forests are necessary for healthy populations.
Country: Cameroon
Location: Batchenga (NDJI)
Project description:This note presents the specifications for a floristic study aimed at mapping the distribution of aquatic plant speciesLedermanniellaand other aquatic species at stake with the Lom Pangar low water support, to better understand the ecology of Ledermanniella and to carry out the first conservation trials of the species
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Pays : Cameroun
Localisation : MAKAK (Makay et Dippipi)
Description of the project: The actions to be carried out were the following:
– Carry out field inventories to identify and locate the presence of protected aquatic plant species and favorable habitats. These inventories will be carried out following an adapted methodology
Country: Cameroon
Location: Batchenga (Nachtigal)
Project description: The Nachtigal up stream hydroelectric project (Middle Sanaga, Cameroon) is located on the up stream part of the Nachtigal falls and will create a reservoir of approximately 4.2 sq.km. Risks of impact have been identified on the two species of aquatic plants Ledermanniella. Among the accompanying measures proposed, the first is to improve and consolidate knowledge of the distribution of Ledermanniella in and especially outside the project area (on major tributaries); the second is to safeguard local genetic material. The objective of the service is to continue the surveys of the two Ledermanniella species, and to collect genetic material to be maintained in a seed bank.
Countries: Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mauritania, Guinea Bisau, Gambia, Togo.
Location :West Africa
Project description: The Consultant will draft assessments of a subset of the freshwater plants native to West Africa for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Country: Cameroon
Location: Nachtigal
Project description: Continue the survey of the two species of aquatic plants Ledermanniella (sanagaensis and thalloidea), and relocate stations of Marsdeniaabyssinica plants located in the construction area to less impacted locations.
Country: Republic of Guinea
Location :Lokoua
Project description: Within the framework of the Lokoua dam project in Guinea Conakry, an environmental and social impact study was carried out. The first results indicate the potential presence of endangered animal species in the vicinity of the site where the dam will be built. However, the methodological approach used does not make it possible to (i) determine with a sufficient level of confidence the level of impact of the project on biodiversity and (ii) conclude on the risk of destruction of critical habitat.
AFD therefore wishes to carry out an in-depth study of the ecological issues at stake in order to determine the project’s impacts on sensitive species in the vicinity of the infrastructure and reservoir implementation site.
This impact study must meet the following objectives
– Strengthen the initial state of habitats, flora and fauna in order to have the necessary data to allow an analysis of the stakes in accordance with the World Bank standards and good practices in the field;
– Complete the analysis of the impacts on biodiversity by studying in particular the risks related to (i) the cutting of terrestrial and aquatic corridors, (ii) the modification of the hydrological regime downstream of the dam, (iii) the creation of the reservoir, (iv) the increase in pressure on the natural environment following the flooding of arable land at the level of the reservoir and the installation of the construction site. This list is not exhaustive and may be adapted according to the bibliographical analysis and the results of the field surveys;
– Indicate whether the dam will result in the destruction of critical habitats;
– Define impact management measures according to the avoid, reduce and compensate approach.
The methodological approach chosen to achieve the above objectives will be based on good professional practices and World Bank and IFC standards, notably WB Environmental and Social Standard 6 and IFC Performance Standard 6.
Country: Republic of Guinea
Location: Lokoua
Project description: Second mission, see description above
Country: Cameroon
Location: Batchenga (NDJI)
Project description:The objective is the implementation of urgent measures of the mitigation strategy of priority aquatic species at risk declined in the new aquatic plants strategy.
Specific objectives:
1) Establish a reliable baseline for Ledermanniella species identified at the Nachtigal site and identification of other populations in the Sanaga River Basin;
2) Complete the information on the identification of the ecological needs of the species in order to identify the existing threats, the state of degradation and the measures to restore the populations ;
3) Elaboration of a protocol for the collection of seeds of Ledermanniella and Marsdeniaabyssinica and the setting up of an experimental nursery for Marsdeniaabyssinica;
4) Development of protocols for translocation trials.
Country: Cameroon
Location: Batchenga (NDJI), Mpem and Djim National Park (PNMpD)
Description du projet : L’objectif de la prestation est la mise en œuvre et le suivi des actions de saison sèche 2021-2022 préconisées dans la nouvelle stratégie actualisée des plantes aquatiques.
Objectifs spécifiques :
– Préparer avec le soutien de Kew Garden le calendrier d’intervention pour la saison sèche 2021-2022
– Collecte de spécimens/graines et expérimentation des méthodes de propagation et de translocation dans le Parc National du Mpem et Djim (PNMpD) (dispersion des graines, multiplication végétative, translocation avec substrat) ;
– Poursuivre dans le PNMpD, la recherche de L. linearifolia et L. sp. Nov, l’identification des sites propices à la translocation/compensation et l’identification des besoins écologiques des espèces de Ledermaniella ;
– Préparer et soumettre un rapport mensuel détaillé résumant toutes les activités du mois en cours.
L’équipe de Green Connexion au campement
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