Biodiversity

Cape Verde has signed and ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity, and itsFourth Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity was presented to the Commission on Biological Diversity in 2009. Cape Verde also has a Second Environmental Action Plan 2004-2014 (PANA II) in place with provisions for protecting biodiversity.

Uninhabited until the 15th century, Cape Verde is faced with a multitude of anthropologic threats to its biodiversity. Soil erosion in rural areas, soil pollution in urban areas, coastline pollution, water pollution, air pollution, and landscape degradation have all arisen from over-exploitation of natural resources, place significant pressure on plant and animal species. Cape Verde has experienced a rapid loss in biological diversity, with the degradation of natural resources and species intensifying. Currently, there are limited government policies to adequately address this loss. Waste accumulation and dispersion have also exacerbated the loss of biodiversity. Overgrazing by livestock and inadequate agricultural practices have been responsible for environmental degradation in rural areas. This is made worse by the insufficient output of agriculture and animal husbandry, which encourages overexploitation of other natural resources as a means to secure alternative incomes. An example of this is the extraction of sand and gravel from coastal areas for construction, which causes seawater infiltration and decreases water quality for human use, leading to a loss of tourist appeal and a loss of income. Priorities for protection of marine biodiversity focus on improving the knowledge base about marine species, emphasizing endangered and endemic species, and on sustainable management of the coastal zone and marine protection areas. Programs to counteract biodiversity loss in Cape Verde include reforestation and ongoing plans for the management of fisheries, birds, turtles and wetlands, among others.