ions of the original
forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as
the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests,
the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;
there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of
natural fresh water resources

West Bank
adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Western Sahara
sparse water and lack of arable land

World
large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters,
pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of
vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of
wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion; global warming
becoming a greater concern

Yemen
limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of
potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Zambia
air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral
extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds;
poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and
large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification;
lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks

Zimbabwe
deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and
water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest
concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly
reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste
and heavy metal pollution

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008

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@2033 Environment - international agreements

Afghanistan
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Life Conservation

Albania
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Algeria
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but