The Great Green Wall: A Continental Climate Solution or an Unfinished Experiment?

Stretching across the width of the African continent, just south of the Sahara Desert, lies the Sahel, a region at the epicenter of the climate crisis. For decades, this semi-arid landscape has been plagued by desertification, land degradation, and persistent drought. In response, one of the most ambitious environmental projects in human history was born: the Great Green Wall of Africa. The vision is monumental: an 8,000-kilometer mosaic of restored landscapes from Senegal to Djibouti. But more than a decade into its implementation, a critical question emerges: Is this ambitious initiative delivering meaningful environmental and socio-economic outcomes, or is it constrained by political, ecological, and institutional challenges that limit its effectiveness?

Geopolitical Hurdles to a Transcontinental Vision

The success of the Great Green Wall is intrinsically linked to the complex political landscape of the Sahel. The project spans more than 20 countries, each with its own government, priorities, and levels of stability. Consequently, progress has been uneven. While nations like Ethiopia have made significant strides, planting billions of seedlings, other participating countries have been hampered by political instability, conflict, and a lack of institutional capacity.

Beyond political instability, securing consistent and effectively governed funding remains a monumental challenge. Although international partners pledged over $14 billion at the One Planet Summit in 2021, the disbursement and effective allocation of these funds across numerous borders and agencies are complex. Cross-border cooperation is essential for a project of this scale; however, regional conflicts and differing national interests often impede the collaborative spirit required to build a seamless wall of green. Without unified political will, transparent governance, and sustained cross-border coordination, the project risks becoming a fragmented collection of national initiatives rather than a cohesive, continent-spanning climate adaptation strategy.

Biogeographical Complexities of Restoring Arid Ecosystems

Beyond the political sphere, the Great Green Wall faces profound biogeographical and ecological challenges. The initial concept of a simple line of trees has evolved into a more nuanced understanding of ecosystem restoration. Planting a monoculture of trees is not a silver bullet; in fact, it can sometimes be detrimental to local biodiversity and water resources.

Today, the project emphasizes a “mosaic” approach, incorporating a variety of techniques tailored to local conditions. This includes farmer-assisted natural regeneration (FMNR), where farmers protect and manage the growth of native trees and shrubs that sprout from existing root systems. This method has proven to be more cost-effective and sustainable. However, the scale of the challenge is immense. The Sahel is a diverse region with varying soil types, rainfall patterns, and ecological zones. A one-size-fits-all approach is doomed to fail. Therefore, success depends on deep, localized ecological knowledge, selecting drought-resistant native species, and understanding the intricate relationships between plants, soil, and water in these arid ecosystems.

Assessing the Progress: A New Definition of Success

By 2021, reports indicated that the project had only achieved about 4% to 20% of its land restoration target, depending on the metric used. While this figure may seem disheartening, it doesn’t capture the full picture. The Great Green Wall has become a development paradigm, a rural development initiative that delivers more than just trees.

The project has created thousands of jobs, improved food security for millions, and empowered local communities, particularly women, who are often responsible for managing the restored land. In Senegal, for example, restored lands now support the cultivation of produce and other economic activities. In Niger, the FMNR approach has helped restore millions of hectares, improving livelihoods without planting a single new tree. These socio-economic benefits are a crucial measure of success. The initiative is teaching a vital lesson: environmental restoration and sustainable human development must go hand in hand.

A Global Blueprint for Arid Land Restoration

The journey of the Great Green Wall offers a powerful lesson in the complexities of large-scale environmental intervention. Its struggles and successes provide critical insights for sustainability efforts worldwide, serving as a living laboratory for land restoration. The initiative underscores a crucial reality: effective solutions must be locally adapted, politically supported, and community-driven.

The project serves as a tangible case study for the types of complex, multi-scalar challenges increasingly examined in scientific forums such as the MENA Earth Systems Sciences Congress (MESC). The challenges faced by the Great Green Wall, from arid geomorphology and sustainable land management to the geopolitical dimensions of resource control, are precisely the topics that experts at such conferences aim to address. It bridges the gap between theoretical strategies and on-the-ground application, demonstrating how academic research can inform and guide monumental projects shaping our planet’s future.