Former environment minister Aida M’bo now plants trees, fighting Mali’s worsening deforestation in the face of daunting odds.
“Deforestation is critical,” M’bo said at the shrinking Zamblara forest, a once-protected area now threatened by excessive wood-cutting.
Local reliance on firewood drives forest loss. “Gas and solar are better, but rural women can’t afford them,” said Salimata Diabate.
Nearly 20,000 square kilometers of Mali’s forests have vanished in 30 years, according to the nonprofit Tree Aid.
M’bo’s nonprofit Energia works with the Great Green Wall initiative to restore forests, but rising temperatures have killed millions of trees.
Dependence on firewood complicates efforts. “This is how we survive,” said Lassana Coulibaly, a wood seller near Bamako.
Mali’s poverty, conflict, and climate change worsen the crisis, with record floods displacing thousands this year alone.
Activist Khady Camara warned forests are essential for combating climate change. “Without action, Africa’s survival is at risk,” she said.
