Chinguetti, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Mauritania, faces imminent destruction from advancing desert sands exacerbated by climate change. The city, rich in Islamic heritage and home to invaluable manuscripts, is experiencing an increase in sandstorms and a decline in arable land. Local leaders stress their commitment to resist desertification, while various initiatives aim to plant trees to protect the community’s cultural legacy.
Chinguetti, a historic trans-Saharan trading post, is confronted with an existential threat as encroaching desert sands threaten both homes and centuries-old traditions. Renowned for its libraries housing thousands of manuscripts, this UNESCO World Heritage site is losing ground to the desert. Residents indicate that the inevitable march of the sands is their fate, as climate change intensifies this phenomenon through more frequent sandstorms that bury streets and homes under mounting dunes.
Mauritania, where a mere 0.5% of land is farmable, finds Chinguetti integral to its Islamic heritage. The region is experiencing severe climate impacts, ranking among the hardest hit globally, despite Africa being the least responsible for fossil fuel emissions. The manuscripts preserved in Chinguetti include West Africa’s earliest Quranic texts and lessons in law and mathematics, underscoring the city’s cultural significance.
Melainine Med El Wely, a local community leader, poignantly highlights the urgency of the situation, comparing it to a slow-motion disaster. His memories reflect a city morphing under dunes that advance relentlessly. He recounts chilling instances where entire homes have vanished beneath the sand, demonstrating the stark reality of desertification affecting the community’s landscape and cultural heritage.
The phenomenon of sand migration significantly contributes to desertification, with research showing deserts expanding at alarming rates. Andreas Baas, an earth scientist, indicates that scenarios once deemed unlikely are becoming probable with the ongoing changes in wind dynamics that drive sand movement. Additionally, a recent United Nations report reveals that over three-quarters of the planet’s land is drying out, threatening the survival of flora and fauna and exacerbating water scarcity.
Local date farmer Salima Ould Salem faces increasing difficulty in maintaining his crops, as access to water diminishes and the desert swells. Despite the grim circumstances and community departures, he expresses a strong commitment to remain in Chinguetti, reinforcing the notion that each resident’s departure diminishes the community’s resilience against the advancing desert.
The situation in Chinguetti epitomizes the dire consequences of climate change, particularly in vulnerable regions. With ongoing desertification, the community grapples with both cultural and environmental loss. Efforts to plant trees and create green belts present a glimmer of hope, yet they prove insufficient so far. The residents of Chinguetti continue to face an encroaching desert, yet their determination to resist suggests a profound connection to their homeland and heritage that remains undiminished despite the threats they encounter.
Original Source: www.usnews.com
