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Economic Aspects | Natural Resource Aspects | Institutional Aspects | Social Aspects |Guinea-Bissau
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
It is anticipated that during the elaboration of a Comprehensive Agrarian Policy, the country's agricultural policy will be reviewed and the multifunctional aspect of agriculture taken into consideration in integrated sector planning, with particular focus on food security and sustainable development.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available.
No information is available.
A project is now being implemented in the eastern part of the country to encourage rice production in fresh water fields all year round. Two other Rural Development Programmes (PDRI-Zone I and PIC) have been carried out to assist the rural population, by encouraging farmers to form producers associations, by providing improved seeds and introducing horticulture, and by raising awareness of the important role that both savings and credit play in development. Often, however, these programmes have to be discontinued or do not have the desired impact due mainly to the lack of funds, skilled human resources, infrastructure, among other factors.
Status
Located in the Sub-Sahel region, Guinea-Bissau became independent after eleven
years of open fighting, which partially destroyed its agrarian and productive
structures due mainly to the defection of the rural population. Its natural
resources have been increasingly subject to erosion and exhaustion due to
continued demographic pressures.
Guinea-Bissau is a predominantly rural society, with 75% of the population depending on agriculture for its livelihood. The government has therefore invested considerably in the agricultural sector and promoted sustainable rural development, despite the fact that projects have been discontinued due to the lack of financial resources, both from domestic sources and from donor countries.
The country's geostrategic position, threatened by the advance of the Sahel desert, is further exacerbated by social factors, such as a high poverty rate and a per capita income of no more 200 US$. This places the country in a position of total dependence on its limited natural resources and increasingly low levels of official development assistance.
Challenges
Among the more serious of the problems faced by Guinea-Bissau is its dependence
on the forest as the main source of energy; increasing demand for new land area
for cultivation; increasing soil erosion; seasonal overgrazing; low stocks of
foreign currency; deforestation due to the country's dependence on coal
production and other forest goods for export; rural to urban migration; and the
inflow of refugees and migrants from neighbouring countries escaping political
and social instability, among others.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
Click here to link to the Biosafety
Information Network and Advisory Service (BINAS), a service of the United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which monitors global developments in
regulatory issues in biotechnology.
Click here to link to Country and
Sub-regional Information on Plant Genetic Resources of the Food and Agricultural
Organization of the United Nations.
To access the FAOSTAT Data Base for
information by country, item, element and year, click here:
Click here to go
to Web Site of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which includes information on the Codex
Alimentarius and the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.
Click here to access the Web Site of the
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
Click here to access the sixteen
international agricultural research centers that are members of the CGIAR.
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is
available.
Guinea Bissau ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in October 1995.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
Regarding atmospheric pollution, the country is committed to participate fully in global
and regional programmes to evaluate changes in the composition of the atmosphere,
particularly the emissions of highly polluting gasses, such as carbon dioxide and sulphur
dioxide, among others. In this context, our primary concern is to have more reliable
climate change forecasts for the near future in Guinea-Bissau. Without the means to make
accurate climate change forecasts it is difficult to adopt strategies to adapt to such
climatic changes.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is
available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is
available.
Atmospheric pollution levels in Guinea-Bissau are not very high. The main causes of
pollution are forest fires and waste disposal sites.
Challenges
Due to existing deficiencies in the Observing System, analysis of cause
and effect relationships are often incomplete and preliminary. We therefore see the need
to improve the descriptive models of complex interaction processes which occur in the
climate system.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is
available.
Information
No information is
available.
Research and Technologies
No information is
available.
Financing
No information is
available.
Guinea-Bissau has participated in other international fora on the protection of the atmosphere and subsequently signed the documents adopted in those meetings. The country is a signatory to the Conference of the Parties of the Climate Change Convention and participates in the Global Climate Observing System, which evaluates climate changes.
The principle of common but differentiated responsibility should guide the international community in its efforts to protect the environment, in which climate and atmosphere play a vital role. In addition, funds from the Global Environment Facility should be used to further the implementation of the Climate Change Convention.
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
Click here for national information from the
Web Site of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
For the access to the Web Site of the Ozone
Secretariat, click here:
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is
available.
The Convention on Biological Diversity was ratified in 1995.
Guinea-Bissau adhered to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Convention in 1990.
The country acceded to the RAMSAR Convention, in 1991, and to the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, by signing one of the Convention's agreements on Migratory Aquatic Birds from Africa, Europe and Asia in June 1995.
At the national level, the government has elaborated several draft-proposals, including a draft-law on the creation of the Cacheu and Orango Natural Parks and a draft-proposal to review existing legislation on fauna dating back to 1980. The government has also promoted activities to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of the country's biological diversity, including, among others, restricting hunting both as a sport and a profession. In addition, the draft-law on Natural Parks calls for the rational, sustainable, and environmentally sound development of areas adjacent to Protected Areas to ensure the protection of endangered species.
An Addendum to the Forest Law should cover a Law on Protected Areas and a Law on Community Forests, anticipating new measures concerning forest logging and reforestation.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
An Integrated Fisheries Plan was elaborated to promote the optimal and sustainable use of
fisheries. This Plan includes the following:
- Fisheries control, management, and surveillance system;
- Human resources valuation;
- Economic framework for fisheries and the business environment;
- Management of the fishing fleet and fishing technology; and
- Support infrastructure improvement.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is
available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is
available.
Status
No information is
available.
Challenges
No information is
available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is
available.
Information
No information is
available.
The government of Guinea-Bissau, through the Ministry of Fisheries, set up a database, in
1990, to monitor the use of the country's fishing resources, including their capture, and
other fishing related activities. In addition, research campaigns and experimental fishing
have been conducted to improve management and commercialization. One of the aims is to
gradually reduce foreign exploitation of national fishing resources, without major
consequences for the national budget, and to build capacity to strengthen the national
fishing industry.
Financing
No information is
available.
A Memorandum of Intent was also signed in 1994 with the Trilateral Committee on the Wadden Sea, which includes Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands with a view to promoting research on migratory species as well as coastal management.
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
Click here for the International
Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Biosafety WebPages
Click here to link to the Biosafety
Information Network and Advisory Service (BINAS), a service of the United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which monitors global developments in
regulatory issues in biotechnology.
Click here to go to the Web Site of UNEP's
International Register on Biosafety.
For access to the Web Site of the Convention on
Biological Diversity, click here:
For access to the Web Site of
the CITES Convention, click here:
For the Web Site of the CMS
Convention, click here:
For the Web Site of the Convention on the
Protection of the World's Cultural and Natural Heritage, click here:
For the country-by-country, Man in the Biosphere
On-Line Query System, click here:
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
The International Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Drought and/or Desertification Particularly in Africa was ratified in October 1995.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
Important plans and legislation have been drawn up in the context of the programme to
combat desertification, including the following:
- The Forest Master Plan,
- The Forest Law,
- The draft proposal of the law on fauna, and
- UNESCO's acknowledgment, in April of 1996, of the Bolama-Bijagos archipelago as a
biosphere reserve.
Through its activities, plans, and programmes the government aims to achieve the following objectives:
- Promote the rational management of forests, agriculture and cattle raising;
- Prevent/Control forest fires;
- Increase public participation, particularly of women.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
The government also intends to promote activities, in collaboration with NGOs,
aimed at combating desertification and drought, taking into account that the country is
located in a sub-tropical zone and that the main priority is to implement preventive
measures to avert further soil erosion and deterioration. NGOs have played an important
role in this area by promoting education and awareness raising campaigns, particularly
among the population in the most affected areas, the north and eastern parts of the
country.
Programmes and Projects
Following a request made to the Swiss Government, a Project for Coastal Planning was established in Guinea-Bissau, after a protocol agreement was signed between the former Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), to assist the Government in the elaboration of a programme for the management and rational utilization of the coast's natural resources.
In 1990, following the first phase of the Coastal Planning Project, a proposal was made to establish a network of five protected areas and as a result a decree was submitted for government approval for the creation of the Cacheu and the Orango Natural Parks. A project was also elaborated for the creation of the Cufada Lakes Natural Park in collaboration with the Portuguese Government and the European Union.
Status
Located in the Sub-Sahel region, Guinea-Bissau became independent after eleven years of
open fighting, which partially destroyed its agrarian and productive structures due mainly
to the defection of the rural population. Its natural resources have been increasingly
subject to erosion and exhaustion due to continued demographic pressures.
The country's geostrategic position, threatened by the advance of the Sahel desert, is further exacerbated by social factors, such as a high poverty rate and a per capita income of no more 200 US$. This places the country in a position of total dependence on its limited natural resources and increasingly low levels of official development assistance.
Data from the latest inventory, carried out by Atlanta-Consult, shows that the country's forest cover amounts to approximately 2.1 million ha., or about 64% of the total land area, a 220,000 ha. reduction since 1978 when the forest cover amounted to 70% of total land area.
The country's forest resources are extremely important both for the government, as a major source of national income from export earnings, and for the population who depend on them for their livelihood. Although the country's natural resources are highly valued, they are constantly under pressure and subject to over-exploitation. Government efforts to prevent excessive logging, forest fires, and agricultural practices which cause soil erosion have not been very successful mainly due to the lack of financial resources and administrative means to address the problem.
Challenges
Among the more serious of the problems faced by Guinea-Bissau is its
dependence on the forest as the main source of energy; increasing demand for new land area
for cultivation; increasing soil erosion; seasonal overgrazing; deforestation due to the
country's dependence on coal production and other forest goods for export; rural to urban
migration; and the inflow of refugees and migrants from neighbouring countries escaping
political and social instability, among others.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
At the sub-regional level, Guinea-Bissau collaborates with the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Combating Desertification in the Sahel (CILSS) in the formulation of plans and strategies to combat desertification in the region. A CILSS representative has been sent to the country to facilitate this collaboration.
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
For access to the Web Site of the Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought, click here:
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available.
No information is available.
Status
Forests serve as the main source of energy in Guinea-Bissau.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
| Ginea Bissau | All Countries | Home|
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available
Important legislation has been drawn up in the context of the programme to combat desertification, including the following:
- The Forest Law,
- The draft proposal of the law on fauna, and
- UNESCO's acknowledgment, in April of 1996, of the Bolama-Bijagos archipelago as a
biosphere reserve.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
Plans drawn up in the context of the programme to combat desertification include the
Forest Master Plan.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available
Following a request made to the Swiss Government, a Project for Coastal Planning was established in Guinea-Bissau, after a protocol agreement was signed between the former Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), to assist the Government in the elaboration of a programme for the management and rational utilization of the coast's natural resources.
In 1990, following the first phase of the Coastal Planning Project, a proposal was made to establish a network of five protected areas and as a result a decree was submitted for government approval for the creation of the Cacheu and the Orango Natural Parks. A project was also elaborated for the creation of the Cufada Lakes Natural Park in collaboration with the Portuguese Government and the European Union.
Status
Data from the latest inventory, carried out by Atlanta-Consult, shows that the country's
forest cover amounts to approximately 2.1 million ha., or about 64% of the total land
area, a 220,000 ha. reduction since 1978 when the forest cover amounted to 70% of total
land area.
The country's forest resources are extremely important both for the government, as a major source of national income from export earnings, and for the population who depend on them for their livelihood. Although the country's natural resources are highly valued, they are constantly under pressure and subject to over-exploitation. Government efforts to prevent excessive logging, forest fires, and agricultural practices which cause soil erosion have not been very successful mainly due to the lack of financial resources and administrative means to address the problem.
Challenges
Among the more serious of the problems faced by Guinea-Bissau is its
dependence on the forest as the main source of energy; increasing demand for new land area
for cultivation; increasing soil erosion; seasonal overgrazing; and deforestation due to
the country's dependence on coal production.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available
Information
No information is available
Research and Technologies
No information is available
Financing
No information is available
Cooperation
No information is available
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
An Inter-ministerial Committee on Water and Sanitation (CIMA) and a Technical Water
Committee (CTA), an operational service of CIMA, will be created in the context of the
Water and Sanitation Scheme. There is also a National Water Council formed by technicians
from various governmental institutions working with water issues, which is coordinated by
the Ministry of Energy, Industry, and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Public Health.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
A Water and Sanitation Master Plan and a Plan for Rural Hydraulics, to be carried out in collaboration with UNDP and United Nations Capital Development Fund, is anticipated. The Ministry of Energy, Industry and Natural Resources, through the General Directorate of Natural Resources, elaborated a Water and Sanitation Scheme aimed at improving the management of water resources, taking into account the harmful effect of drought, pollution, and salinity.
This scheme is based on a strategy which identifies all water resources available in the country, including underground and surface water, its distribution and other aspects. This strategy also identifies the water needs of the rural and urban populations, and of agriculture and cattle raising as well.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Guinea-Bissau's climate is characterized by a rainy season and a dry
season.
Challenges
Global climate change, pollution and water shortages due to decreasing
rainfall are among the major factors having a negative impact on the availability and
quality of fresh water resources. In this context, the government of Guinea-Bissau's main
objective is to promote water conservation, maintain the quality of existing fresh water
resources, and ensure universal coverage.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
The Government, through the General Directorate of Natural Resources, has established cooperation links with several international organizations and developed countries to study the possibility of providing water coverage to the entire population by drilling cartesian wells, particularly in the north and eastern parts of the country whose populations are most affected by the water shortages during the dry season.
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Legislation on sustainable land management includes most notably the Law on Land
(Government, National Assembly).
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
The government, through its various ministries, is elaborating plans for the sustainable
management of its natural resources and the environment, which include the following:
- A Comprehensive Agrarian Policy (Ministry of Rural Development and Agriculture -
MDRA);
- The National Environmental Plan (Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Traditional
Arts - MTAA);
- The National Land Management Plan (MOPCU, SEP, CMB);
- The National Health and Environment Plan (Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of
Tourism, Environment and Traditional Arts - MTAA); and
- The National Forest Management Plan.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
The main forces responsible for increasing the pressure on land resources are economic
activity and increasing population needs. The integrated planning and management of
physical resources and the sustainable use of soils have received particular attention
from the government in an effort to minimize conflicts and harmonize economic and social
development and environmental protection.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
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Not applicable.
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea was ratified in 1986. A number of issues regarding the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea are of particular importance to Guinea-Bissau. These include the integrated management and sustainable development of coastal areas, including exclusive economic zones; the protection of the marine environment; regional and international cooperation and coordination; the sustainable development of natural parks located in the coastal area and Islands.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
Despite existing economic constraints and with the assistance of the international
community, the Government of Guinea-Bissau has continued promoting the integrated
management and sustainable development of the coastal area and the Islands. The
government, through the National Office for Coastal Planning, signed an agreement with the
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to carry out environmental
conservation activities in a number of protected areas and to promote the sustainable use
of the coast's natural resources.
In addition, it established an Annual Fisheries Management Plan, in 1996, which
includes measures on the management and control of foreign fishing in coastal waters and
measures and incentives to promote the national fishing industry. This Plan outlines
fishing limits and permissible catch volumes by establishing a measure entitled Total
Permissible Capture (TAC) and by allowing only authorized fishing boats to operate in the
country's territorial waters. It also provides administrative and fiscal incentives to
promote the national fishing industry, such as preferential tax concessions in granting
fishing licences, allowing for the use of logistic support vessels, and elimination of all
types of fiscal barriers previously imposed on national fishing companies.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available.
Several development projects, partially financed by the IUCN, are being implemented in the Islands. These include a Geographic Information Systems Project which is being carried out by the Office for Coastal Planning, in collaboration with the National Research Institute, the IUCN, and GEOSYSTEMS (CNRS - Brest/France).
Other projected activities and programmes include:
- A sustainable development programme for the Bolama-Bijagos Region aiming to establish the Biosphere Reserve
(INEP, IUCN, UNDP, UNESCO, Ministry of Fisheries, among others).
- A project for the creation of the Cacheu National Park (Ministry of Rural Development and Agriculture and IUCN).
- A project for the creation of the Orango Islands National Park (Ministry of Rural Development and Agriculture in collaboration with the National Research Institute/INEP and the IUCN).
The Draft-proposals on the creation of the above National Parks have been submitted to the government for approval.
- A development programme to explore traditional fishing in the Buba River.
- NGO support and advisory services are available for sustainable development projects (Min. Coop. Intern/IUCN).
Status
The very nature of the country's coastline, flat and sedimentary, once led to the formation of a small group of Islands. The coast's productive habitats are extremely important for survival of the local population. About 65% of the total population of the country depends on coastal resources for their livelihood.
Regarding the environmental conservation and development of the Islands, a conference was held in Bubaque, in 1996, organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Traditional Arts, in collaboration with the Office for Coastal Planning and the National Research Institute (INEP), to address development and conservation issues.
The biosphere-reserve principles, elaborated by UNESCO, identify development models which are compatible with the current conditions of the Bijagos Archipelago, for they conciliate development plans with conservation activities as it has also been pursued in protected areas.
Challenges
Nevertheless, despite efforts made at the sub-regional level to preserve
coastal and marine resources, sustainable development plans and management approaches have
not always succeeded due mostly to the lack of an appropriate surveillance system and to
the lack of material and financial resources. As a result, the marine environment has
deteriorated, and its resources have been under great pressure from over exploitation.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
To access the Web Site of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, click here:
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No information is available.
* * *
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Solid Waste and Sanitation
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and PlansA Water and Sanitation Master Plan, to be carried out in collaboration with UNDP and United Nations Capital Development Fund, is anticipated.
The Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Traditional Arts (MTAA) is also elaborating a Plan for Urban Solid Wastes. In 1995, the MTAA promoted a campaign to reduce waste in the capital, in collaboration with capital's Municipal Council and other governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Status
No information is available.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
Hazardous Wastes
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Status
No information is available.
ChallengesNo information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal has not been ratified.
* * *
This information was provided by the Government of Guinea Bissau to the fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: April 1997.
For direct link to the Web Site of the Basel Convention, click here:
Radioactive Wastes
No information is available.
* * *
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