Final Thoughts:

 In this blog I have discussed a range of topics related to water and environmental change across Africa, however I have primarily found myself focusing on North and Central Africa. This region features a lot of diverse environments including the sub-saharan periphery, Sudanese and Ethiopian highlands, the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and the Saharan plains of Libya and Egypt. These individual environments are extremely different and yet they share many common issues with regard to water and environmental change such as groundwater exploitation and extreme climactic change. Analysing and attempting to understand how the hydrological cycle and system works in each environment has shown that although there are differences that are dependent on local geography, all of these environments are linked by various degrees of separation. 

In order to understand why groundwater storage is decreasing in Eastern Egypt, the climate of Ethiopia and the Sinai peninsula must be considered alongside the hydrological system of Egypt and Libya. Similar analysis would be required to manage environmental change through flash flooding in the Atlas Mountains and offer potential solutions to the disappearing oases in the anti-Atlas mountains on the periphery of the Sahara. Whilst the case studies I have focused on are extremely complex, one major factor that has been a reoccurring theme is the relentless onset of climate change in ecologically fragile regions. The predictions have been detailed throughout the blogs and it is quite clear that drastic action is required to prevent large-scale irreversible environmental changes, particularly in regions already at the edge of biome change.

 The solutions vary in complexity, and although this blog has not provided much detail on potential climate change reversal schemes, I have referenced major engineering and community led projects with regard to water management that have been proven to provide relief in water scarce regions, ensuring a more equitable and sustainable future. I hope these schemes can continue under correct management ensuring a healthy balance between water development and ecological stability.

Thank you for reading,

Joachim