Chinguetti: A Historic City Threatened by Desert Encroachment and Climate Change

Chinguetti, a historic Mauritanian city, faces severe threats from desertification as the Sahara encroaches on its homes and invaluable manuscripts. Climate change has intensified sandstorms and aridity, affecting agriculture and water supplies. Local leaders advocate for tree planting and community resilience, holding onto hope for preserving their cultural heritage despite challenging conditions.

Chinguetti, a historic trading post in Mauritania, is facing an existential threat as the Sahara Desert gradually encroaches upon its homes and invaluable manuscripts. This ancient city, celebrated for its libraries housing significant West African texts, is grappling with the relentless advance of sand, forcing residents to confront the possibility of losing their heritage. Local initiatives aimed at combating desertification through tree-planting have been inadequate amidst increasingly severe climate conditions.

As global temperatures rise and climate change intensifies, Chinguetti experiences more frequent sandstorms that bury streets and homes beneath shifting dunes. With only a mere 0.5% of Mauritania’s land suitable for agriculture, the survival of this UNESCO World Heritage site hangs in the balance as its residents face the harsh reality of dwindling water supplies and a changing environment.

Community leader Melainine Med El Wely laments the situation, likening it to a slow-motion disaster. The encroaching sands threaten not only the physical structures but also the history and culture deeply embedded in the city. He recalls a poignant moment when a camel stumbled into a buried home, a testament to the ongoing transformation of familiar landscapes into desert.

Research indicates that desertification is exacerbated by human-induced climate change, leading to increased aridity across vast regions. A United Nations report reveals that over three-quarters of the earth’s land has become drier in the past few decades, endangering the survival of plants, humans, and wildlife.

In Chinguetti, agricultural livelihoods are under siege as date farmers struggle to sustain their crops amid shifting sands. Salima Ould Salem, a local date farmer, emphasizes the communal bond that ties residents to their land, noting that each departure weakens their collective resistance against the desert’s advance. He describes the reality of navigating a home now buried under sand, highlighting the critical need for stability and solidarity.

The loss of vegetation due to drought and resource depletion has made the dunes more active, further complicating efforts to combat desertification. Mohamed Lemine Bahane, a retired teacher, notes increased sand deposition in neighborhoods as residents employ mules and carts to manage the encroaching sands, illustrating the desperate measures taken to reclaim their environment amidst declining rainfall.

Bahane advocates for strategic tree planting to create protective green belts around the town. Government and NGO initiatives aim to bolster these efforts; however, progress remains slow. As the community faces the dual crises of desert encroachment and vanishing resources, their determination to resist this fate continues to shine through.

Amidst these challenges, community leaders express a profound sense of hope, believing that with adequate support and resilience, it may still be possible to protect Chinguetti’s legacy from the clutches of the desert. The residents stand firm in their commitment to their heritage, driven by the desire to preserve not just their homes, but the rich history contained within them.

Chinguetti, an iconic Mauritanian city, is at immediate risk from desert encroachment exacerbated by climate change. The struggles faced by its residents highlight the critical need for urgent action to combat desertification. As tree-planting initiatives and community resilience efforts continue, the hope for protecting their cultural and historical heritage remains strong amidst dire circumstances.

Original Source: abcnews.go.com