Sustainable development has been on the international agenda since the 1970s and there is general agreement that this topic is of international concern for the global community, also with a view to its interlinks with and affects on poverty.
The demand for concrete objectives to tackle the many faces of poverty was met by the creation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which are intended to be met by the year 2015 and are expected to lift a large number of people out of poverty. A total of eight goals and eighteen targets address challenges such as nutrition, education, health, gender equality, environmental sustainability and global partnerships. Continuous progress has been achieved so far in most of the world’s regions except for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Many economies in Sub-Saharan Africa are dominated by extractive industries. With this background, MDG 7, ensuring environmental sustainability, in particular Target 9, concerned with reversing the loss of natural resources, is of particular relevance in this region.
West Africa, especially the former British colonies, has extensive natural tropical forest resources which need to be managed sustainably not only to prevent the extinction of biodiversity and species but also for their value to all stakeholders.
Among the multiple challenges which MDG 7 faces in Ghana and Liberia are corruption and illegal trade. National forest laws and land tenure systems, the absence of up-to-date data on forest resources and governmental decisions are being observed in Ghana and Liberia. Various initiatives with the potential to achieve sustainable forest management are outlined, such as collaborative forestry, the diversification in wood exports and the successful implementation of certification schemes in combination with the detection and avoidance of trans-national crime which can be achieved only in cooperation and through global partnerships. The role of international development cooperation and financial assistance for the achievement of MDG 7 will be analysed from the background of domestic preconditions.
The overall aim of this work is to reveal the linkages between poverty, the eight MDGs and their relevance for the viability of MDG 7, and to emphasize the necessity for strengthened international efforts especially in combating transnational crime to allow for the MDGs to be reached by 2015.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- IACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- IIABSTRACT
- IIIINTRODUCTION
- IVTHE CHALLENGES TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN FOREST MANAGEMENT
- VTHE INTERSECTION BETWEEN CORRUPTION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF GHANA AND LIBERIA
- VICONCLUSION
- VIIBIBLIOGRAPHY
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis aims to analyze the viability of Millennium Development Goal 7 (MDG 7) - ensuring environmental sustainability in forest management - within the context of corruption in Ghana and Liberia. The study focuses on the intersection of corruption and sustainable development in the forest sector of these Western Anglophone African countries.
- The Challenges of Sustainable Development in Forest Management
- The Intersection of Corruption and Sustainable Development
- Case Studies of Ghana and Liberia
- The Role of International Institutions and Organizations
- The Importance of Effective Forest Management and Governance
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction provides an overview of the concept of sustainable development and its relevance to the international community. It highlights the importance of MDG 7 in achieving broader development goals and the particular challenges faced by Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in the context of forest management.
Chapter IV delves into the challenges of sustainable development in forest management, focusing on the impact of extractive industries and the need for sustainable resource utilization. It emphasizes the crucial role of forests for the livelihoods of local communities in West Africa and the importance of balancing economic growth with environmental protection.
Chapter V investigates the intersection between corruption and sustainable development, using Ghana and Liberia as case studies. The chapter explores how corruption, particularly in the form of "grand corruption," can undermine efforts to achieve sustainable forest management and hinder the effectiveness of national institutions.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This thesis explores the relationship between sustainable development, corruption, and forest management in Western Anglophone Africa, focusing on Ghana and Liberia as case studies. Key terms include sustainable development, Millennium Development Goal 7 (MDG 7), environmental sustainability, corruption, forest management, governance, extractive industries, and international institutions.
- Quote paper
- Erika Machacek (Author), 2007, Sustainable Development in Western Anglophone Africa, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/165041
