ZIMSEC O Level · Geography · Form 4
Environmental problems in Zimbabwe
Deforestation (firewood, tobacco curing, land clearing), soil erosion, veld fires, water pollution (sewage, mining, fertilisers), air pollution, siltation of dams, poaching and loss of biodiversity, and waste disposal in towns.
Climate change
Long-term change in temperature and rainfall patterns, mainly caused by greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
Effects in Zimbabwe: more frequent droughts, shorter rainy seasons, higher temperatures, floods from cyclones, lower crop yields, and water shortages at Kariba affecting electricity.
Management
- Mitigation (reducing causes): tree planting, renewable energy (solar), reducing veld fires, energy-saving stoves.
- Adaptation (coping with effects): drought-tolerant crops, water harvesting, irrigation, early warning systems.
- Institutions: the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) enforces environmental laws; the Forestry Commission and National Parks protect forests and wildlife.
- Community action: CAMPFIRE lets communities benefit from wildlife and manage it sustainably.
Exam tip: Separate mitigation (stopping the cause) from adaptation (living with the change) – examiners reward the distinction.
Check yourself
- Name two causes of deforestation in Zimbabwe.
- Distinguish between mitigation and adaptation.
- Which agency enforces environmental laws in Zimbabwe?
Show answers
- Any two: firewood, tobacco curing, clearing land for farming/settlement, mining.
- Mitigation reduces the causes of climate change; adaptation adjusts to its effects.
- The Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
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