Protected areas that cannot be ignored
The many parks and reserves are a must-see destination. Created in 2011, the National Administration for the Conservation Areas (ANAC) manages about 26% of the territory, including nineteen parks and reserves. Since the end of the armed conflict, the government has maintained its efforts to rehabilitate and enhance these areas and reintroduce animal species that have disappeared, particularly with the support of foreign cooperation and private investment. The Niassa National Reserve, which covers about 42,000 km² (the size of the Netherlands), is the largest in the country. The government hopes to make it the bridgehead of a nature version of tourism by integrating local populations and sustainable development. 60,000 inhabitants live in the park's wooded savannah. Animals, lions and wild dogs roam freely, as well as a few hundred elephants (compared to more than 11,000 in 2009). It is planned, in the long run, to join the Selous National Park (which is already 55,000 km²), on the other side of the Tanzanian border, which would make it the largest continental reserve (about 150,000 km²). To be rediscovered at all costs, the Gorongosa National Park, covering 3,700 km², is the object of a vast rehabilitation project after having been sacked by the war. Nearly thirty years after the end of the conflict, animals, especially lions, elephants and antelopes, which had almost disappeared, are gradually returning. The reintroduction of 14 wild dogs was successfully carried out in 2018 (see www.gorongosa.org). On the sea side, Bazaruto National Park is a collection of idyllic islands in the Indian Ocean, a stopover on the route of migratory birds, where one can also encounter manatees and sea turtles. The Limpopo National Park (LNP ) was created in 2001 by the Government of Mozambique on the territory of a former hunting concession of 11,230 km². A transboundary park project, the Great Limpopo, with the Kruger National Park (South Africa) and the Gonarezhou National Park (Zimbabwe), was initiated in 2002. This park could eventually cover more than 100,000 km². For the time being, operations to relocate the animals are underway; caught in the overpopulated Kruger Park, they are released on the Mozambican side. Local populations, some of whom have lived on poaching, are gradually being relocated to the edge of the reserve, not without some protest. Although created in 1932, the Gile Reserve (2,860 km²) is one of the least developed in the country. It is the only one that is absolutely not inhabited by man. It has a slightly more varied fauna than elsewhere, but has been badly affected by the civil war. Agriculture around the reserve is the main factor of forest degradation. A French NGO, Nitidae, is currently working with local people to develop more sustainable agriculture. The Maputo Elephant Reserve is also being rehabilitated. It is home to 700 elephants, as well as hippos, crocodiles, small and large antelopes, zebras, giraffes, monkeys, buffaloes and hundreds of birds.
Some tips to respect biodiversity
"Leave nothing but your bare footprints." You'll likely see this slogan if you're involved in water recreation. Collecting shells is not recommended, as it can harm the underwater ecosystem. To avoid contributing to poaching, don't be tempted by bush meat such as antelope or monkey, as they may have been killed illegally. Also, if you see this fish on a restaurant menu, be aware that garoupa (grouper) takes five years to reproduce and is endangered. As a reminder, it is forbidden to bring ivory objects into France. In general, we advise against bringing back products of animal origin.
The impossible management of garbage
Urbanization and economic development in Mozambique have led to a significant increase in the amount of waste. Unfortunately, most of the waste that is collected ends up in uncontrolled dumps. On public transport, Mozambicans do not hesitate to throw everything away, without any concern for the environment. Empty soda cans, water bottles and plastic wrappers fly out the window and dirty the bush. Ragmen,(catadores in Portuguese) sometimes collect them to sell them. Most of Maputo's garbage ends up at the Hulene dump, about ten kilometers from the city center, offering a sad spectacle. A 17-hectare mountain of garbage towers 50 feet above residents on the outskirts of the city. In 2018, a landslide there led to the death of 17 people. The government promised to improve the situation, but nothing has changed yet. Various international projects aim to improve waste management in Mozambique. In 2017, for example, the Swedish Development Agency and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) launched a program called Marplastics (Marine Plastics and Coastal Communities in Mozambique) in the regions of Beira and Pemba to combat the plastic population. The project consists of cleaning the oceans and working closely with local authorities to improve waste reduction policies.
The rush on hydrocarbons, real opportunity or big risk?
Mozambique produces only 0.14% of the world'sCO2 emissions. Ninety percent of its electricity production comes from renewable energy, mostly from the Cahora Bassa hydroelectric plant on the Zambezi River. But this could soon change... Between 2005 and 2013, large gas deposits were discovered off the coast of the country: 5,000 billion cubic meters, enough to satisfy the consumption of France for more than one hundred and twenty years! Just after this discovery, Mozambique was to become one of the "top 5" producers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) behind the United States, Qatar, Australia and Russia. This was a boon for the energy giants: the Italian company Eni, the American Exxon and the French Total wanted to develop projects there. For the government, the tax revenues were expected to be significant. But should we really be happy about this? Environmental organizations point to the enormous quantities of greenhouse gases, mainly methane, that such projects will produce. They also denounce the displacement of fishermen and farmers on land that is not suitable for their activities in the province of Cabo Delgado. An insurgency in 2017 turned into jihadist terrorism with the rebellion's affiliation with Daesh in 2019. As a result, Total has frozen its $20 billion project in 2021.
Today, Mozambique is being hit hard by climate disruption. In the spring of 2019, Cyclone Idai devastated four provinces in central Mozambique, leaving at least 650 people dead, hundreds of thousands displaced, and more than 1.8 million people on humanitarian assistance. A few weeks later, Cyclone Kenneth killed 38 people in Cabo Delgado province. In March 2023, Cyclone Freddy swept through the northern part of the country, causing extensive flooding.
