Focus on Mauritania

The report identifies five critically stressed ecosystem services in Mauritania: biodiversity maintenance, food and fibre provision, water supply and regulation, fuel provision, and carbon sequestration. These stresses directly impact human well-being, specifically the ability to be adequately nourished, access clean water, obtain energy for cooking and warmth, and earn a livelihood. The analysis highlights that while all regions are affected, Assaba, Gorgol, and Guidimaka are high-priority areas due to the combination of stressed services, threatened well-being, and higher population density. Key drivers of degradation include prolonged droughts, over-grazing, over-hunting, and poorly planned infrastructure like the Diama dam.

• Five ecosystem services are identified as critically stressed across all regions of Mauritania: maintenance of biodiversity, food and fibre provision, water supply, purification and regulation, fuel provision, and carbon sequestration.
• Biodiversity is declining due to over-hunting, habitat loss, and competition with livestock, leading to the extinction of the wild oryx and threatening marine species through by-catch and over-harvesting.
• Food production is declining, with aggregate cereal production estimated to have dropped by 44 per cent in 2004 compared to the previous year, driven by periodic droughts and desertification.
• Mauritania is highly dependent on upstream countries for over 90 per cent of its total renewable water resources and is projected to face water scarcity by 2025.
• Fuel wood is becoming increasingly scarce, with natural forest area decreasing by 30 per cent between 1990 and 2000 due to drought, fires, over-grazing, and agricultural clearing.
• Land degradation and desertification create negative feedback loops that increase Mauritania's exposure to climate change by releasing carbon and reducing sequestration potential.
• Human well-being is severely impacted, with 57 per cent of the population living below the poverty line and over one million people experiencing food insecurity.
• Access to clean water is a major challenge, with 63 per cent of the population lacking sustainable access to an improved water source.
• The Diama dam project in the Senegal River floodplain failed to meet agricultural production targets and destroyed downstream ecosystems, impacting biodiversity and local livelihoods.
• Assaba, Gorgol, and Guidimaka are identified as the highest priority regions for integrated assessment because they combine stressed ecosystem services and threatened well-being with dense populations.

APA

Wong, C., Roy, M., & Duraiappah, A. K. (2005). Focus on Mauritania. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/economics_poverty_mauritania.pdf

Chicago

Wong, Carissa, Marlene Roy, and Anantha Kumar Duraiappah. Focus on Mauritania. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2005. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/economics_poverty_mauritania.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wong |first1=Carissa |last2=Roy |first2=Marlene |last3=Duraiappah |first3=Anantha Kumar |title=Focus on Mauritania |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2005 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/economics_poverty_mauritania.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wong2005focus, author = {Wong, Carissa and Roy, Marlene and Duraiappah, Anantha Kumar}, title = {{Focus on Mauritania}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2005}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/economics_poverty_mauritania.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }