Chronicle of Two Barriers

Chronicle of Two Barriers

In Senegal, extensive consultation with local communities is prioritised before a single tree is planted as part of the Great Green Wall project, an ambitious African-led environmental initiative aimed at restoring degraded land and combating desertification. This project, spanning 11 countries and 8,000 kilometres from Senegal to Djibouti, seeks to plant 100 billion trees by 2030 to combat desertification, enhance food security, and improve millions of lives [1][2][4].

The project, which began in 2009, has become the largest mobilization in history for land restoration and climate action. Its success relies on unprecedented intergovernmental cooperation and partnerships among governments, NGOs, and international actors. New technologies and data monitoring tools are being deployed to measure progress, ensure sustainability, and optimise restoration efforts [1].

The benefits of the Great Green Wall initiative are manifold. It combats land degradation and desertification, enhances local food security, creates large-scale employment opportunities in rural and vulnerable areas, improves climate resilience, and contributes to carbon sequestration. These activities boost local economies and support communities, reducing poverty and improving livelihoods [1][2][4].

The project also aims to reduce forced migration driven by environmental degradation and climate impacts. Restored land and job creation are expected to diminish the need for communities to relocate in search of livelihoods, addressing a critical driver of climate migration in the Sahel and surrounding regions [1][2].

Local communities play a pivotal role in the project, with green jobs generated by reforestation, land management, and ecosystem restoration helping empower them economically and socially. The initiative fosters cooperation across borders and cultures, creating a shared ownership that extends beyond environmental goals to social and economic development [1][2][4].

In Senegal, tree species such as acacia and baobab have dominated the reforestation drive. The benefits of contributing to the Great Green Wall in Senegal have gone far beyond the pursuit of holding back the desert, according to herders.

Across the Atlantic, the US-Mexico border is currently a sparse patchwork of about 650 miles of walls and barriers. However, experts argue that the wall will hardly make a dent in drug trafficking and is unlikely to affect terrorism. The border wall is seen as a symbol of white supremacy by some, and it is argued that it stands in opposition to the values that the US claims to hold [3].

Despite the triple security at the US-Mexico border, immigrants and immigrant families continue to cross over. In fact, the wall is not feasible in its proposed, singular form and would likely interfere with migration patterns and create habitat destruction for endangered species such as the Sonoran Pronghorn, aka Desert Ghost, and 91 other endangered and threatened species, including jaguars, ocelots, Mexican gray wolves, and cactus ferruginous pygmy owls [5].

Moreover, the border wall is estimated to cost $21.6 billion according to the Department of Homeland Security, with a Senate Democrats' report clocking it at a mind-blowing $70 billion [6]. The 2005 Real ID Act allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive federal laws and regulations to construct walls and roads along the border.

The power of the wall is in its symbolism, and it allows the US to perpetuate violence and oppression against those who approach the wall. The door in Trump's proposed wall allows the US to claim that it welcomes immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers, even when the door is functionally locked.

Art and architecture have always been a way to construct possible futures, and we need to begin to create architecture that reflects our true values. Asylum seekers may have to wait a few weeks before being let in at border checkpoints, according to Lisa Knox. Immigrants have reported being kidnapped and held against their will by cartels that control the areas without border walls [7].

In conclusion, the Great Green Wall is a transformative pan-African effort making significant strides to restore land, combat climate change, create jobs, and mitigate climate-induced migration, while helping local communities build sustainable futures through nature-based solutions [1][2][4]. On the other hand, the US border wall is a quantifiably destructive presidency, according to Bryan Lee Jr., and it is a symbol of oppression and a barrier to human rights.

References: [1] Great Green Wall Initiative. (2020). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.greatgreenwall.org/about-us [2] United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. (2020). The Great Green Wall Initiative: An African-led Action Against Desertification. Retrieved from https://www.unccd.int/en/great-green-wall [3] The Wall. (2020). The Wall: A Symbol of White Supremacy. Retrieved from https://www.thewall.org/the-wall-a-symbol-of-white-supremacy [4] World Wildlife Fund. (2020). The Great Green Wall: A Pan-African Effort to Restore Land and Combat Climate Change. Retrieved from https://www.worldwildlife.org/initiatives/great-green-wall [5] Center for Biological Diversity. (2020). Trump's Border Wall Threatens Endangered Species. Retrieved from https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/deserts_and_canyons/border_wall/ [6] Congressional Research Service. (2019). Border Wall Construction: Costs and Legal Issues. Retrieved from https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R45475 [7] ACLU Border Rights Center. (2020). Border Patrol Abuses. Retrieved from https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights/border-rights-center/border-patrol-abuses

1. The Great Green Wall initiative, an African-led project aimed at restoring degraded land and combating desertification, includes elements of science, environmental-science, and culture to address climate-change and improve local communities.
2. The magazine covering general-news could feature an article discussing the impact of the Great Green Wall on various biomes and the role it plays in reducing climate-change and promoting cultural diversity within the affected communities.
3. In addition to tackling climate-change and environmental degradation, the Great Green Wall also targets poverty reduction and promotes community empowerment, making it a significant political issue as well.
4. As the US-Mexico border wall remains a contentious political issue, some argue that the focus on fortifying physical barriers diverts attention from the need for comprehensive immigration reform and the protection of endangered species in the region.
5. The Great Green Wall, with its emphasis on community involvement and sustainable development, provides an example of effective and collaborative climate-change action, while the US border wall stands as a symbol of division and opposition to the values of cooperation and inclusivity.

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