Towards an Afro-Eco Model of Sustainability

Most studies suggest that the global effects of ecological degradation will be mostly felt on the continent of Africa, yet indices that are developed to measure ecological sustainability are not entirely contextually relevant to the continent of Africa. Africa’s history provides a unique phenomenon that explains and predicts the future of sustainability on the continent, which when applied would hasten the global sustainability goal. In this chapter, it is argued that sustainability indices that have been developed in the West may not be holistically applicable to the African continent. Secondly, Africa is placed under a lens that examines the historical, socio-cultural, and other macro and micro factors that have ensured the conservation of the African environment and that may be relevant today in the global struggle for ecological sustainability. African-specific issues such as culture and political influence, which include traditional authority, are very important indicators of ecological sustainability.