Great Green Wall

Why in news?

• More than 13 years after the Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative was started by the African Union, the project has stalled due to funds crunch.

About the Great Green Wall:

• The Great Green Wall or Great Green Wall of the Sahara and the Sahel is Africa's flagship initiative to combat the increasing desertification.
• Led by the African Union, the initiative aims to transform the lives of millions of people by creating a mosaic of green and productive landscapes across North Africa.
• The Great Green Wall is now being implemented in more than 20 countries across Africa and the ambition of the initiative is to restore 100 million ha of currently degraded land by 2030.
• Once complete, the Wall will be the largest living structure on the planet – an 8,000 km natural wonder of the world stretching across the entire width of the continent.
• It aims to restore Africa’s degraded landscapes and transform millions of lives in one of the world’s poorest regions, the Sahel.
• It is designed as a mosaic of interventions addressing the challenges facing the people in the Sahel and the Sahara which aims to strengthen regional resilience and natural systems with sound ecosystem management, protection of rural heritage, and improved living conditions.
• UNCCD is supporting the initiative through its FLEUVE Project.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding the Great green wall project:
1.It aims to combat desertification in South American countries.
2.It is supported by UN Convention to combat desertification. 
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only     
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to Prelims Question