Add Environmental problems to the list....

While the political, social, and economic issues in Zimbabwe are extremely evident, there is another issue that, although of equal importance, seems to lie in the shadows of these many problems: the environment. Like many African countries, Biriwasha explains in his article, Zimbabwe: A Cry for the Environment, Zimbabwe's environmental concerns and resulting policies come second to the more pressing crisis such as the economy or government. As the World Commission on Environment and Development explains in its article, "From One Earth to One World," the root of this problem lie in "a global economic system that takes more out of a poor continent than it puts in," forcing many African countries such as Zimbabwe to "overuse their fragile soils, thus turning good land to desert" (408). Yet, while the obvious decline in environmental health may eventually lead to further economic problems for these countries, "rising poverty and unemployment have increased pressure on environmental resources" (408). Not only can their economies not afford to moderate their current exploitation of natural resources, but many African governments are so overwhelmed with other issues that the environmental crisis seems to be of much lesser importance. As Biriwasha states, "it is clear that solving the basic needs of the poor, particularly food security and energy needs, will play a key part to reduce problems such as deforestation and land degradation." In Zimbabwe, as in many parts of Africa, eradicating poverty is an indispensable condition to better environmental management.