Environmental problems in Namibia

Too early to worry?

Where humans are far and few between – and that applies to many inhospitable parts of Namibia – the country’s nature remains mostly unspoiled. But elsewhere, habitats and wildlife are under growing pressure from several threats.

Overexploitation of water resources

Namibia’s limited underground water supplies are being overexploited because of state subsidies on the price of water, and a policy that favours meeting water demand rather than managing and reducing it. In rural areas, people can use water free of charge, which creates no incentive to reduce demand or use water efficiently.



Overgrazing and unsustainable range management

Large cattle numbers, as a result of government and European Union subsidies, are resulting in overgrazing. This leads to excessive bush encroachment in the savanna regions, a loss of ground cover, loss of species diversity, soil deterioration and erosion caused by wind or water.

Namibia has only a few perennial rivers and these are critical habitats in this arid country. When humans and cattle settle these areas, important riparian vegetation types are degraded and wildlife is compressed into the few remaining unsettled riverine areas. As a result, wildlife (in particular elephants) are denuding the remaining riparian vegetation in protected areas.



Overexploitation of marine fish stocks

During the 80s and 90s, the waters of the Benguela Current region off Namibia’s coast were intensively overexploited. Pilchard, anchovy and hake were fished in large quantities by South African purse seine pelagic vessels and international trawling fleets. These factors, coupled with changes in the marine environmental conditions, have a significant effect on fish population distribution, spawning success and recruitment.