The Anthropocene and Its Implications for Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Scoping Review
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The Anthropocene, defined by significant human-induced changes to Earth's systems, poses unique challenges for sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a region with over 1.4 billion people facing socio-economic, environmental, and governance constraints. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to address poverty, inequality, and climate resilience by 2030, yet SSA lags due to structural barriers. This scoping review examines the Anthropocene’s implications for sustainable development in SSA, focusing on how anthropogenic drivers like climate change, urbanization, and resource extraction affect SDG attainment. A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, supplemented by grey literature, was conducted. Search terms included "Anthropocene," "climate change," "sustainable development," and "Sub-Saharan Africa." Studies addressing SDGs and Anthropocene-related themes in SSA were included, with data extracted on objectives, methods, findings, and implications. Anthropogenic impacts, including deforestation, soil erosion, and extreme weather, threaten food security, health, and economic stability in SSA. Climate change reduces crop yields, exacerbating malnutrition and poverty. Adaptive strategies like Climate-Smart Agriculture and renewable energy show promise but face adoption barriers due to limited resources and governance issues. Financial constraints and knowledge gaps further hinder progress. SSA should integrate climate-resilient policies into national frameworks, scale adaptive innovations through enhanced governance, and secure international funding. Multidisciplinary approaches combining agriculture, renewable energy, and community-based strategies are critical to advancing SDGs while safeguarding ecosystems and livelihoods. Theoretically, the Anthropocene demands interdisciplinary approaches linking human and ecological systems. Practically, policy alignment, technology dissemination, and stakeholder collaboration are critical for sustainable, equitable development in SSA.
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