At the end of January, the Kölnische Rundschau newspaper published a detailed article about the SAREP project. Editor Thorsten Moeck spoke to Prof. Dr. Heck, the initiator of the project, about the plans to green the desert in Mauritania. The country has already made a two million hectare dune available to the project for 50 years. The corresponding contracts were signed at the 2023 World Climate Conference, with the final signatures to follow in February. “Time is pressing. And I want to deliver results now, because people in Africa are tired of big announcements,” says Prof. Heck.
This year, a desalination plant is to be tested and a small area of two to three hectares planted with onions. Within the next ten years, the entire area of two million hectares is to be greened, which should also benefit the local population. The plan is to create 400,000 new jobs and improve the food and drinking water supply.
Around two million euros are required for the initial phase of the project. Talks with investors are already underway. Cologne agency boss Axel Hollander has founded the “ClimChange Network” to support the project financially and make it better known. Business people can contribute 100 euros per month, a large proportion of which goes towards the project. Members receive access to the ClimChange logo and regular updates on the progress of desert greening.
Full article in the Kölnische Rundschau: Link. (German)