Description

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Context

Lake Tanganyika faces severe biodiversity loss from overfishing, habitat destruction as well as climate change & thus, UNEP, GEF & UNOPS are driving a transboundary initiative with Burundi, DRC, Tanzania as well as Zambia to restore ecological balance through sustainable land management, conservation & water security.

Lake Tanganyika

Geographical and Physical Characteristics

Location: Shared by Burundi, DRC, Tanzania, Zambia

Surface Area: Approximately 32,900 km²

Length: About 673 km making it world’s longest freshwater lake

Width: Up to 72 km

Depth: Average depth of 570 meters with maximum depth of 1,470 meters making it second deepest lake in world after Lake Baikal

Volume: Contains about 18% of world's available freshwater second only to Lake Baikal

Water Retention Time: Around 5,500 years meaning it takes millennia for the water to be completely replaced

Biodiversity and Ecological Importance

Lake Tanganyika is internationally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot hosting a diverse range of species many of which are endemic.

Fish Species: Over 350 species of fish with nearly 98% of cichlid fish species being unique to lake

Invertebrates: Includes endemic crabs, shrimps, snails, mollusks

Aquatic Plants: Rich diversity of aquatic flora crucial for maintaining ecological balance

Avian Species: Several migratory & endemic birds rely on the lake’s ecosystem

Mammals: The lake surrounding areas support diverse terrestrial wildlife including hippos & crocodiles

Hydrology and Geological Features

Major Inlets (Rivers Flowing Into the Lake):

Malagarasi River (Tanzania): largest tributary of the lake originating from central Tanzania

Ruzizi River (Burundi, Rwanda, DRC): Flows from Lake Kivu into northern part of Lake Tanganyika & Carries volcanic sediments from the Virunga Mountains

Lufubu River (Zambia): key river draining the Zambian plateau into the southern part of lake

Kalambo River (Zambia/Tanzania border): Forms famous Kalambo Falls before entering Lake Tanganyika, One of the highest uninterrupted waterfalls in Africa

Outlet (River Flowing Out of Lake):

Lukuga River (DRC): only outlet of Lake Tanganyika. Drains westward into the Congo River Basin eventually reaching Atlantic Ocean. Water outflow is seasonal & influenced by rainfall variations

Geological and Valley Features

Lake Tanganyika is part of the East African Rift Valley massive tectonic depression formed by movement of African continental plates.

The lake lies in Western Rift Valley also known as the Albertine Rift which is one of most tectonically active regions in the world.

The rift movement is causing the lake to deepen & expand gradually.

Mitumba Mountains (DRC) and the Mahale Mountains (Tanzania) rise sharply from the lake shores creating breathtaking cliffs and escarpments.

Lake steep valley walls descend sharply giving it an almost fjord-like appearance in some areas.

The lake sits in a graben down-faulted block of land between two parallel faults.

Economic and Social Significance

Fisheries: Supplies nearly 200,000 metric tons of fish annually

Transportation: Serves as transport route for goods and people especially in regions with limited road infrastructure

Agriculture: fertile basin supports farming with water used for irrigation

Tourism: Home to unique diving sites, wildlife reserves as well as national parks attracting eco-tourists

Environmental Threats

Overfishing: Unsustainable fishing practices, illegal fishing & declining fish stocks

Agricultural Runoff: Pesticides and fertilizers cause nutrient pollution as well as algal blooms

Industrial Waste: Untreated wastewater from urban centers contaminates lake

Plastic Pollution: Increasing plastic waste threatens aquatic life

Deforestation and Habitat Destruction: Land clearing for agriculture leads to soil erosion increasing sedimentation

Climate Change: Rising temperatures affect water levels, disrupt aquatic ecosystems & threaten fish populations

UNEP-led Initiative (2024-2029)

Funding: $14.5 million from Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Executed by UNOPS in collaboration with Lake Tanganyika Authority

Objectives: Restore degraded ecosystems & protect critical habitats, Implement sustainable fisheries management, Strengthen transboundary cooperation as well as Promote community led conservation and alternative livelihoods

Convention on the Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika (2003): Established guidelines for coordinated regional conservation efforts

National and Local Initiatives: Governments are introducing fishing regulations enforcing conservation laws, and promoting alternative income sources

Major Freshwater Lakes of the World

Rank	Lake Name	Location	Area (sq km)	Max Depth (m)	Water Volume (cubic km)	Notable Features
1	Lake Baikal	Russia	31,722	1,642	23,615	Deepest and oldest freshwater lake, contains 20% of Earth's unfrozen freshwater
2	Lake Tanganyika	Tanzania, DRC, Burundi, Zambia	32,900	1,470	18,900	Second deepest, longest freshwater lake, high endemism
3	Caspian Sea(Technically a lake)	Central Asia (Russia, Iran, etc.)	371,000	1,025	78,200	Largest enclosed inland body of water, salty but not an ocean
4	Lake Superior	USA, Canada	82,100	406	12,100	Largest freshwater lake by surface area
5	Lake Victoria	Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya	68,870	83	2,424	Largest tropical lake, source of the Nile
6	Lake Michigan	USA	58,016	281	4,918	Only Great Lake entirely within the US
7	Lake Huron	USA, Canada	59,600	229	3,540	Second largest Great Lake by surface area
8	Lake Malawi (Nyasa)	Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania	30,044	706	8,400	Third deepest lake in Africa, high fish biodiversity
9	Great Bear Lake	Canada	31,153	446	2,236	Largest lake entirely in Canada, remains frozen much of the year
10	Great Slave Lake	Canada	27,200	614	2,088	Deepest lake in North America

Major Freshwater Lakes of India

Rank	Lake Name	Location	Type	Area (sq km)	Notable Features
1	Vembanad Lake	Kerala	Brackish/Freshwater	2,033	Largest lake in India, famous for houseboats and birdlife
2	Loktak Lake	Manipur	Freshwater	287	Only floating lake in the world, home to Keibul Lamjao National Park
3	Wular Lake	Jammu & Kashmir	Freshwater	189	Largest freshwater lake in India, formed by tectonic activity
4	Dal Lake	Jammu & Kashmir	Freshwater	18	Famous for houseboats, tourism, and floating gardens
5	Sambhar Lake	Rajasthan	Saltwater	230	Largest inland saltwater lake, important for salt production
6	Chilika Lake	Odisha	Brackish/Freshwater	1,165	Largest coastal lagoon in India, Ramsar site for migratory birds
7	Pulicat Lake	Andhra Pradesh/Tamil Nadu	Brackish	759	Second largest brackish water lake, crucial for flamingo population
8	Kolleru Lake	Andhra Pradesh	Freshwater	245	Important bird sanctuary, Ramsar site
9	Hussain Sagar	Telangana (Hyderabad)	Artificial Lake	5.7	Built by Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah, famous for the Buddha statue
10	Shivaji Sagar Lake	Maharashtra	Reservoir (Freshwater)	891	Largest reservoir in India, formed by Koyna Dam

Key Insights:

Vembanadis India largest lake by area.
Wularis largest freshwater
Loktakis unique due to its floating phumdis (islands).
Dal Lakeas well as Hussain Sagar are popular tourist destinations.
Chilikaand Pulicat are brackish water lakes home to rich biodiversity.

UNEP, GEF, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)

Organization/Framework	Established	Headquarters	Purpose	Key Functions/Targets
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)	1972	Nairobi, Kenya	Global environmental governance, sustainability, and climate action	Scientific research & assessments (e.g., Global Environment Outlook) Climate change and biodiversity programs Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) support UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030)
Global Environment Facility (GEF)	1991	Washington, D.C., USA	Funding mechanism for global environmental projects	Grants and financial assistance for biodiversity, climate change, and land degradation Partnering with UNEP, UNDP, World Bank, and other agencies Supports major agreements like CBD, UNFCCC, and Stockholm Convention
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)	2022	(Under Convention on Biological Diversity - CBD)	Halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030	Protect 30% of global land and ocean (30x30 target) Restore 30% of degraded ecosystems Reduce pollution by 50% (e.g., pesticides, plastics) Cut harmful subsidies by $500 billion per year Integrate biodiversity into economic planning

Sources:

UNEP

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) sets ambitious global biodiversity targets. Critically analyze feasibility of these targets in context of developing nations, considering economic constraints, governance challenges & global environmental commitments.