Chris and Charlie discuss the global scandal of debt and structural adjustments, how it came to Cameroon and contributed to poverty, underdevelopment, and desertification. Then, they compare IMF structural adjustments to a proven anti-desertification model: how the American New Deal beat the Dust Bowl. To end, they discuss the dire situation of rural Cameroonians, and why desertification can’t be beat without addressing poverty. Remember: land degradation is responsible for a quarter of humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions. We can’t stop catastrophic climate change without fixing the Sahelian desertification crisis.

____________________________________

Issue 1: Climate Change and Freshwater

Intro: Why did Lake Chad collapse and why are Cameroonians so thirsty?

Chapter 1: Desertification of the Sahel and Cameroon’s water infrastructure

Chapter 2: Cameroon gains “independence” from France

Chapter 3: Poverty, structural adjustments, and dictators

Chapter 4: The US New Deal’s Soil Conservation Service is a proven model

Bonus 1: More on Cameroon’s independence movement

Bonus 2: How did Ahidjo make himself a dictator?

Bonus 3: How did Biya take control from Ahidjo?

_____

Issue 1 is available in written and podcast format

__________