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2
THE BASIN’S
CHANGING
ENVIRONMENT
There are many factors contributing to
the environmental changes occurring in
the Zambezi River Basin. These drivers of
change include population growth and
expansion of settlements, especially urban
areas; economic activities such as mining,
manufacturing and agriculture; and natural
environmental dynamics characterized by
increasing frequency of floods and drought.
The scale of change in the basin is variable
ranging from small-scale localized change to
widespread regional changes.
Over the years the landscape of the basin
has changed, water-based ecosystems
have been altered, wildlife numbers have
fallen and general biodiversity has changed
through the introduction of alien species
and loss of some species.
The environmental changes in the basin are
continuous and in some cases very dramatic.
While most of the causes of the changes are
local, there are also external causes such as
greenhouse gas emissions and the associated
changes in weather patterns and climate.