Tunisia faces a dire climate crisis regarding the encroaching Sahara Desert towards the south. This war on sand is currently one of the most politically important national issues within Tunisia as without resistance, the sand will envelop the crop land, dry up many natural water sources, and destroy infrastructure of some southern cities. It is a rude awakening for a country of which had green pastures and palm trees 2 decades ago. With drying wells and receding stream banks farmers are struggling to yield crops as the water is too scarce to have enough for other necessities such as drinking and bathing. When regarding these clear water issues, the government pays no mind and does not help support the development and construction of new wells.
The non-action of the government has sparked protest across the country and lead to the citizens of Tunisia to become more politically active. They called for the expulsion of the President, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, of who they succeeded in removing. Through this removal it allowed for a new constitution being written in 2014 advocating for environmental fixes. As the new government officials were being put in place, the population continued to rally behind climate reforms to attempt to slow if not outright stop the effects of climate change effecting Tunisia. The government then believed it was fit if they provided a platform for the people to continue being active and voicing their opinions as to ensure the government does not backtrack to the previous ideals of the Tunisian government and return their biodiversity from the early 21st century.
The loss of biodiversity was a hard toll on Tunisia. Continued water scarcity and increasing temperatures are leading to increased coastal erosion. This erosion is destroying the Tunisian coasts and slowly removing wildlife of which previously resided as the environment is rapidly changing and animals can not adapt fast enough. The heat is killing the environment and leads to there being no natural resistance to the water which explains why the erosion is occurring at such a quick rate. Not only that, the erosion, along with water quality in general, leads to decreased tourism and the decay of infrastructure. Without beaches and the previously held natural beauty of the coasts, tourists refuse to vacation in the area. This leads to less business for the local population and the inability to simply feed themselves unless something is fixed soon.
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