Environment in Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde's environment is shaped by the interaction between land, sea, climate, settlements and economic activities. Nature includes volcanic slopes, craters, mountain valleys, dry landscapes, dunes, beaches, wetlands and marine ecosystems. These areas support distinctive habitats and species, while farming, grazing, fishing, salt production, recreation and tourism use natural resources under different local conditions. Protected areas, Ramsar wetlands and UNESCO-MAB biosphere reserves preserve particularly valuable places through applicable zoning, management plans and protection conditions. Everyday surroundings concern the conditions that directly affect homes, streets, workplaces and public spaces. Water security, sanitation, waste collection, drainage and protection from floods and coastal hazards have a strong effect on daily life. Service quality varies between islands, municipalities, urban areas and rural communities because infrastructure, water availability and exposure to climate risks are not the same everywhere. Nature protection and surroundings overlap where settlements, tourism, farming, roads or coastal infrastructure affect sensitive areas. A protected landscape can still support carefully managed activities, while an urban area can face environmental risks even when it is outside a protected site. A practical assessment therefore considers both the ecological value of a place and the services, hazards and infrastructure affecting people there.