Despite over $20 billion in pledges, Africa’s ambitious Great Green Wall initiative is struggling to deliver on its environmental promises, according to a new study published in Land Use Policy journal. The massive reforestation project, spanning 11 countries across the drought-prone Sahel region, aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land while creating 10 million jobs and capturing 250 million tons of carbon.

The Great Green Wall stretches from Senegal and Mauritania in the west to Ethiopia and Djibouti in the east, designed to combat desertification and provide crucial resources like food, water, and wildlife habitat. The initiative also seeks to reduce climate-driven migration from some of Africa’s most vulnerable communities. Since launching in 2007, Senegal has often been highlighted as a success story, with government leaders recently planting trees during National Tree Day ceremonies to demonstrate their commitment to a “greener, more resilient” future.

However, researchers found a significant gap between the project’s ambitious goals and actual results on the ground. The study reveals that translating international funding commitments into meaningful environmental and social change has proven far more challenging than expected. While political ceremonies and tree-planting events generate positive publicity, the real work of land restoration, job creation, and community support requires sustained long-term investment and coordination across multiple nations.

The findings underscore broader challenges facing large-scale environmental initiatives in developing regions, where climate change impacts are most severe but resources for adaptation remain limited despite international pledges.