African savannahs are the richest grasslands in the world, supporting many indigenous plants and animals, including the world's greatest concentration of large mammals. Africa has 19 of the 25 countries that have the highest percentage of populations without access to drinking water. For many countries, particularly in West Africa, fish is the main source of protein. Asia and the Pacific Asian timber reserves may last for no more than a further 40 years. Rapid growth in energy demand has led to a significant increase in air pollution.
Acidification is also an emerging problem.
The disposal of liquid and solid wastes is increasingly problematic in a region with such high population density. The largest portion of the world's land affected by soil degradation is in Asia and the Pacific. Some 1.2 million barrels of oil are spilled into the Persian Gulf annually. The region's coastal zone, an invaluable economic resource for development and tourism, is one of the most fragile and endangered ecosystems in the world. Large quantities of agricultural and other contaminants are discharged to streams that flow into the Caribbean, resulting in pollution from phosphorus, nitrates, and pesticides.