The environmental situation facing Africa embodies and reflects the various dimensions of development challenges of Africa - population pressures , poverty , low level of technology , etc . The solution to the environmental problems of the continent therefore requires national and regional programmes that seek to address the multifaceted nature of the problem which UNDP is addressing through : the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office ( UNSO ) in the case of desertification ; the Africa 2000 Network , with regard to grass-roots responses ; the Global Environmental Facility ( GEF ) with $ 54.7 million of programmes/projects in Africa ; Capacity 21 ; the GEF NGO Small Grants Programme ; and national indicative planning figures ( IPF ) -supported programmes .