Waste Management in Cosmopolitan West African Cities: Towards the Need for Environmental Education of Populations

Abstract

The majority of cosmopolitan cities are affected by the environmental problems inherent in the phenomenon of urbanization, which have a negative impact on people's lives. This article analyzed actors' perceptions on strategies for managing the environmental problems facing cosmopolitan West African cities through the case study of Parakou in Benin. The exploratory qualitative approach based on group and individual interviews was used. The data collected relate to the environmental problems of the city, the reasons for the persistence of the problems, and the strategies to be implemented for a better management of these problems. Qualitative speech analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. It emerged that household waste (solid and liquid) is the main environmental problem of the city. The persistence of these problems is explained by the incivility characterized by ignorance, irresponsibility and indifference of the population. The population supports that awareness raising and education in environmental management is a core solution to prevent and avoid the environmental problems of big cities. But how to ensure this environmental education of the population for an efficiency management of the environmental problems of cities?