The phenomenon of desertification and drought affecting our land has become a major global concern. According to a recent United Nations report, much of the world’s land is drying out, compromising the ability of plant and animal life to survive. This alarming finding was highlighted at the UN summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, dedicated to combating desertification.
Once fertile land is gradually turning into deserts due to warmer temperatures caused by human-induced climate change, water scarcity and deforestation. The report reveals that more than three-quarters of the world’s land has experienced drier conditions between 1970 and 2020 than in the previous thirty-year period.
Discussions at the summit are aimed at finding solutions to help the world cope with droughts, which are characterized by more urgent water shortages over shorter periods of time, and the more permanent problem of land degradation. If global warming trends continue, nearly five billion people, particularly in Europe, parts of the western United States, Brazil, East Asia and Central Africa, will be affected by this drying phenomenon by the end of the century, compared to a quarter of the current world population.
Indeed, the warming of the atmosphere, caused by greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of coal, oil and gas, leads to increased evaporation from the ground, making water less available to humans, plants and animals, making it harder for them to survive. Agriculture is particularly at risk, with drier land being less productive, impacting both yields and the availability of feed for livestock, leading to food insecurity on a global scale.
Moreover, aridity leads to greater migration, as erratic rainfall, land degradation and frequent water shortages make it more difficult for entire regions to develop economically. This is particularly pronounced in some of the world’s driest regions, such as southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and southern Asia.
It is therefore imperative that governments and citizens around the world take immediate action to combat desertification, drought and land degradation, in order to preserve our fragile ecosystems and ensure the survival of future generations in a healthy and sustainable environment.