Land degradation worldwide continues to increase rapidly, now covering about 1 million square kilometers annually, according to a joint report by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
To date, the total area of damaged land already exceeds 15 million square kilometers, which is more than the area of Antarctica.
According to Ibrahim Tiau, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, land degradation threatens all aspects of life on Earth. If active measures are not taken, the consequences for future generations will be serious and long-lasting.
The report indicates that over the past decades, the ability of soils and terrestrial ecosystems to absorb carbon dioxide has decreased by 20%. This is due to deforestation, climate change and unsustainable farming practices that destroy soils, deplete water resources and pollute the environment.
Agriculture, according to the report, is the main culprit of degradation, responsible for 80% of forest losses. Intensive use of chemicals, pesticides and water, although it increases short-term profitability, leads to depletion of fertile land, reduced yields and deterioration of nutrition quality. This often leads to desertification and dust storms.
The largest areas of land degradation are located in arid regions of South Asia, Northern China, California, the Mediterranean and the High Plains of the United States. These areas include three quarters of Africa, home to a third of the world's population. Climate change is also exacerbating the situation, leading to more frequent droughts and floods. In this regard, scientists are calling for an integrated approach that takes into account both environmental and socio-economic consequences.
It is only through sustainable land use management that sustainable development goals can be achieved and risks for future generations can be minimized, ecosphere.press notes.
Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau, Rough&Polished
