A UNCCD report reveals that over 75% of the world’s land has become permanently drier in the past three decades. Dry land now constitutes 40% of the Earth’s land mass, affecting billions of people. The report highlights the permanence of this aridity, contrasting with temporary drought, and points to climate change as a major driver. Key regions facing these changes include Mediterranean border countries and parts of southern Africa and Asia. Experts urge for immediate action to adapt to these challenges as the situation intensifies.
A recent report from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) indicates that over 75% of the Earth’s land has turned permanently drier over the last three decades, with dry land now encompassing approximately 40% of the planet’s terrestrial surface, not including Antarctica. This alarming trend, influenced significantly by climate change, could threaten the livelihoods of up to five billion individuals by the year 2100, as severe aridity renders agricultural activities increasingly untenable. In total, dry land has expanded by 4.3 million square kilometers between 1990 and 2020, an area comparable to one-third of India.
The report also highlights the continuous nature of aridity, contrasting it with temporary droughts. Aridity is now documented to affect about 40.6% of the Earth’s land mass, illustrating a concerning increase from 37.5% three decades prior. Areas most impacted include regions bordering the Mediterranean, southern Africa, and parts of Asia and Latin America. Ibrahim Thiaw, the UNCCD Executive Secretary, emphatically stated that the current aridity crisis represents an unprecedented shift that is reshaping life on Earth. The ongoing climate conditions, attributed largely to greenhouse gas emissions, are permanently altering rainfall patterns and evaporation rates.
In addressing the implications of these changes, Jean-Luc Chotte, president of the French Scientific Committee on Desertification, noted that the UN report equips nations with vital insights needed to anticipate future challenges related to desertification. Furthermore, the Chief Scientist of UNCCD, Barron Orr, warned of the catastrophic consequences of fossil fuel burning, which may lead to severe water scarcity and force migrations. In summary, approximately 2.3 billion individuals currently live in arid regions, and under a worst-case scenario, that number may rise to five billion as global warming progresses.
To combat these dire projections, experts emphasize the necessity of integrating aridity measurements into drought monitoring systems and bolstering soil and water management strategies to enhance resilience within vulnerable communities.
The increasing trend of aridity across the globe presents a significant environmental challenge. The data presented in the UNCCD report coincides with the ongoing COP16 discussions on desertification and underscores the urgency of addressing land degradation, exacerbated by climate change. Understanding the dynamics of aridity is critical for developing adaptive strategies that can mitigate its impact on agriculture, ecosystems, and human populations, especially given projections of widespread food insecurity and forced migration as a result of chronic water shortages. The report’s findings align with broader concerns regarding global warming and its implications for human and ecological systems worldwide.
This UNCCD report serves as a stark reminder of the existential threat posed by increasing aridity, exacerbated by climate change. With a considerable portion of the Earth’s land mass facing permanent drying, the implications for food security, human migration, and ecological stability are profound. As nations convene to tackle these issues at COP16, it is crucial to recognize the need for immediate and robust action toward sustainable land management and the adaptation of agricultural practices to ensure resilience in the face of a changing climate.
Original Source: www.rfi.fr
