One one side, countries around the world are facing threats from usually heavy rainfalls, frequent floods and sea-level rise, and on the other, they experiencing soil erosion and reduced crop yield. The second set of problems, the direct result of a type of land degradation called desertification, was the focus of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), held in New Delhi recently. It brought together representatives from 196 countries who discussed the global issue of land degradation and its outcome. The urgent need for investment in land restoration was highlighted. It was stressed that tackling desertification could help keep the global rise in temperatures below the benchmark figure of two degrees Celsius.
The studies presented during the event pointed out how desertification, working in tandem with climate change, may force up to 700 million people to migrate by 2050.
In India, desertification is believed to have led to the extinction of species such as Indian cheetah and pink-headed duck.
Picture Credit : Google
