Desertification affects the livelihoods of millions of people, as. An ipcc special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security. Unesco eolss sample chapters water resources management vol. The economics of land degradation eld initiative estimates the cost of lost ecosystem services to land degradation to be between 6. While land degradation is a global problem, it takes place locally and requires local solutions.
Drought and desertification destroys 12 million hectares a year an area the size of greece and impacts 1. Research by the economics of land degradation initiative in. Land degradation can be defined in several ways depending upon the subject that needs to be emphasized. Land degradation in arid, semiarid and dry subhumid regions, resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities, is called desertification anonymous, 1992. Solutions need to be developed and introduced which address both issues simultaneously. The combination of land degradation and climate change is predicted to reduce crop yields by 10% globally, and up to 50% in some areas. Using a comprehensive analysis to determine the extent, degree, and drivers of soil degradation, oldeman et al. Desertification affects as much as onesixth of the worlds population, seventy percent of all. The various forms of land degradation are discussed. Taking land out of production would allow soil carbon to rebuild and become stable. Pdf combating desertification and land degradation. It thus covers the various forms of soil degradation, adverse human impacts on water resources, deforestation, and lowering of the productive capacity of rangelands.
The process of reversing desertification is a difficult one, with the bulk of difficulty arising from the interactions between issues with plant cover, soil compaction, and water infiltration. Land degradation as the land use section earlier in this chapter shows, demands on the land for economic development and pressures from a burgeoning population are leading to unprecedented land use change. Control and limit human population, this is the major source of environmental degradation. Land degradation is the humaninduced loss of biodiversity. Land degradation is one of the great challenges of the 21st century.
There are many ways to achieve this, but i will list 5 major steps to achieve this. The most authoritative estimates of the extent of land degradation are contained in a report on south asia prepared by undp, unep and fao land degradation in south asia. The condition of the soil is one of the best indicators of land degradation. This will create much drier soil, which in turn is more vulnerable to erosion and runoff. Sustainable land use can help to reduce the impacts of agriculture and livestock, preventing soil degradation and erosion and the loss of valuable land to desertification. Desertification, land degradation and sustainability wiley. Land degradation neutrality ldn is further enshrined in policy in sdg target 15. By explaining the interconnections between climate change and land degradation in a scientifically sound yet easy to understand manner we are confident that this book will contribute to the identification of sustainable solutions which help to address the combined. The report also describes the prevalent land degradation types, their causes and impacts, and sustainable land management practices to combat land degradation in somalia. This chapter first considers briefly the history of land degradation with some comparisons between the old and new worlds and consideration of the data or evidence.
In the following, the types, causes, effects and solutions for environmental degradation are examined. Pollution of water resources from the contamination of. Soil degradation needs to be recognised, alongside climate change, as one of the most pressing problems facing humanity. In addition, swalim has produced a report on detecting and monitoring the illegal charcoal trade, which is a major source of income for al shabaab and other armed groups. This can lead to unsustainable agricultural practices, further land degradation, exacerbated urban sprawl, and sociopolitical problems. However, land degradation is a worldwide phenomenon that may be even more prevalent in humid and subhumid areas bai et al. Causes and impacts of land degradation and desertification.
Land degradation is categorized into three types i. The result is a loss of land productivity with impacts on livelihoods and the. Estimates of the extent of land degradation have varied hugely due to divergent definitions. Land degradation is a process in which the value of the physical environment is affected by a. Thus, arthur and jeanette conacher defined land degradation as alterations to all aspects of the biophysical environment by human actions to the detriment of. In turn, unsustainable land use is driving land degradation. To address the issue of land degradation on a global scale, a goal of land degradation neutrality ldn was established in. Land degradation connotes loss of biological and economic productivity of the soil as a result of agricultural, mining and urban development activ ities agele, 2011. There has also been a shift in focus from soil degradation such as covered by the glasod, assod and soveur projects to land degradation e. The areal extent of global degraded areas varies depending on the definitions eswaran et al.
South africa is especially susceptible to iaps and this is nationally perceived as the countrys greatest land degradation threat, partly because it reduces national streamflow by 2. The health impacts of desertification and drought pdf, 1. The fynbos and grassland biome are exceptionally vulnerable to iaps. Experiences from the south african land degradation. What are some solutions to environmental degradation. Desertification has been defined as land degradation in arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities11. Land degradation and rehabilitation in ethiopia society at large is also suffering from uncertain information about the rates of land use change and land degradation. The role of climatesmart agriculture in addressing land. Ecological degradation can have serious effects for many animals, plants and also for humanity. It may refer to the destruction or deterioration of the health of terrestrial ecosystems, thus affecting the associated biodiversity, natural ecological processes and ecosystem resilience. Land degradation is the major consequences of direct interference of human activities in the natural phenomenon.
Thus, in order to prevent these adverse consequences, we should take several measures in our daily life. Greater commitment and more effective cooperation at the local level are necessary to stop this degradation and loss of their biodiversity. All of these factors will combine to create a very stable but very unproductive desert environment. History, nature, causes, consequences, and solutions conacher, arthur encyclopedia of life support systems eolss above. Desertification includes land degradation in arid, semiarid and dry sub humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. Globally, about 24% of the global land area has been affected by degradation and over 1. However, if acted upon quickly, there is a possibility for land reclamation and reversal of desertification. Glada, the latter including more biophysical elements such as water, vegetation, animals and men. Smart solutions for land degradation adam koniuszewski. Thus, arthur and jeanette conacher defined land degradation as alterations to all aspects of the biophysical environment by human actions to the. Leaving more land alone, despite the challenges of a growing population, would really help.
Soil degradation is, in itself, an indicator of land degradation. Loss of natural fertility of soil because of loss of nutrients. The health of soil is a primary concern to farmers and the global community whose livelihoods depend on well managed agriculture that starts with the dirt beneath our feet. In this report, land degradation is defined as a negative trend 4 in land condition, caused by direct or indirect humaninduced processes. The book uses case studies from across the vast asia and pacific region uzbekistan to kiribati and specific examples that exemplify the various approaches from labor intensive. Water erosion is the most common form of degradation in the area, affecting 25 percent of agricultural land. The concept of land degradation has evolved over time and its focus shifted from productionoriented to the broader scope of impact on ecosystems.
Land degradation is a change to land that makes it less useful for human beings. The soil integrates a variety of important processes involving vegetation growth, overland flow of water, infiltration, land use and land management. A general definition of land degradation is presented by wasson 1987 as. Land degradation is the temporary or permanent lowering of the productive capacity of land unep, 1992b. Land degradation, desertification and climate change. Land degradation is harming the wellbeing of 32 billion people and the impact of its effects will only grow with time. The paper suggests some rules of thumb for identifying the priority areas for government and donor intervention, including the need for targeted research on the productivity. Experts suggest rotating pastured land used by the meat and dairy industries so less is being used at once. Physical degradation refers to a deterioration in physical properties of soil whereas biological degradation refers to reduction in soil organic matter, decline in biomass carbon and decrease in activity and diversity of soil fauna. Use only renewable and sustainable products, materials and energy.
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