The lands of the planet are drying up, and this is devastating for the survival capacity of plant and animal life. This was warned by the United Nations in a report published this Monday during negotiations between countries to address the issue.
The report was presented at the UN summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on combating desertification.
This is the process in which once fertile lands turn into deserts due to higher temperatures caused by human-induced climate change. This is compounded by water scarcity and deforestation.
Lands are drying up worldwide: what does the report say
The report informed that more than three quarters of the world’s lands experienced drier conditions from 1970 to 2020 than in the previous thirty years.
“The drier climates that now affect vast lands around the world will not return to how they were,” said Ibrahim Thiaw, head of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. “This change is redefining life on Earth,” he expressed.
The increase of droughts worldwide.
In the discussions, which began last week and are expected to end on Friday, nations are addressing possible solutions to desertification.
The effects are devastating
If the trends of global warming continue, almost 5 billion people will be affected by drying by the end of the century, compared to a quarter of the world’s population today, the report warned.
The chief scientist of UNCCD, Barron Orr, warned that drier land could lead to “potentially catastrophic impacts affecting access to water and could push both people and nature even closer to disastrous tipping points.”
Thus, humans will no longer be able to reverse the harmful effects of climate change.
Sergio Vicente-Serrano, one of the lead authors of the report, explained that as the atmosphere warms due to coal, oil, and gas burning, it leads to more evaporation in the soil.
This results in less water available for humans, plants, and animals, making survival more challenging.
Agriculture is particularly at risk, as drier lands are less productive, affecting both their yield and the availability of food for livestock, the report stated. This could lead to food insecurity for communities worldwide.
Aridity also leads to more migration, as erratic rainfall, land degradation, and water scarcity hinder the economic development of regions or nations.
The report also warned that the trend is especially noticeable in some of the driest areas of the world, such as southern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and southern Asia.
The lack of drinkable water is one of the consequences.
What does the United Nations propose
Negotiators in Riyadh are mainly focusing on how the world can better respond to more frequent and damaging droughts.
One of the main points of contention is whether wealthy nations should provide funds to address drought worldwide.
Any promised money would be used to improve forecasting and monitoring systems. It would also be used to build reservoirs and other structures that can provide access to water even during extended drought periods.
“The big controversial issue is whether we do this (drought response) through a binding protocol at the UN level or if there are other options we should explore,” said Jes Weigelt of TMG, a European climate think tank.
According to reports, between 2007 and 2017, droughts cost $125 billion worldwide.
A binding protocol would mean that, among other obligations, developed countries could be asked to provide funds.
It was reported that Saudi Arabia committed $2.15 billion from various countries and international banks for drought resilience and has set the right tone for the meetings.
And the Arab Coordination Group (10 development banks based in the Middle East) pledged $10 billion by 2030 to address land degradation, desertification, and drought.
If the funds materialize, they are expected to help 80 of the most vulnerable countries prepare for increasingly severe drought conditions.
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