Earth’s desertification emergency: Around 78% land became permanently drier between 1990 and 2020.
Down to Earth,, 09 Dec 2024
About 4.3 million square kilometres of previously humid landscapes transitioned into drylands, compared to 1961-1990, reveals UNCCD report.
Scientists have raised alarms over the widespread increase in dry areas across the globe, warning that 77.6 per cent of the Earth’s land likely became permanently drier in the three decades leading up to 2020, compared to the previous 30-year period (1961-1990).
In a stark new analysis released on December 9, 2024, United Nations scientists revealed that 4.3 million square kilometres of previously humid landscapes had transitioned into drylands—areas where precipitation is less than 65 per cent of the atmospheric evaporative demand.
This transition has dire implications for agriculture, ecosystems, and the livelihoods of those dependent on these regions, as reduced rainfall affects crops, pastures, people, and nature.
[more]