UN Report: Climate Change Driving Irreversible Drying of Earth’s Land

A UNCCD report reveals that 77.6% of Earth’s land has become drier since 1990, impacting agriculture and ecosystems. The analysis emphasizes that human-caused climate change is driving these changes, threatening the livelihoods of billions and intensifying the risk of aridification across the globe. Immediate action is needed to combat these trends to ensure sustainable land use and human security.

A recent report from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) indicates that a staggering 77.6% of the earth’s land has undergone increased dryness from 1990 to 2020, marking a significant change compared to the previous three decades. This shift corresponds with an expansion of drylands, totaling approximately 4.3 million square kilometers. Currently, these areas account for over 40% of the planet’s land surface, excluding Antarctica, and are projected to expand further if greenhouse gas emissions remain unmitigated.

The UNCCD published its findings in the report entitled “The Global Threat of Drying Lands: Regional and Global Aridity Trends and Future Projections.” This report was unveiled during the UNCCD’s 16th conference, notably the first hosted in the Middle East, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The transformation of once-humid landscapes into drylands has dramatically affected agriculture, ecosystems, and the livelihoods of existing populations.

Aridity is now recognized as a principal factor contributing to failing agricultural systems, affecting 40% of the world’s cultivable land. In Africa, there was a recorded GDP decline of 12% from 1990 to 2015, partially attributable to increasing aridity levels. Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, stated, “This analysis finally dispels an uncertainty that has long surrounded global drying trends. For the first time, the aridity crisis has been documented with scientific clarity, revealing an existential threat affecting billions around the globe.”

Mr. Thiaw further elaborated, “Unlike droughts—temporary periods of low rainfall—aridity represents a permanent, unrelenting transformation. Droughts end. When an area’s climate becomes drier, however, the ability to return to previous conditions is lost. The drier climates now affecting vast lands across the globe will not return to how they were, and this change is redefining life on Earth.”

The UNCCD report attributes human-induced climate change as the primary catalyst behind the world’s increasing aridity, where greenhouse gas emissions have intensified warming and altered precipitation patterns, thereby disrupting plant life. Although extreme weather events such as intensified storms and floods have become more prevalent globally, regions like Europe are experiencing significant risks, with 95.9% of land being vulnerable to aridification. The United States, Brazil, central Africa, and eastern Asia are also identified as high-risk areas for growing dryness.

Approximately 2.3 billion individuals currently reside in areas affected by expanding drylands, which poses severe threats to agriculture and overall human well-being. By the year 2100, predictions indicate that as many as 5 billion people may inhabit dry regions, facing challenges such as infertile soils and diminishing water supplies. Such conditions may even lead to escalated migration patterns, notably observed in regions like the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.

In addressing the escalation of aridification, the UNCCD report emphasizes the need for comprehensive strategies beyond merely reducing carbon emissions, advocating for enhanced monitoring of arid conditions, sustainable land use practices in at-risk areas, and improved water efficiency. Nicole Barger, Chair of the UNCCD Science-Policy Interface, remarked, “Without concerted efforts, billions face a future marked by hunger, displacement, and economic decline. Yet, by embracing innovative solutions and fostering global solidarity, humanity can rise to meet this challenge. The question is not whether we have the tools to respond—it is whether we have the will to act.”

The report by the UNCCD sheds light on the pressing issue of increasing aridity as a direct consequence of climate change. It emphasizes that climate change is not only causing temporary weather disturbances such as droughts but is leading to irreversible changes in land conditions that redefine ecosystems and human livelihoods. The findings indicate a need for urgent global response to mitigate these effects and support affected populations. The conference where this report was presented serves as a critical platform for addressing such environmental challenges on a global scale, particularly within regions highly susceptible to these changes.

In conclusion, the UNCCD report underscores the alarming reality of global drying trends, emphasizing the significant increase in aridity affecting the majority of the Earth’s land. It highlights the critical need for actionable strategies to combat this phenomenon, which is fundamentally reshaping agricultural practices and threatening the well-being of billions of people. The call for enhanced international cooperation and proactive measures is imperative, as the impacts of climate change continue to escalate.

Original Source: impakter.com