Photo Source: Mario A. Villeda
Global land degradation is accelerating at an alarming rate, with 1 million square kilometres of earth falling victim to unsustainable practices and the relentless impact of climate change every year.
This escalating crisis threatens global stability in food supplies, climate regulation, and biodiversity, and demands urgent attention at the United Nations desertification summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2-13 December 2024, under the theme Our Land. Our Future.
Alarming Trends in Land Use and Climate Impact
The report, titled Stepping Back from the Precipice, reveals that 15 million square kilometres of land—an area larger than Antarctica—have already been degraded. The damage is eroding Earth’s capacity to support human life and environmental wellbeing.
Once a critical carbon sink, global land ecosystems have seen their ability to absorb human-caused carbon dioxide emissions shrink by 20% over the last decade, primarily due to deforestation and climate change.
Unsustainable agricultural practices have emerged as the primary driver, responsible for 80% of forest loss. The heavy use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and water diversion initially boosts profits but leads to declining soil fertility, water shortages, and, in extreme cases, desertification.
Dry regions such as South Asia, northern China, the U.S. High Plains, California, and the Mediterranean have become degradation hotspots, affecting the livelihoods of a third of humanity who live in these drylands.
Human and Environmental Costs
The impact of land degradation is felt most acutely in low-income nations, where women are forced to work longer hours and children suffer from hunger and interrupted education. As soils grow barren, crop yields decline, and poverty deepens, migration becomes inevitable.
Resource scarcity is stoking conflict, while climate change amplifies the crisis with increasingly severe droughts and floods.
A Call for Integrated Action
The report, produced by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in collaboration with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), emphasises the interconnected nature of land use, climate stability, and human livelihoods.
Claudia Hunecke, a scientist involved in the study, highlights the urgency of integrating land management into broader sustainability goals:
“Neglecting land degradation risks pushing humanity beyond its safe operating space, exacerbating resource pressures, poverty, migration, and conflict.”
The Stakes at Riyadh’s Desertification Summit
This week’s summit in Riyadh, attended by representatives from 200 nations, provides a critical opportunity to chart a new course for sustainable land management. Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD executive secretary, highlighted the high stakes:
“If we fail to acknowledge the pivotal role of land and take appropriate action, the consequences will ripple through every aspect of life and extend well into the future, intensifying difficulties for future generations.”