Earth’s Desertification Emergency:

Earth’s Desertification Emergency:

In News

The 16th session of the UNCCD Conference of Parties (COP16) is being held from December 2-13, 2024, marking the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The theme of COP16 is “Our Land and Our Future”, focusing on the urgent need to address land degradation, desertification, and the broader impacts of climate change.

About the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

• The UNCCD was established in 1994 and currently has 196 countries and the European Union as signatories.

• It is one of the three “Rio Conventions”, alongside the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), all originating from the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

• The COP is the decision-making body of the UNCCD, where governments, businesses, and civil society meet to discuss solutions for land degradation and sustainability.

About Desertification

• Desertification is a form of land degradation where dryland areas become increasingly arid, leading to the degradation of soil, loss of vegetation cover, water bodies, and biodiversity.

• Dryland ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to desertification, exacerbated by climate change and human activities like deforestation, over-farming, and poor land management.

Causes of Desertification

1. Climate Change:

   • Extreme weather events such as droughts and floods are exacerbating desertification by degrading land further.

   • Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are causing desert areas to expand.

2. Human Activities:

   • Over-farming, deforestation, and overgrazing contribute significantly to desertification.

   • Agriculture is a major contributor, responsible for 23% of greenhouse gas emissions, 80% of deforestation, and 70% of freshwater consumption.

3. Land Management Practices:

   • Poor land management practices, such as unsustainable farming, excessive irrigation, and improper grazing, further exacerbate desertification.

   • Groundwater depletion due to inefficient irrigation and deforestation worsens the situation.

Impacts of Desertification

1. Global Reach:

   • 40% of the world’s land is degraded, affecting approximately 3.2 billion people.

   • Desertification has resulted in $11 trillion in losses, affecting agriculture, economies, and livelihoods.

2. Agricultural Impact:

   • Degraded land reduces agricultural productivity, which threatens food security.

   • Water scarcity, caused by poor rainfall and degraded soil, is forcing farmers to migrate to urban areas, escalating food security risks.

3. Social and Economic Displacement:

   • Desertification and droughts are a major driver of forced migration. By 2050, 216 million people could be displaced due to climate change and droughts.

   • Land degradation exacerbates other planetary boundaries like climate change, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity, increasing environmental pressures.

4. Impact on Global Stability:

   • Deforestation, degraded soils, and water scarcity contribute to hunger, conflict, and migration, further destabilizing affected regions.

   • Desertification hinders the Earth’s ability to support life, threatening future generations’ capacity to sustain livelihoods and economies.

Steps Taken by India

• India has committed to combating desertification through its National Action Plan to Combat Desertification, 2023.

  • Target: Restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.

  • Focus Areas: The plan focuses on South-South Cooperation for sustainable land management and aims to create additional carbon sinks by improving forest and tree cover to absorb 2.5-3 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2030.

  • Preventive Measures: The plan outlines models for preventing land degradation and promoting sustainable land management practices.

Desertification in India: Current Status

• 96 million hectares (29% of India’s area) are undergoing land degradation.

• Between 2005 and 2015, India lost 31% of its grassland area, totaling 5.65 million hectares.

• More than 105 million hectares of land (around 32% of India’s area) is currently degraded.

• Desertification has increased in 26 of 29 states between 2003-2005 and 2011-2013.

• Over 80% of degraded land in India is concentrated in just 9 states.

Measures Taken by India to Combat Desertification

1. Command Area Development (1974):

   • Focuses on efficient water management and improving agricultural productivity in irrigation areas.

2. Integrated Watershed Management Programme (1989-90):

   • Aims to restore ecological balance by conserving natural resources, creating rural employment. Subsidiary of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (2015-16).

3. Desert Development Programme (1995):

   • Targets desert areas in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh to combat droughts and restore natural resources.

4. National Afforestation Programme (2000):

   • Focuses on afforestation of degraded forest lands.

5. National Action Programme to Combat Desertification (2001):

   • Aims to tackle desertification issues and improve land conditions.

6. Soil Conservation Projects:

   • Aims at improving soil conditions in river valleys and flood-prone areas for optimum crop production.

7. Fodder and Feed Development Scheme:

   • Targets improvement of degraded grasslands and vegetation cover for problematic soils (saline, acidic).

8. National Mission on Green India (2014):

   • Part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), focusing on forest restoration.

9. Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas:

   • Released by ISRO, focusing on desertification and land degradation as a key environmental issue.

Global Efforts to Prevent Desertification

1. The Bonn Challenge:

   • An initiative to restore 150 million hectares of deforested land by 2020, with a long-term goal of restoring 350 million hectares by 2030.

2. Goal 15 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

   • Aims to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable land management and production practices.

3. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD):

   • A legally binding agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The UNCCD has set land restoration goals and promotes international collaboration.

4. Great Green Wall Initiative:

   • A Global Environment Facility (GEF) initiative focused on combating land degradation in Sahel-Saharan Africa by creating a green belt of native plant life.

5. World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought:

   • Observed every year on June 17, it aims to raise awareness about the importance of addressing desertification.

Steps to Combat Desertification

1. Sustainable Land Use:

   • Protect vegetative cover and promote soil conservation techniques to prevent erosion.

2. Alternative Farming Techniques:

   • Encourage sustainable agriculture practices and eco-forestry methods.

3. Economic Diversification:

   • Establish economic opportunities outside drylands to reduce pressure on the land.

4. Recycling and Resource Management:

   • Promote the use of recycled materials such as paper to reduce land resource depletion.

5. Raising Awareness:

   • Launch education campaigns to raise public awareness about desertification, its causes, and its impacts.

Global Solutions for Desertification

1. Land Restoration:

   • UNCCD's 2030 Goal: Restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030, with successful efforts already underway in countries like Burkina Faso and the Philippines.

   • The UNCCD promotes the adoption of sustainable land management practices, emphasizing the need for urgent action to prevent further degradation.

2. Strengthening Resilience:

   • Build resilience to environmental challenges like droughts, sandstorms, and soil degradation.

   • Restore soil health and promote nature-positive food production systems.

3. Land Rights and Equity:

   • Ensuring secure land rights for marginalized communities, particularly women, and promoting equitable land stewardship to address inequality.

4. Economic Opportunities:

   • The COP16 will focus on unlocking economic opportunities related to land restoration, including creating decent land-based jobs for youth.

COP16 Goals in Riyadh (2024)

1. Accelerate Land Restoration:

   • The main goal of COP16 is to accelerate efforts to restore degraded lands by 2030.

2. Build Resilience:

   • Improve resilience to droughts, sandstorms, and dust storms.

3. Soil Health and Food Production:

   • Restore soil health and encourage nature-positive food production, which contributes to sustainability and climate mitigation.

4. Promote Land Rights:

   • Secure land rights and promote equitable stewardship in the management of degraded lands.

5. Economic Opportunities:

   • Foster economic opportunities through land restoration, particularly for the youth, to ensure job creation in rural areas.

Conclusion

Desertification remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time, with far-reaching effects on the environment, economy, and society. The COP16 conference serves as a critical platform for accelerating global efforts to combat desertification and restore degraded lands, thereby ensuring food security, resilience to climate change, and sustainable development for future generations. India’s initiatives, combined with international cooperation through the UNCCD, offer hope for reversing the damaging impacts of desertification, while creating more sustainable and equitable land management practices.