Desertification Essay

Desertification is an increasing global issue that has caused many concerns throughout the world. Desertification affects mostly Africa; however it has (and still is) taking its toll on the Arabian Peninsula, southern Asia, Australia, southern South America, and the southwest region of the North American continent (“Desertification”, 2013). According to “Desertification: A Forgotten Threat”, every year, some 23,000 square miles of arable and range land are uncontrollably lost to desert, leaving an exceeding amount of consequences for the entire globe to face. As alarming as this fact is, it is important to understand the negative effects that desertification exerts on these affected areas, exactly what this problem is, what it is doing, why it’s happening, why it is important, and what global communities, as well as world leaders can do to prevent it from spiraling out of control in the future. This paper will focus on the physical and economical hardships due to desertification, the causes of it, the necessary measures that should be taken to prevent it, as well as the importance of spreading global awareness regarding this topic.

According to a statement made by UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) on December 10, 1993, “Desertification is ‘one of the most serious global environmental problems’” (“Desertification: Not About, 1994). When discussing the topic of desertification, two common questions are, “What is desertification exactly, and how is it possible for the desert to advance?” Desertification is a term that describes “the loss of productive land to desert” (“Desertification”, 2013). It’s a common, innocent public misconception that the desert is advancing; however, this in fact is not the case. When an area u...

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...ined areas. Strongly supported by the UN Development Program’s Office to Combat Desertification and Drought, the CCD is the first treaty to demand full participation by local populations. This way, countries can learn from each other, passing on scientific and technical knowledge” (“Desertification: A Forgotten Threat”, 1999). As one can see, desertification is a serious matter at hand. Creating laws and setting limits to farmers can slow the desertification process slowed down. Actions need to be taken now in order to save the precious land. If nothing is done, the future of important nations will be dark as they are forced to face a myriad of economical and biological hardships. Additionally, there could very well be wars over land and water, causing the affected country to sink deeper and deeper into a viscous pit due to the malicious cycle of desertification.