Publication: UN Chronicle
Publication Date: 01-DEC-06
Delivery: Immediate Online Access
Author: Kasotia, Paritosh
Article Excerpt
THE UNITED NATIONS HAS DECLARED 2006 as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification, in order to raise public awareness and to protect biological diversity, including the knowledge and traditions of communities affected by desertification. It also aims to provide a platform to strengthen and empower people to become active agents of environmental stewardship, and to work in collaboration as partners towards a common objective.
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Desertification affects millions around the globe. About 30 per cent of the world's terrestrial surfaces are drylands that serve as a home to 900 million people. The most common causes of this critical environmental problem are inefficient land use and agricultural practices, high population density and changes in land patterns. According to the Desertification, Drought, Poverty and Agriculture Research Consortium, the other root causes are: drought, which depletes the earth's vegetative cover; climate change or shift, resulting in increased temperature in certain regions; population growth that creates deterioration of land due to increased productivity; poverty, which affects land quality, since the population is more likely to over-utilize available resources; institutional shortcomings, especially the lack of policies on land sustainability, resulting in land degradation; inadequate infrastructure and limited market access, which can prevent regions from producing more efficiently; ecologically unsound technology...
NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.
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