INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
greatest threats to sustainable development, especially in developing countries, but increasingly so in developed nations too.The number and
duration of droughts have increased by 29 percent since 2000, as compared to the two previous decades (WMO 2021)
When more than 2.3 billion people already face water stress, this is a huge problem
More and more of us will be living in areas with extreme water shortages, including an estimated one in four children by 2040 (UNICEF)
No country is immune to drought (UN-Water 2021).This year, the theme of the International Day Against Desertification, and Drought "Rising
up from drought together", emphasizes the need for an early action to avoid disastrous consequences for humanity and the planetary
about 5 million hectares of planted forests in sand and dust storm hotspots, especially in areas with less than 50 mm of rainfall, Ali
Mohammad Tahmasebi, head of the national working group for mitigating SDSs, has said.Iran has a 70-year history of dealing with
organizations show that the Islamic Republic has recorded the highest number of reforested desert areas after China, he added.Parviz
Garshasbi, deputy head of the Forests, Rangelands, and Watershed Management Organization (FRWMO), has said that according to the Sixth
National Development Plan, desert greening measures were to be carried out in 1,140,000 hectares of the country's deserts, but so far, the
operations have been conducted in only 350,000 hectares of deserts.An estimated 2 billion tons of soil is lost due to erosion in Iran
annually, it takes an average of 400 years to form a centimeter of soil on the planet, he said, adding, in Iran's climate, this time is
between 700 and 1000 years.Wind erosion brings an annual economic and environmental damage of 30 trillion rials (nearly $714 million at the
According to the 2018 survey, 37 million hectares of the country are exposed to land degradation and 23 percent of the total area is subject
to severe degradation in terms of reduction of vegetation and soil fertility.Also, 22 provinces of the country with an area of 29.5 million
hectares in 187 regions are affected by wind erosion and there are 237 crisis centers with an area of 13.9 million hectares due to the
for helpDesertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas
It is caused primarily by human activities and climatic variations
Desertification does not refer to the expansion of existing deserts
It occurs because dryland ecosystems, which cover over one-third of the world's land area, are extremely vulnerable to overexploitation and
Poverty, political instability, deforestation, overgrazing, and bad irrigation practices can all undermine the productivity of the land.The
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed every year to promote public awareness of international efforts to combat
The day is a unique moment to remind everyone that land degradation neutrality is achievable through problem-solving, strong community
involvement, and cooperation at all levels.The matter requires even more attention now
When the land degrades and stops being productive, natural spaces deteriorate and transform
Thus, greenhouse gas emissions increase and biodiversity decrease
It also means there are fewer wild spaces to buffer zoonosis, such as COVID-19, and protect us from extreme weather events, such as
