The role of desertification in some of the world’s problems (Savory Institute)

Read at :

http://www.savoryinstitute.com/desertification/results/

Desertification Causes Many Problems

Desertification plays a critical role in many of the world’s most pressing problems, including:

Climate Change

Dry, infertile, bare soil is unable to store carbon, releasing it into the atmosphere. Even if the world achieved zero carbon emissions from fossil fuels tomorrow, current agriculture practices would still create vast areas of bare soil that emit and are unable to store carbon. The climate would continue to change.

Water Issues

Desertification creates large areas of exposed soil which dramatically decreases the effectiveness of rainfall. Water evaporates or runs off instead of soaking into the soil where it is available for plants and living organisms and recharges water tables. This change leads to the increasing frequency and severity of both floods and droughts even with no change in rainfall in a specific region.

Famine/Food Insecurity

The world’s grasslands have the capacity to feed billions of human beings. Unfortunately, the rapid desertification of these lands is resulting in famine as well as decreased food safety for communities around the globe.

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About Willem Van Cotthem

Honorary Professor of Botany, University of Ghent (Belgium). Scientific Consultant for Desertification and Sustainable Development.
This entry was posted in Climate / climate change, Desertification, drought, food / food security, Social dimensions, Water. Bookmark the permalink.