Global Expansion of Drylands: A Looming Climate Crisis
| Why in News | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Over 77% of Earth's land became drier in the last 30 years, warns UN Report | - 77% of Earth's land became drier from 1990 to 2020.- Drylands expanded by 4.3 million square kilometers, covering 40% of Earth's land.- 2.3 billion people now live in drylands (double in the last 30 years).- If emissions are not curtailed, an additional 3% of humid areas could turn to drylands by 2100.- Regions affected: 96% of Europe, parts of the western US, Brazil, Asia, and central Africa.- South Sudan and Tanzania have the largest percentage of land transitioning to drylands.- China has the largest total area shifting from non-drylands to drylands. |
| UNCCD (UN Convention to Combat Desertification) | Launching the report at the 16th conference of the UNCCD in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. |
| UNCCD Executive Secretary | Ibrahim Thiaw. |
| Key Forecast for the Future | - Worst-case scenario: 5 billion people could live in drylands by 2100.- Further dryland expansion forecast for the Mediterranean region, southern Australia, southern Africa, and parts of the US, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina. |
| Aridity vs. Drought | Aridity is a permanent, unrelenting transformation of land, unlike temporary droughts. |