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Alarming new findings -

The UNCCD's report presents a stark and daunting reality: over 75% of the world's land has experienced a permanent increase in dryness, with an area roughly half the size of Australia now transformed from humid to drylands.

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Resources are drying out -

These regions, which once relied on regular rainfall to support crops, nature, and communities, are now facing a future of diminishing resources. 

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UN declares aridity an existential threat -

Aridity, characterized by long-term moisture scarcity, is emerging as a significant existential threat to both ecosystems and human societies worldwide.

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In unequal contrast -

By contrast, less than a quarter of the planet's land (22.4%) experienced wetter conditions, with areas in the central United States, Angola’s Atlantic coast, and parts of Southeast Asia showing some gains in moisture.

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A permanent problem -

What makes aridity particularly concerning is its permanence. Unlike temporary droughts—periods of insufficient rainfall that can eventually end and allow for recovery—aridity is an ongoing, unyielding condition.

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A pressing issue -

This shift is no longer a distant threat but a pressing issue that demands immediate attention and action to ensure the survival of vulnerable populations and the ecosystems on which they depend.

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Billions impacted -

The expansion of drylands has already impacted over a quarter of the global population, with projections suggesting that by the end of the century, as many as five billion people could inhabit these increasingly harsh environments.

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Drylands -

Drylands are characterized by a scarcity of water that limits the growth of vegetation, the availability of resources for agriculture, and the overall sustainability of ecosystems and human livelihoods.

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The effects of aridity -

This scarcity often results in reduced soil fertility, increased vulnerability to desertification, and a heightened risk of food and water insecurity.

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The effects of aridity -

Additionally, the lack of moisture contributes to biodiversity loss, intensifies the frequency of dust storms and wildfires, and exacerbates the challenges of adapting to climate change in affected regions.

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A climate in crisis -

The report highlights how climate change, driven by human activities, is exacerbating the issue by raising global temperatures and lengthening dry periods. Drylands now make up 40% of all land on Earth, excluding Antarctica.

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Desertification -

This intensified aridity increases the risks of desertification—an alarming process in which land degrades to the point where it can no longer sustain human life or biodiversity. 

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The consequences of rising aridity -

The consequences of rising aridity are wide-ranging and devastating. From soil degradation and crop failures to biodiversity loss, frequent dust storms, and wildfires, the effects are severe.

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Praveena Sridhar, chief technology officer of the Save Soil campaign group -

Praveena Sridhar, chief technology officer of the Save Soil campaign group, said: "Healthy soils are the foundation of life. Drying lands signify degraded soils, and the cause is clear: human activity." 

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Intensive agriculture -

"Intensive agriculture is the leading driver of land and soil degradation, fueling biodiversity loss, carbon sequestration decline, and worsening floods, droughts and wildfires – issues rapidly increasing across the globe."

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Water scarcity on the rise -

Water scarcity is already contributing to health crises, including illness and death, while also driving mass migration as people flee inhospitable conditions.

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A complex global threat -

The complex nature of aridity, shaped by various factors such as rainfall patterns and evaporation, makes it a difficult challenge to track and address, but the new report offers a comprehensive and clear understanding of the scope of the problem.

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A critical call for action -

This report marks a turning point in the global conversation about climate change and land degradation. By offering a more detailed and reliable understanding of aridity trends, the report serves as a critical call to action for policymakers and governments worldwide. 

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Countries must take action -

As the climate crisis continues to worsen arid conditions, it is vital that countries implement policies and strategies that promote long-term resilience.

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Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary -

"This analysis finally dispels an uncertainty that has long surrounded global drying trends," says Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary. "For the first time, the aridity crisis has been documented with scientific clarity, revealing an existential threat affecting billions around the globe."

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A parched world -

"Unlike droughts—temporary periods of low rainfall—aridity represents a permanent, unrelenting transformation," Thiaw adds. "Droughts end. When an area’s climate becomes drier, however, the ability to return to previous conditions is lost. The drier climates now affecting vast lands across the globe will not return to how they were and this change is redefining life on Earth."

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Long-term adaptation strategies -

The report highlights that, unlike droughts—which can be addressed with temporary solutions—the increasing aridity in many regions demands long-term adaptation strategies.

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Greenhouse gas emissions -

It also warns that without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, an additional 3% of the world’s humid areas could transform into drylands by the end of this century.

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Areas affected -

Areas particularly hard-hit by the drying trend include almost all of Europe (95.9% of its land), parts of the western United States, Brazil, parts of Asia (notably eastern Asia), and central Africa.

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Looking to the future -

Looking ahead, high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios paint an even grimmer picture. Expanding drylands are forecast in the Midwestern United States, central Mexico, northern Venezuela, northeastern Brazil, southeastern Argentina, the entire Mediterranean region, the Black Sea coast, large parts of southern Africa, and southern Australia.

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Governments must act -

As we face an increasingly dry future, the global community must coordinate efforts to combat the growing impact of aridity. Governments must integrate sustainable land use, water management, and climate adaptation strategies into their policies to support affected communities and protect ecosystems from irreversible damage.

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77.6% of the Earth's land affected -

It bears repeating: a staggering 77.6% of Earth's land experienced drier conditions in the three decades leading up to 2020 compared to the previous 30-year period, according to the landmark report from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

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Building resilience in vulnerable areas -

The report's findings underscore the importance of addressing this threat head-on by focusing on sustainable agriculture, enhancing water management systems, and building resilience in the most vulnerable areas.

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Navigating and prioritizing the challenges of a drying world -

By prioritizing these efforts, countries can better navigate the challenges of a drying world and safeguard their populations against the escalating consequences of climate change.

Sources: (United Nations)

See also: Could global warming be reversed by refreezing the polar regions?

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