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Photo credits: Deutsche Welle
Curbing desert expansion
Fertile soil is disappearing and large tracts of land are being eroded. The United Nations is trying to stop the expansion of deserts and reclaim land through the Convention to Combat Desertification.
Deserts are growing – by an area the size of Ireland every year. But this is not a natural process – it’s man-made. Overgrazing, agricultural expansion, deforestation and increased water use are eroding the land. Africa, America and parts of Asia are particularly affected.
Prevent soil damage
The 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro took an important step forward – the decision to combat desertification.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has been in force since 1996 and has been signed by 194 countries. Its purpose is to: “Promote processes and activities to combat desertification and/or mitigate the effects of drought…” (Article 2 of the UNCCD)
The agreement has been signed not only by countries affected by desertification, but also by countries not affected by desertification, such as Germany. The United Nations secretariat responsible for combating desertification is located here, at the UN campus in Bonn.
The UN Committee for Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC), which is responsible for ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Convention, met here in March. Committee members meet regularly to review the implementation of the 10-year strategy. They also make recommendations on how to effectively implement the Convention ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference, COP21, scheduled to take place in Paris later this year.
Read the full article: Deutsche Welle
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