DESERTIFICATION

Desertification is a kind of land degradation in which deserts expand as a result of natural (cyclic changes in climate) and anthropogenic (wood cutting, overgrazing) causes. Desertification is indicated by deterioration of 50% of natural soil and plant cover. This is a major problem in the arid regions of the world.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Article I (a): signed in October 1994, defines desertification in common terms as "land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climactic variations and human activities." Despite the fact that a world conference has been held on the subject, there is no generally accepted definition of desertification. For most people, the word probably evokes a mental picture of a barren, forbidding landscape. Fortunately, that grim picture does not apply to most of the land that has undergone desertification in Russia. More Details...

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