List the national and international actions that have been implemented to address land degradation and desertification, emphasizing their negative effects. (Answer in 200 words)
Ram LalBegginer
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List the national and international actions that have been implemented to address land degradation and desertification, emphasizing their negative effects. (Answer in 200 words)
Addressing land degradation and desertification involves a range of national and international actions. Internationally, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), established in 1994, promotes sustainable land management (SLM) and encourages countries to develop National Action Programs (NAPs). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 15, also focus on combating desertification, restoring degraded land, and halting biodiversity loss.
Nationally, countries have implemented various measures. India, for instance, launched the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification, which includes initiatives like the Green India Mission and watershed development programs. China’s “Great Green Wall” project aims to halt the spread of deserts by planting trees and restoring ecosystems.
However, these actions have faced challenges. Internationally, lack of funding and political will hinder the effective implementation of programs like the UNCCD. Coordination between countries and adherence to commitments remain inconsistent. Nationally, projects often suffer from inadequate local participation, limited technological and financial resources, and mismanagement. In some cases, large-scale afforestation projects, like China’s, have led to unintended negative effects, such as water scarcity and the introduction of non-native species, which disrupt local ecosystems.
Overall, while significant efforts have been made to address land degradation and desertification, the effectiveness of these actions is often undermined by various challenges, necessitating more robust and inclusive approaches.
Addressing land degradation and desertification involves a range of national and international actions. Internationally, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), established in 1994, promotes sustainable land management (SLM) and encourages countries to develop National Action Programs (NAPs). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 15, also focus on combating desertification, restoring degraded land, and halting biodiversity loss.
Nationally, countries have implemented various measures. India, for instance, launched the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification, which includes initiatives like the Green India Mission and watershed development programs. China’s “Great Green Wall” project aims to halt the spread of deserts by planting trees and restoring ecosystems.
However, these actions have faced challenges. Internationally, lack of funding and political will hinder the effective implementation of programs like the UNCCD. Coordination between countries and adherence to commitments remain inconsistent. Nationally, projects often suffer from inadequate local participation, limited technological and financial resources, and mismanagement. In some cases, large-scale afforestation projects, like China’s, have led to unintended negative effects, such as water scarcity and the introduction of non-native species, which disrupt local ecosystems.
Overall, while significant efforts have been made to address land degradation and desertification, the effectiveness of these actions is often undermined by various challenges, necessitating more robust and inclusive approaches.
Land degradation is defined as a negative trend in land condition, caused by direct or indirect human induced processes, including anthropogenic climate change, expressed as long-term reduction or loss of at least one of the following: biological productivity, ecological integrity, or value to humans. Desertification, on the other hand, refers to the land degradation within dryland regions (arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions), which turns fertile land into a desert. As per the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India, around 29.7% of India’s total geographical area underwent land degradation during 2018-19. Impacts of land degradation and desertification
National level initiatives
International initiatives
Land is the fundamental building block for supporting all lives and livelihoods. Restoration of land can start a virtuous cycle of good soil health, increased land productivity, food security and improved livelihoods. With its own efforts, India is already on the way to achieve land degradation neutrality (LDN) by 2030.