Cause And Effects Of Desertification

As humanity becomes more advanced, some people are forgetting to pay attention to the most important thing, Earth. Humans are unintentionally causing irreversible damage to the surface of the Earth. Deforestation is caused by the need for living space, wood, and other natural resources. While clearing out forests, many species are going extinct because of habitat loss and pollution. In other parts of the world, land degradation, which is caused by intense agricultural practices is preventing food security in many developing countries. There is also the matter of desertification, which is caused by grazing, logging, and exploitation of underground water that limiting many countries space to grow crops. In order to protect life on land we

“Grazing, logging, and exploitation of underground water have created enormous pressures on ecosystems, leading to desertification.” (Feng 2). In China, there are multiple campaigns to reverse desertification, resulting in thousands of kilometers of damaged land being restored back to original form (Yang). Farmers have also received a higher salary, due to studies showing that poorer farmers tend to purchase more livestock to eat, which results in higher grazing levels (Feng). The higher the grazing levels rise is an increased chance that the land will be affected by desertification. In the Mediterranean, scientists are observing patch sized vegetation from space which may be an early sign of desertification . A patch size is classified as an area completely covered by vegetation (Kefi). Desertification is a leading cause of less vegetation, poor quality soil, little stored water, and uninhabitable lands. It also can cause deadly sandstorms that threaten ecosystems and human life. Although socioeconomic factors are a dominant cause of desertification, it is still possible to reverse a majority of land damaged by desertification

In 1922, Earth Summit concluded that humans were greatly affecting the other life forms and that action must happen. Since then, countries around the world are making an effort to conserve the Earth (Cardinale). In Liberia, thirty-six percent of the protected forest is a result of the people’s culture that is centered around the forest, such as burials, ceremonies, history, and mythology (Infield). The Brazilian government is enforcing a strict protection area over parts of the Amazon, which have in turn caused the record high deforestation rates to descend rapidly (Deforestation). They are also conducting research on the effects of biodiversity and attempting to protect and preserve the species on Earth. In regard to land degradation, the population on improving agricultural land have increased thirteen percent to 1.7 billion people since 2005 and has continued to rise thanks to efforts around the world (Barbier). Since 2001, the Chinese president has actively battled against desertification with the first law passed to control and prevent the issue and still states it is a priority. China has 6,000 km2 in the Kubuqi Desert now green again taking out 100,000 people out of poverty (Yang). “China has set a goal to turn half of the country’s desert into green areas by 2020, and by 2050, he said all the country’s desert that can be changed will be made green.” (Yang