Land degradation is a pressing issue threatening Earth’s ability to sustain human life. A recent United Nations report marks the alarming rate at which land is being degraded, estimating that one million square kilometres are affected annually. This degradation has far-reaching implications for food security, health, and climate stability. The report, titled *Stepping Back from the Precipice*, was published by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in collaboration with Germany’s Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
About Land Degradation
Land degradation refers to the decline in the biological or economic productivity of land. It affects various ecosystems, including croplands, forests, and pastures. The main causes include unsustainable land management practices, urbanisation, and climate change. This degradation diminishes food production and increases malnutrition risks.
Impact on Human Health and Ecosystems
The consequences of land degradation extend beyond agriculture. It raises the risk of water- and food-borne diseases due to poor hygiene and limited clean water access. Soil erosion can lead to respiratory issues. Furthermore, degraded land affects marine and freshwater systems as pollutants wash into water bodies, harming both aquatic life and human communities reliant on these resources.
Contribution to Climate Change
Land degradation contributes to climate change. Healthy soil acts as a carbon sink, absorbing carbon dioxide. However, degraded land releases stored carbon and nitrous oxide, exacerbating global warming. Recent findings indicate that land ecosystems have lost 20% of their capacity to absorb carbon dioxide over the past decade.
Drivers of Land Degradation
Several factors drive land degradation, primarily unsustainable agricultural practices. The excessive use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and poor irrigation methods lead to soil erosion and deforestation. Climate change also plays a dual role, worsening land degradation while being exacerbated by it. Urbanisation further intensifies the issue by destroying habitats and polluting ecosystems.
Regions Most Affected
Certain areas are more vulnerable to land degradation. Hotspots include dry regions such as South Asia, northern China, and parts of the United States. Low-income countries are disproportionately affected due to their limited resilience to environmental changes. Tropical and arid regions suffer the most, impacting portion of the global population.
Future Implications
If land degradation continues unchecked, it will pose severe challenges for future generations. Addressing this issue requires immediate global action and sustainable land management practices to restore and protect ecosystems.
Questions for UPSC:
- Examine the effects of land degradation on food security and public health.
- Critically discuss the role of unsustainable agricultural practices in land degradation.
- Estimate the impact of urbanisation on biodiversity and ecosystem health.
- Point out the relationship between climate change and land degradation in vulnerable regions.
Answer Hints:
1. Examine the effects of land degradation on food security and public health.
- Land degradation reduces the quality and quantity of food production, increasing malnutrition risks.
- It contributes to water scarcity, impacting hygiene and leading to water-borne diseases.
- Degraded soil can cause respiratory issues due to dust and erosion.
- Impacts on freshwater systems harm local communities reliant on these resources for food and water.
- Overall, it threatens sustainable food systems, exacerbating health disparities, especially in low-income regions.
2. Critically discuss the role of unsustainable agricultural practices in land degradation.
- Unsustainable practices include excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, leading to soil degradation.
- These practices contribute to deforestation and habitat loss, disrupting local ecosystems.
- Poor irrigation methods deplete freshwater resources and exacerbate soil erosion.
- Monoculture farming reduces biodiversity, making ecosystems more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
- Overall, these practices undermine long-term agricultural productivity and environmental health.
3. Estimate the impact of urbanisation on biodiversity and ecosystem health.
- Urbanisation leads to habitat destruction, reducing biodiversity in affected areas.
- Pollution from urban areas contaminates soil and water, harming local flora and fauna.
- Increased impervious surfaces contribute to runoff, affecting water quality and aquatic ecosystems.
- Urban sprawl often encroaches on agricultural land, further stressing food production systems.
- Overall, urbanisation disrupts ecological balance, leading to loss of species and ecosystem services.
4. Point out the relationship between climate change and land degradation in vulnerable regions.
- Climate change exacerbates land degradation through increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
- Higher temperatures and altered precipitation patterns lead to soil erosion and desertification.
- Degraded land releases stored carbon, further contributing to global warming.
- Vulnerable regions, particularly tropical and arid areas, face heightened risks due to limited adaptive capacity.
- This cyclical relationship creates a feedback loop that intensifies both climate change and land degradation.
