Land Degradation

Many drylands show clear evidence of environmental degradation. UNEP classifies about 75% of the world's drylands as degraded. Examples of dryland degradation include salinization and loss of vegetation or water resources. One of the greatest threats is desertification, which robs the land of its soil, its biodiversity, and ultimately its productivity. The spread of desertification results in the degraded landscape shown here. Millions of people may be forced to leave the land when it can no longer sustain them.