es.euronews.com
Three-Quarters of Earth's Land Dries, Sparking UN Summit on Desertification
A UN report reveals that 77.6% of Earth's land is drier, impacting nearly five billion people by the end of the century and threatening food security and migration, while a Riyadh summit debates funding and solutions for worsening droughts.
- What are the immediate consequences of the increasing aridity affecting over 77% of the Earth's land surface?
- More than three-quarters of the Earth's land surface has become drier over the past three decades, according to a UN report. This trend impacts nearly five billion people and threatens food security and economic development in already vulnerable regions. The UNCCD highlights the expansion of drylands, now covering over 40% of the Earth excluding Antarctica.
- How do the economic and political factors influence the international response to desertification and drought?
- The report, released at a UN summit in Riyadh, links increased aridity to climate change driven by fossil fuel combustion. Increased evaporation reduces water availability for humans, plants, and animals, impacting agriculture and leading to migration. The UNCCD advocates for improved water management and reforestation to mitigate these effects.
- What are the long-term implications if the current trend of desertification continues unabated, and what systemic changes are required to effectively address this?
- The Riyadh summit focuses on immediate responses to more frequent and severe droughts, with disagreements among nations about funding responsibilities. While solutions like drought-resistant crops and efficient irrigation are discussed, long-term solutions like addressing climate change are absent, highlighting the tension between immediate needs and systemic change. The Saudi Arabian government's economic reliance on fossil fuels complicates this.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing emphasizes the urgency and severity of desertification, potentially increasing public concern. The use of phrases like "potentially catastrophic impacts" and "impacts that could push people and nature closer to disastrous tipping points" contributes to this emphasis. While the information is factual, the selection and presentation of this information creates a sense of alarm.
Language Bias
The language used is generally neutral, although terms like "potentially catastrophic impacts" and "disastrous tipping points" are emotive. While these terms accurately reflect the severity, they contribute to the overall alarmist tone. More neutral alternatives might include "significant consequences" and "critical thresholds.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the severity and consequences of desertification but omits discussion of potential solutions beyond improved water management practices and reforestation. While acknowledging long-term solutions like climate change mitigation, it doesn't delve into these, likely due to the context of the UNCCD summit focused on immediate action. The lack of detailed exploration of political and economic factors influencing climate change action, especially regarding the role of fossil fuels, represents a significant omission.
False Dichotomy
The article doesn't present a false dichotomy, but it implicitly frames the situation as a challenge requiring immediate adaptation rather than prioritizing prevention through global climate action. This framing, while understandable given the summit's focus, omits the crucial long-term perspective needed to address the root causes.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights that 77.6% of the Earth's land surface has experienced drier conditions over the past 30 years, leading to desertification and impacting water access. This directly relates to climate change impacts and the urgent need for climate action to mitigate further desertification and its consequences. The increasing frequency and severity of droughts, as noted in the article, are a direct consequence of climate change, threatening food security and human well-being. The article also mentions the insufficient funding to address drought and desertification, highlighting the gap in resources needed for climate action.