The Maghreb Drought Early Warning System (Life-Third Countries) is among the fruits of Morocco's collaboration with the OSS, he said, noting that this project enabled notably the assessment of
desertification early warning systems and the development of indicators of vulnerability to this phenomenon.
"Karbala Governor, Engineer Amal al-Din Majid al-Hir, has signed a Memo of Understanding (MOU) and an agreement with a Russian University team, who visited the Province within a delegation, representing four Russian universities, to fight
desertification, considered the first of its kind," Dr.
Water scarcity in existing drylands makes it difficult for plants, animals and humans to thrive there;
desertification makes it impossible, forcing those affected to flee to more hospitable lands, whether they are welcome or not.
The Day is commemorated to create awareness among people about land degradation and
desertification, which affect millions of people around the world including arid and semi arid regions of Pakistan.
Desertification threatens 20 percent of the already dry Middle East and North Africa, pushing many states to invest in African farmland to feed growing populations, said Wadid Erian of the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands.
But wood and charcoal burning on open fires is inherently inefficient--much of the energy is wasted--and contributes to
desertification as Africa's precious timber is chopped down for fuel.
It asks that the relation between poverty and
desertification is addressed and stresses the possible contribution of this convention in close cooperation with the other initiatives relating to the sustainable management of forests, access to water and migration.
More than 110 countries including Pakistan and two-third of agricultural land of the world are being faced with the challenge of
desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD).
The minister made the comments ahead of the 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) to the UN Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD) which is slated to be held from September 2-13 in Greater Noida.
The Federal Ministry of Environment says 35 percent of Nigeria's landmass has been eroded by
desertification with more areas still threatened.
Accordingly, out of 79.9 million hectares of Pakistan's total land, 62 million hectares are vulnerable to
desertification.
Desertification is defined as the process of fertile land transforming into desert typically as a result of deforestation, drought and inappropriate agriculture.
ISLAMABAD -- United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD), Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw has admired Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Malik Amin Aslam, for successfully planting a billion trees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
RAWALPINDI -- Out of 79.6 million hectares of Pakistan's total land, 62m hectares are vulnerable to
desertification, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said on Wednesday.
'Our country produced 55 billion polythene bags annually while around 75 per cent of country's land was suffering
desertification,' said speaking at a seminar at Arid Agricultural University.
