A United Nations report released Monday warns that much of Earth’s land is drying out, threatening the survival of plant and animal life. The report was unveiled during U.N. talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focused on combating desertification—when once-fertile lands transform into deserts due to rising temperatures caused by human-induced climate change, water scarcity, and deforestation.
The report found that over three-quarters of the world’s land has experienced drier conditions from 1970 to 2020 compared to the previous thirty-year period.
At the ongoing talks, which began last week and will conclude on Friday, nations are discussing strategies to address both droughts—short-term water shortages—and the more permanent challenge of land degradation.
The report warns that if global warming trends persist, nearly five billion people—spanning most of Europe, parts of the western U.S., Brazil, eastern Asia, and central Africa—will face drier conditions by the end of the century, up from a quarter of the world’s population today.
Sergio Vicente-Serrano, one of the lead authors of the report, explained that the increasing heat from the burning of fossil fuels leads to greater evaporation, which reduces the availability of water for humans, plants, and animals, making survival more difficult.
Agriculture is particularly vulnerable, as drier land is less productive, affecting crop yields and food availability for livestock, which can lead to food insecurity globally.
Aridity also drives migration, as inconsistent rainfall, land degradation, and frequent water shortages hinder economic development in affected regions. The report highlights this trend in some of the world’s driest areas, including southern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and southern Asia.
