干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Desertification refers to land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. Areas affected by desertification processes lose progressively their level of biological quality and productivity. In Europe, desertification processes affect approximately 10% of the total land area. The Mediterranean and Eastern European Regions are specially threatened by desertification due to natural and economic pressures. This paper deals with the factors and causes of desertification at European level. The most important impacts and consequences of desertification processes are outlined. Finally, the current perspectives to effectively undertake the issue of desertification are described, focusing on the possibilities offered by the united Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.