Desertification turns fertile land into desert territory.
Desertization is the process and consequences of the action of desertification . This verb, according to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) , is synonymous with desertifying : converting a fertile territory into desert terrain.
We have to state that the term desertification has its etymological origin in Latin. Specifically, it derives from the verb deserere , which can be translated as “forget” or “abandon.”
Desertification and desertification
It is important to keep in mind, however, that desertification is not the same as desertification. Desertification is understood as an evolution of nature , which transforms the characteristics of the environment of a region and causes the territory in question to become a desert .
Desertification, on the other hand, is linked to the damage that occurs to fertile land and is usually linked to human behavior.
Desertification is a phenomenon of natural causes.
Its causes
Among the reasons that can cause desertification, there are various reasons specific to biology , geology and even astronomy . In any case, the phenomenon occurs without the direct participation of human beings .
The phenomenon of desertification may be due to any of the following causes:
- Torrential rains, which wash away the vegetation cover of a territory.
- Drought, which brings with it not only a water imbalance but also notable damage in regards to the land's production systems.
- Erosion, which destroys soil and other elements of nature such as rocks.
It can be said, therefore, that desertification and desertification are phenomena that transform productive lands into deserts. Their difference is that, in the first case, the causes are natural, while, in the second, the phenomenon is produced by the activity of people.
Fight against desertification
Currently, desertification is considered one of the environmental phenomena that worries the world most. Hence, the different authorities on the matter throughout the planet are continually analyzing it and putting forward proposals to be able to deal with it effectively.
In this sense, one of the organizations that works the most in this regard is the UN Convention to Combat Desertification . It was created in the mid- 90s and is made up of approximately 180 countries.
Among the nations most affected by problems like the one at hand are those that shape Africa . However, there are also other corners of Spain or South America that suffer from these disorders, which do not seem to stop at any time.
Desertification can be seen in various parts of the world, where it causes ecological problems but also economic and social problems as people lose their means of subsistence. The process begins with the degradation of the land and, if it is not stopped in time, it can lead to irreparable desertification without the possibility of recovery for the land.