desertification
3 September 2007
Officials from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism are
currently attending the eighth conference of the parties to the United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP8), which is taking place in
Madrid, Spain from 3 to 14 September 2007.
The UNCCD is the centrepiece of the international community's efforts to
combat desertification and land degradation in the dry lands. The UNCCD was
adopted on 17 June 1994, entered into force on 26 December 1996, and currently
has 191 parties.
The UNCCD recognises the physical, biological and socioeconomic aspects of
desertification, the importance of redirecting technology transfer so that it
is demand-driven, and the involvement of local communities in combating
desertification and land degradation. The core of the UNCCD is the development
of national, sub regional and regional action programmes by national
governments, in co-operation with donors, local communities and Non
Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
Land degradation is an ecological problem that manifests itself both at
local level by affecting the economic well being of people and at a global
level by undermining the integrity, stability functions and services of
ecosystems. More than 250 million people in over 110 countries are directly
affected by desertification and about one billion people are at risk. Arid
areas of all continents have deserts. However desert margins, semi-deserts and
steppes with their vulnerable natural resources are the major areas affected by
desertification.
Desertification and climate change linkages lead to a multitude of
socio-economic problems for vulnerable communities, especially in Africa. Most
of African communities live on agriculture-based economies, and survive by
subsistence farming or productivity of marginal lands. However, activities that
take place in the developed economies can indirectly contribute to the
livelihood of these distant communities due to the global impacts of climate
change and desertification. The most vulnerable continent is Africa, with about
60% of its total area covered by deserts or dry lands. The United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that desertification costs Africa about
US$9 billion a year.
The socio-economic dimension of desertification is most pronounced in Africa
where extensive areas bordering the Sahara are affected.
About half of Southern Africa is semi-arid, and thus vulnerable to the
effects of desertification. Some of the most vulnerable regions are the areas
around the edges of the Kalahari Desert and some regions in the Karoo. The
region around Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa has been recognised by the
United Nations Environment Programme as one of the top five endangered dry land
regions in the world. South Africa's government departments, private sectors
and national research institutions are involved in multi-pronged programmes to
identify vulnerable regions, and mitigation actions to alleviate the threat
posed by desertification and climate change.
The eighth A high-level interactive dialogue on the theme 'Desertification
and adaptation to climate change' will also take place. The seventh round table
of members of Parliament will occur at the margins of the conference to address
issues ranging from 'Challenges of forced migration due to drought and
desertification' to 'Meeting the challenges of combating desertification as
they relate to climate change.'
Affected countries that are party to the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification have an obligation to prepare a National Action Programme (NAP)
for the implementation of the provisions of the convention. NAP provides a
framework of partnerships that calls for all government structures, scientific
research institutions communities, non-government organisations and private
sector to work together and for the international community to provide the
necessary technology, capacity development and financial resources for the
implementation of the convention.
For further information contact:
Mava Scott
Cell: 082 411 9821
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
3 September 2007
