Tag Archives: Land Degradation

Land Degradation in the MENA Region – Causes, Impact and Response

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Globally, around 15% of the total land is degraded. For The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, this number is close to 50%. Land degradation, in general, is the loss of physical, biological and economic productivity of land due to anthropogenic factors; desertification is its subset as it is relevant specifically to the arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas. Land degradation is a growing global crisis, undermining food security, biodiversity and the health of ecosystems. Driven by deforestation, unsustainable agriculture, overgrazing and climate change, it affects over 3.2 billion people worldwide. The problem is especially severe in regions with … Continue reading →

Climate Change Impacts in the Levant

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Many countries in the Levant — such as Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria — are afflicted by water scarcity, weak institutional and governmental resource management, high food import dependency and fragile economies – all coupled with increasing populations and demand. According to the recent reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Arab World will be witnessing hotter and drier conditions with extensive droughts causing severe water shortages that will have dire impacts on agriculture and livelihood. Farmers in the Levant have been addressing climate change adaptation and resilience issues through farming, water management and environmental degradation. Global climate … Continue reading →

Desertification in MENA – Causes and Solutions

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Desertification is a worldwide phenomenon afflicting countries all over the world. The desert is making a comeback in the Middle East, with fertile lands turning into barren wastes. According to UNDP’s 2009 Arab Human Development Report, desertification is threatening around one-fifth of the MENA region. China is experiencing desertification at an alarming rate – as much as 1,300 square miles each year. Sub-Saharan Africa is drying up, as are regions of Turkey that were once rich agricultural lands. During the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the world’s leaders adopted the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and agreed on the desertification definition … Continue reading →

Sustainable Development in Jordan: Perspectives

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During the last few decades, sustainable development emerged as a hot topic in many reform agendas and strategic management plans in Jordan. The picture is not always optimistic where poverty, climate change and wars to name but a few of the continuous burdens, yet, some results have been successfully reaped. In this article, I will provide a reflection on the sustainable development journey in Jordan. Firstly, what the country achieved from the year 2000 to 2015 and secondly, what challenges the country has to counter from the year 2015 to 2030. Millennium Development Goals – Year 2000 to 2015 Jordan … Continue reading →