Status of desertification and implementation of the United Nations plan of action to combat desertification
Maukonen, T.
Problems of Desert Development 3: 13-18
1992
Document Number: 243174
Losses in productive capacity due to land degradation in the drylands of the world are assessed at US $42.3 billion. Over 3,500 million hectares are affected. Desertification was not generally recognized until 1977, when the UN conference on Desertification adopted a plan of action to combat it. The aim of the conference was to prevent and stop desertification processes and, where possible return land to production. Progress with the action plan is reported, and the problems of unfavourable short-term cost/benefit ratios and lack of funding in developing countries are outlined.