A rise in the amount of degraded land and the spread of desertification - the "most critical challenges" in West Asia - are having profound economic and environmental impacts on the region, the UNEP report on the region states. West Asia is suffering from an increase in water demand, overexploitation of groundwater resources and deteriorating water quality, as well as unsustainable patterns of consumption that threaten the region's ability to secure its sources of food, water and energy. In this assessment, the UNEP Secretariat and the authors provide an objective evaluation and analysis designed to support environmental decision making. Expert judgmentis applied to existing knowledge to provide scientifically credible answers to policy-relevant questions.