Proceedings of the International Workshop on Combating Desertification: Rehabilitation of Degraded Drylands and Biosphere Reserves
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UNCCD Library
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ebook
The 1969 to 1973 drought in the African Sahel helped focus world attention on desertification. Ever since,
misconceptions have arisen from the poorly understood processes of desertification, which are often wrongly
attributed solely to droughts. Droughts are common in arid and semi-arid lands, but it is the deadly combination of continued land abuse during periods of deficient rainfall that results in unproductive land, and ultimately desertification.
Well-managed land will recover from droughts with minimal adverse effects when the rains return. However, understanding the intricate relationship between climate change and poor land-use practices by enhancing knowledge on desertification process is essential. Just as is determining actions needed to halt its progression — essential if we wish to halt the unrelenting degradation of natural resources that threatens our common future.
Workshops such as took place in Aleppo bring together scientists and experts working in this field to share
their experiences so as to improve our knowledge and practices to combat desertification. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves has a significant role to play, as there are currently 425 biosphere reserves worldwide in 95 countries, with 47 biosphere reserves being largely arid and semi-arid ecosystems.
The contributions in this volume constitute the second publication of the UNESCO-MAB Drylands Series and
stem from the International Workshop on Desertification: Rehabilitation of Degraded Drylands and Biosphere
Reserves, which took place at the ICARDA Headquarters in Aleppo (Syrian Arab Republic) from 2–3 May, 2002.
ABOUT MAB: Launched in 1971, UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an Intergovernmental Scientific Programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.
MAB combines the natural and social sciences, economics and education to improve human livelihoods and the equitable sharing of benefits, and to safeguard natural and managed ecosystems, thus promoting innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable.
Its World Network of Biosphere Reserves currently counts 686 sites in 122 countries all over the world, including 20 transboundary sites.
misconceptions have arisen from the poorly understood processes of desertification, which are often wrongly
attributed solely to droughts. Droughts are common in arid and semi-arid lands, but it is the deadly combination of continued land abuse during periods of deficient rainfall that results in unproductive land, and ultimately desertification.
Well-managed land will recover from droughts with minimal adverse effects when the rains return. However, understanding the intricate relationship between climate change and poor land-use practices by enhancing knowledge on desertification process is essential. Just as is determining actions needed to halt its progression — essential if we wish to halt the unrelenting degradation of natural resources that threatens our common future.
Workshops such as took place in Aleppo bring together scientists and experts working in this field to share
their experiences so as to improve our knowledge and practices to combat desertification. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves has a significant role to play, as there are currently 425 biosphere reserves worldwide in 95 countries, with 47 biosphere reserves being largely arid and semi-arid ecosystems.
The contributions in this volume constitute the second publication of the UNESCO-MAB Drylands Series and
stem from the International Workshop on Desertification: Rehabilitation of Degraded Drylands and Biosphere
Reserves, which took place at the ICARDA Headquarters in Aleppo (Syrian Arab Republic) from 2–3 May, 2002.
ABOUT MAB: Launched in 1971, UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an Intergovernmental Scientific Programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.
MAB combines the natural and social sciences, economics and education to improve human livelihoods and the equitable sharing of benefits, and to safeguard natural and managed ecosystems, thus promoting innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable.
Its World Network of Biosphere Reserves currently counts 686 sites in 122 countries all over the world, including 20 transboundary sites.
Keywords
desertification
biodiversity conservation
ecological change and desertification
dryland ecosystems
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