{"id":83411,"date":"2016-11-28T12:00:33","date_gmt":"2016-11-28T12:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=83411"},"modified":"2016-11-25T18:04:30","modified_gmt":"2016-11-25T18:04:30","slug":"battle-of-the-desert-unccd-s-louise-baker-on-the-silk-road-iii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2016\/11\/battle-of-the-desert-unccd-s-louise-baker-on-the-silk-road-iii\/","title":{"rendered":"Battle of the Desert: UNCCD \u2018s Louise Baker on the Silk Road (III)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Louise<\/a>

Louise Baker<\/p><\/div>\n

23 Nov 2016<\/em> – Marking this year\u2019s World Day to Combat Desertification last June, the United Nations announced the launch of a China-United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Belt and Road Joint Action initiative to curb Desertification along the Silk Road.<\/p>\n

UNCCD<\/a> is the key United Nations legal framework to combat desertification. IPS interviews Louise Baker, Coordinator External Relations, Policy and Advocacy Unit, UNCCD about the current effects of drought in the countries, which are expected to benefit from this initiative?<\/p>\n

Drought is a complex natural hazard that causes more deaths and displaces more people than any other natural disaster. Its socio-economic and environmental impacts are severe and far-reaching, Baker states.<\/p>\n

\u201cDesertification and land degradation cause poverty and hunger. In turn, these can lead to massive environmental damage and natural resource scarcity that sometimes ends with conflict. It certainly hinders sustainable development.\u201d<\/p>\n

She then explains that there are 24 types of ecosystem services in the world. 15 are in decline. Desertification and land degradation are major stress factors. Many countries along the Belt and Road are highly vulnerable to both drought and desertification, and are facing social, economic and political stresses.<\/p>\n

Asked for specific examples, Baker cites the case of Uzbekistan: 73.6 per cent of the population live in areas affected by drought.<\/p>\n

Droughts have reduced the country\u2019s water flow by 35-40 per cent below the average\u2026crop yield losses range from 42 to 75 per cent\u2026 wetland ecosystems are degraded and up to 80 per cent of the lakes are drying out.<\/p>\n

The risk of ground water salinization is growing, says Baker, and adds: Iran often suffers from severe drought and has problems with sand and dust storms. A 1991 drought cost Iran 1.25 billion dollars, and a 2001 drought cost 7.5 billion dollars.<\/p>\n

Climate Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cDroughts will become more frequent, severe and widespread as a result of climate change, \u201c she explains. The Belt and Road Joint Action Initiative is a way of managing the land better, mitigating the effects of drought and promoting green economic growth. \u201cThat should lead to more equitable economic and social development.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Credit:<\/a>

Credit: 2013 UNCCD Photo contest Xiaoyun Zheng<\/p><\/div>\n

Asked what is the new joint initiative all about? How long will it be? How many years it will take to be completed? And how much will it cost and who will fund it? Louise Baker responds: \u201cThe joint action initiative involves the 23 countries located along the Silk Road. The long term vision is to protect and use natural resources rationally and to promote the development of a green economy in areas affected by land degradation and desertification.\u201d<\/p>\n

The countries, she explains, will work together to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 15 on land, in particular SDG target 15.3. That is about achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030.<\/p>\n

\u201cLand degradation neutrality is about maintaining a balance in the amount of healthy and productive land that every country has available by sustainably managing every hectare of productive land and by rehabilitating an equal amount of already degraded land.\u201d<\/p>\n

The partners have laid out a framework for actions in five areas.<\/p>\n