Chapter 2: State of the Environment and Policy Response
2.2 Land resources
2.2.1 Land resources in West Asia region Land, in its wider sense, includes soil, water, vegetation, landscape, animals, humans and the microclimatic components of an ecosystem. West Asia is one of the regions
Case study Key messages: Land resources
• The spread of land degradation and desertification and its economic and environmental consequences are the most critical challenges facing West Asian countries.
• Continuous shrinkage of agricultural lands due to population growth, urbanisation, land degradation and desertification will jeopardize food security in the region, especially in the Mashriq countries and Yemen.
• Policies to combat land degradation and desertification have to consider the multiple drivers and pressures of the problem in the region as well as evaluate its socio-economic and environmental impact.
• Coupled with relatively high population growth and continuous conflicts and wars, the carrying capacity of the land has become too low to support people with freshwater and food, leaving aside the needs of ecosystems.
• A prevalence of climate extremes and forecasted climate change may exacerbate the extent of land degradation and water scarcity in the region.
• Lack of accurate data and information on land degradation and desertification in West Asia makes it difficult to precisely assess the extent and magnitude of the problem. Thus, integrated monitoring is essential to better understand the causes and consequences of the phenomena. Furthermore, efforts to combat land degradation and desertification in the region should capitalize on science and technology for devising and up-scaling remedial and preventive measures.
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Forests and rangelands are important natural ecosystems in the region for the conservation of biodiversity and for counteracting and mitigating the effect of climate change. Increasing the resilience of these ecosystems requires sound planning and integrated management strategies.
• Regional cooperation is key for combatting desertification, drought and dust storms. To this end, collaborative action and development of a regional early-warning system for drought and dust storms are essential steps towards alleviating the impacts of land degradation on human health and ecosystem functioning.
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Sustainable management of land resources requires comprehensive policies backed by all-encompassing national legislation in countries of the region as well as cooperation among countries.
most affected by land degradation, as shown by increased desertification, water scarcity, reduced productivity, increased pollution and deterioration of biodiversity and ecosystems as a whole. Deserts and drylands occupy around two thirds of the West Asia region, including rangeland. Cultivated land makes up 4.8 per cent and forests 1.4 per cent of the total area (AOAD 2014).
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