Desertification is occurring in an area of 2 sq. Km in the world every year – on what way in Bangladesh?
Due to climate change, the world is facing various natural disasters today. Problems like abnormal rise in temperature and drought are adversely affecting our lives. Due to the adverse effects of climate, this green world of ours is gradually moving towards desertification.
The geographical areas most affected by desertification are Africa (Sahel Region), Asia (Gobi Desert and Mongolia) and parts of South America.
According to the United Nations, about two square kilometers of land is becoming desertified every year as a result of environmental degradation.
These problems are becoming evident in Bangladesh as well. The impact is serious on the country’s economy, agriculture and food security, energy, biodiversity, health, fresh water and coastal areas.
Once again, the summer heat wave is causing misery in the lives of the country. Rising temperatures and desertification are decreasing water availability, impacting agriculture and reducing crop production, which can lead to food crises.
Long periods of rainless conditions or insufficient rainfall reduce soil moisture. At the same time, the soil loses its natural properties or softness and becomes rough and becomes dry.
Again, desertification is the process of turning fertile land into desert as a result of climate change, drought and various human activities.
Dry lands are generally ecologically very fragile and are prone to desertification. As a result of desertification, land loses its productive capacity and becomes barren.
Due to desertification, the atmosphere’s temperature rises significantly, leading to heat waves that have ongoing negative effects on its inhabitants.
The UN IPCC report shows that the average surface temperature has risen by approximately 1.45 degrees Celsius in the past ten years. Scientists are worried that if global warming continues, the Earth’s temperature could rise by 0.50 to 1.70 degrees Celsius by 2050.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the country’s average temperature has risen by approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius in the past 50 years. As the average temperature has changed, the pattern and timing of rainfall has changed.
Seasons are no longer appearing on time according to natural rules and the number of seasons has also decreased. Apart from this, the arrival of winter and monsoon is delayed or untimely heavy rain or cold is felt.
The United Nations says that as the earth gets warmer, ice will melt and cause sea levels to rise. By 2050, around 17% of Bangladesh’s coastal area might be lost to the sea.
Urbanization, lack of coordination between agencies, poor environmental management, and deforestation are the main reasons for the rising temperatures.
Deforestation causes a rise in temperature due to the increase of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These gases absorb solar radiation and release it back into the atmosphere, causing the temperature to rise.
Droughts around the world are constantly reducing crop production and threatening food security. Africa’s Sahel region, Australia and California in the United States are suffering greatly due to drought. Drought occurs in about 13 to 14 districts of Bangladesh every year.
The risk of drought is increasing due to lack of rainfall, insufficient afforestation, encroachment of agricultural land and reservoirs.
Crop production in northwestern Bangladesh has decreased by 20-30% because of drought, says a report from the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council.
The Bangladesh Environment Department’s report shows that soil salinity is increasing in certain areas, posing a significant challenge to agricultural production. Indiscriminate deforestation is changing the local climate and the surface soil is being washed away by rainwater.
Drought reduces rainfall, changes weather temperature and wind speed, and accelerates desertification. Drought is causing water levels to drop, threatening fresh water supplies.
According to the United Nations Desertification Report, nearly two billion people worldwide are at risk of desertification. Desertification has resulted in 40 percent of North America’s arable land becoming desert.
On the other hand, deserts have consumed 650,000 square kilometers of land in the last 50 years in the southern part of the Sahara.
70% of the world’s wetlands are already degraded and 44 hectares of arable land and 20 hectares of forest land are being degraded every minute, which is about 7 million hectares of land every year.
The signs of desertification are clearly observed in the climate of Naogaon, Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj, known as Varendra region in the North-Western part of Bangladesh and coastal areas in the south.
In 2020, the Ministry of Water Resources survey found about 140 rivers in the country that are dying or already dead.
Deforestation is the main cause of desertification. Drought and desertification are disrupting crop production, threatening food security.
Experts say that the water level is decreasing by 2 to 3 feet per year. If this continues, the northern part of the country could turn into a desert in the next 20 to 25 years.
