Anthropogenic climate change has driven over 5 million km² of drylands towards desertification

Drylands, covering 41% of the Earth's land surface and 45% of its agricultural land, are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic climate and land use changes, leading to desertification. This study is the first observation-based attribution study of desertification, considering climate change, climate variability, CO2 fertilization, and land use changes. Between 1982 and 2015, 6% of the world's drylands underwent desertification due to unsustainable land use compounded by anthropogenic climate change. Despite global greening, anthropogenic climate change degraded 12.6% (5.43 million km²) of drylands, affecting 213 million people, mostly in developing economies.

A. L. Burrell, J. P. Evans, M. G. De Kauwe