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UN Secretary General: â€œThe number of environmentally induced migrants could rise to 200 million by 2050â€

16 June 2009 08:34 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva â€“APA. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent a message to the member countries on June 17, World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, UN Office in Baku told APA. â€œDesertification and land degradation affect one third of the Earthâ€™s surface, threatening the livelihoods, well-being and development of as many as 1 billion people. Faced with long periods of drought, famine and deepening poverty, many have only one option: flight from the land. There are already an estimated 24 million environmentally induced migrants. That number could rise to 200 million by 2050â€, said UN Secretary General in his message.

This yearâ€™s observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought highlights the growing threat to national and regional stability posed by desertification, said the Secretary General. â€œNearly one-third of the worldâ€™s cropland has become unproductive and been abandoned in the past 40 years. Almost three-quarters of rangelands show various symptoms of desertification. On this World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, let us recognize the security risks of letting desertification advance unchecked. Let us also recognize that by combating climate change we can help to reverse desertification, increase agricultural productivity, alleviate poverty and enhance global securityâ€, said Ban Ki-moon.