The degradation of land is accelerating as a result of deforestation and urbanization, the UN has warned in its report on the planet’s land prospects released this week. 16 million square kilometers show continued potential land degradation (the size of South America) by 2050. Up to 40 % of the planet’s land is degraded, and this directly affects half of humanity.

The Global Land Outlook reported that chronic land degradation threatens roughly half of global GDP (44 trillion USD) without a curb to urbanization and deforestation and a change to agricultural and food production practices.

Source: VOV5