SciDev.Net

Saviour tree turns scourge in Kenya

Kenyan forestry specialists, acting on research by scientists, are trying to control a tree said to threaten up to 27 million hectares of land.

NEWS | 24 November 2009 | EN

Uniting drylands research could halt looming crisis

Scientists have urged the UN's desertification convention to unite research on land degradation and so convince policymakers to take action.

NEWS | 28 September 2009 | EN | ES | FR | 中文

Desert greening could slow climate change

Researchers have developed a model for greening the Sahara desert and say the method could help curb climate change.

NEWS | 16 September 2009 | EN

Arab environment 'under threat'

Arab states are facing many challenges, such as water scarcity and desertification, that will worsen with climate change, says a report.

NEWS | 10 March 2009 | EN

Desertification reversed in northern Ethiopia

Researchers have concluded that, with the right policies in place, coaxing a severely degraded region back into recovery is possible.

NEWS | 6 February 2009 | EN

African 'wall of trees' gets underway

Preparations are rife for Africa's 'Great Green Wall', a measure to prevent desertification, three years after it was first proposed.

NEWS | 7 July 2008 | EN

South Asia News in brief: 1–15 March 2008

A round-up of news from or about South Asia for the period 1–15 March 2008.

NEWS | 20 March 2008 | EN

Sub-Saharan Africa news in brief: 25 Feb–12 Mar 2008

A round up of news from or about Sub-Saharan Africa for the period 25 February–12 March 2008.

NEWS | 13 March 2008 | EN

Climate change 'poses drought risk for Africa'

Sub-Saharan Africa's agricultural and food systems could be affected by drought caused by climate change, say scientists.

NEWS | 21 February 2008 | EN

Namibia's poor 'will be hit hard' by climate change

Poor people in Namibia will be greatly affected by the economic impacts of climate change, warns a study.

NEWS | 13 December 2007

Algeria and China forge scientific partnership

Algeria and China signed an agreement last week to collaborate in agricultural science and desertification.

NEWS | 27 November 2007 | EN | 中文

Soil degradation issues 'swept aside', say experts

More attention must be paid to the global degradation of land and its impact on climate change and food security, scientists say.

NEWS | 7 September 2007 | EN | 中文

Fog helps crops thrive in Chile

Fog could provide a previously untapped source of water to grow crops in semi-arid regions of Chile.

NEWS | 8 August 2007 | EN | ES

UNEP: climate change behind Darfur conflict

A United Nations Environmental Program report says environmental degradation is driving the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region.

NEWS | 29 June 2007 | EN

UN: Policymakers must rethink desertification

A new UN report warns of mass migration of displaced dryland communities if policy is not coordinated to tackle desertification.

NEWS | 28 June 2007 | EN | 中文

Islamic fund created to secure food in Niger

Islamic states have agreed to donate US$370 million to Niger over the next five years to combat desertification and improve food security.

NEWS | 19 June 2007 | EN

Local people 'vital to preventing desertification'

Taking into account local people's livelihoods and knowledge can help prevent the desertification of drylands, according to scientists.

NEWS | 14 May 2007 | EN

Forced migration key issue at desert meeting

Environmental migration will be a key topic when international experts discuss desertification in Algeria next week.

NEWS | 15 December 2006 | EN

Tunisia signs science cooperation deal with China

New scientific cooperation between Tunisia and China will include knowledge transfer in desertification, nuclear energy and sea technology.

NEWS | 30 October 2006 | EN | 中文

Energy from deserts could supply Europe

Solar energy captured in deserts in the Middle East and North Africa could meet the region's electricity needs — and that of Europe.

NEWS | 26 October 2006 | EN