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How many people are affected by desertification worldwide?
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desertification
Young trees planted to hinder sandstorms and reverse desertification in the Xihu preservation area of the Gobi Desert, near Dunhuang, China.
According to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the lives of 250 million people are currently affected by desertification worldwide.1
Furthermore, this phenomenon represents a severe global environmental challenge, with projections suggesting that as many as 135 million people may be displaced by desertification by the year 2045. Addressing the impacts of desertification on these populations is a matter of urgent ethical concern, as it threatens the livelihoods, food security, and stability of communities living in some of the world's poorest regions.1