The available evidence reveals that climate change has economic and social consequences on biodiversity and, in general, on the well-being of the population, and will be one of the key factors in the style of development during the 21st century (IPCC, 2007; Stern, 2007).

Interview with Mr. Joseluis Samaniego
Director of the Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

Drought could parch close to 70 percent of the planet's soil by 2025 unless countries implement policies to slow desertification, according to United Nations' estimates. Rather than a discouragement, this should be a call to governments, private sector, international donors and society in general, for coordinated action.

The Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, MR. Luc Gnacadja, calls on world leaders to promote effective land use methods to mitigate drought and combat land degradation. Land is generating life-supplying biological productivity and its really productive area is a very limited part of it.