Environmental Protection: A Major Step Toward Sustainable Development

According to the Public Relations and Website Office of Khatam University, deserts are generally defined as areas of land characterized by conditions that limit plant growth, including dry climates, strong winds, low rainfall, and high rates of evaporation. Wide seasonal temperature fluctuations and the presence of sand dunes are also among the main characteristics of desert environments.

Desertification, however, is a different phenomenon. It results largely from inappropriate human activities that cause land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid regions. Together with climate change and freshwater scarcity, desertification has become one of the most pressing global challenges of our time and a major obstacle to sustainable development.

Estimates suggest that desertification affects approximately one-sixth of the world’s population and nearly one-fourth of the Earth's land area. Each year, around 12 million hectares of agricultural land, rangelands, and forests around the world are degraded and gradually transformed into desert-like areas due to declining soil quality and reduced moisture levels. This process occurs mainly in dry regions located at the edges of major deserts, where nearly one billion people live.

Human activities play a significant role in accelerating desertification. Unsustainable farming practices, excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, overgrazing, and the overuse of forests and groundwater resources are among the major factors contributing to environmental degradation and land deterioration.

In 1992, at the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, desertification was officially recognized as one of the major threats to sustainable development. Two years later, in 1994, the United Nations General Assembly designated June 17 as the "World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought." The goal of this initiative was to raise public awareness and encourage actions aimed at combating desertification, particularly in areas vulnerable to severe drought.

Various innovative measures have been introduced worldwide to reduce environmental degradation and control the movement of sand and dust. These efforts include planting trees and seedlings, implementing seeding programs, protecting land areas, cultivating drought-resistant and salt-tolerant plants, improving water management systems, balancing livestock numbers with rangeland capacity, adopting effective rainwater harvesting techniques, rehabilitating salt-affected lands, and promoting alternative energy sources.

Efforts to combat desertification cannot succeed without advancements in science and education at all levels of society. Recognizing its responsibility in promoting knowledge and preparing skilled professionals, Khatam University has established a Faculty of Agriculture and Food Security. The university also aims to integrate sustainability principles into its educational system, beginning with environmentally responsible practices.