Desertification

“Desertification is the process by which vegetation in drylands i.e. arid and semi-arid lands, such as grasslands or shrublands, decreases and eventually disappears. The concept does not refer to the physical expansion of existing deserts, but to the various processes that threaten to turn currently non-desert ecosystems into deserts.

Human activities, including deforestation and the overexploitation of aquifers, accelerate desertification.” (Iberdrola, 2025)