More than one-third of Greece at risk of desertification
More than one-third of Greece’s territory is affected by desertification, while nearly half of the country’s population lives in areas directly exposed to the process, according to a report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC).
The report identifies desertification as one of the major environmental and socioeconomic threats facing Europe and places Greece among the countries most severely affected.
According to the findings, 72.74% of Greece’s territory shows signs of land degradation in at least one indicator, while desertification affects approximately 36% of the country’s land.
Greece among Europe’s most affected countries
Spain ranks first among EU countries in terms of the share of territory affected by desertification, at 53%, followed by Cyprus at 45%. Greece ranks third at 36%, while Portugal follows at 28%.
The figures also highlight the scale of the issue in terms of population exposure. Around 47% of Greece’s population lives in areas directly affected by desertification, placing the country second in Europe behind Cyprus, where the corresponding figure stands at 61%.
What desertification means
The JRC report emphasizes that desertification does not refer to the expansion of traditional deserts.
Instead, it describes the degradation of land in dry and semi-arid areas caused by a combination of factors, including climate change and human activity.
Land degradation can reduce the ability of soil to support vegetation, sustain agricultural production and provide the conditions necessary for human communities to live and prosper.
The findings underscore the growing environmental and socioeconomic challenges posed by land degradation and climate pressures across Greece and other parts of southern Europe.
