Set A
Set B
100
55
5
33
DESERTIFICATION
Whitney Kerns, Kevin Bradley,
Danielle Reeves & Gavin Pickenpaugh
Project Description:
A= Signed international agreement on desertification (see below description)
B= Desertification a current environmental issue
Desertification is defined as the land degradation of our dry lands.
Land degradation is the drastic reduction or loss of the ecological productivity
of an area's forests, croplands and woodlands. This occurs due to a variety
of factors, including excessive land use, deforestation, overgrazing, expansion
of agriculture, and poor irrigation techniques. In short, it is due mainly
to the misuse of land by man. This is a threat to the ecosystem in the
areas that desertification is a problem and that is why this issue is receiving
so much attention.
The Office to Combat Desertification and Drought was created in 1973
and became part of the United Nations Development Program aimed to oversee
responsible dry land management. The UNDP is also involved in programs
for drought preparedness and mitigation. These programs are referred to
as NAP (National Action Programs). The ultimate goal is to incorporate
dry land issues into national development planning programs in the afflicted
countries.
Set A
Set B
33
Click on the links below to view the lists and maps for the groups of countries identified in the Venn Diagram.
#Map1 Countries that
signed the agreement but are not currently are facing desertification as
an environmental issue.
(Yes A & No B) 100 countries total. Indicated
in red.
#Map2 Countries
that signed the agreement and also currently are facing desertification
as an environmental issue.
(Yes A & Yes B) 55 countries total. Indicated
in black.
#Map3 Countries
that did not sign the agreement but are currently are facing desertification
as an environmental issue.
(No A & Yes B) 5 countries total. Indicated
in navy blue.
#Map4 Countries
that did not sign the agreement and are not currently are facing desertification
as an environmental issue. (No A & No B) 33 countries total. Indicated
in yellow.
Maps and Lists
Countries in Map 1: Countries that signed the agreement but are not
currently are facing desertification as an environmental issue. (Yes A
& No B) 100 countries total. Indicated in red.
Albania, Antigua & Barbuda, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Chile, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guiana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan,
Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldavia,
Monaco, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niue, Norway, Oman, Palau,
Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts & Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome &
Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United
Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.
#venn Return to Venn
Diagram
Countries in Map 2: Countries that signed the agreement and also currently
are facing desertification as an environmental issue. (Yes A & Yes
B) 55 countries total. Indicated in black.
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana,
Burkina, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Djibouti,
Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, India, Iran,
Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Mali,
Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania,
Tunisia, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, and Zambia
#venn Return to Venn
Diagram
Countries in Map 3: Countries that did not sign the agreement but are
currently are facing desertification as an environmental issue. (No A &
Yes B) 5 countries total. Indicated in navy blue.
Australia, Iraq, Somalia, Spain, and the United States
#venn Return to Venn
Diagram
Countries in Map 4: Countries that did not sign the agreement and are
not currently are facing desertification as an environmental issue. (No
A & No B) 33 countries total. Indicated in yellow.
Andorra, Bahamas, Belaru, Bhutan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, North Korea, Latvia, Liberia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Maldives, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
Philippines, Poland, Russia, Serbia & Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Surinam, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Ukraine, and
Western Sahara.
#venn Return to Venn Diagram
Conclusion:
It seems as though the majority
of countries who signed the agreement, do not actually have desertification
as a current issue (100 countries total). There is a good chance that those
countries signed the agreement as a preventative measure, just in case
their countries would run in to desertification in the future. They could
possibly be in the situation where they know that because of the way their
country uses land in general, that desertification will be in the future,
and want to take that preventative step. Those countries who did not sign
the agreement and who do not have desertification as a current issue (33
countries total), must have realized that there was no need to sign the
agreement for one reason or another. If a country is located in the tropics
or is a small island country with low crop productivity, the chances of
desertification effecting them are very slim. Therefore, no need to sign
the agreement. The countries that signed the agreement and do have desertification
as an environmental issue were the smart ones. They were able to recognize
that their country was in danger of desertification and did something actively
to protect themselves from the situation getting worse. And finally, those
countries that did not sign the agreement, but do have desertification
as an issue. . . well, they certainly are out of luck! The only logical
explanation would be that those countries, (5 total) were planning on relying
on their own national wealth to handle the crisis of desertification, and
did not feel the need to be inclusive with other countries.
Date: April 2, 2001
