TASK – 1 – Question -5

Global and Regional Causes of Land Degradation in the 1990s

BAND SCORE : 9

The pie chart illustrates the primary causes of worldwide land degradation, while the table provides a breakdown of how these causes impacted three regions of the world—North America, Europe, and Oceania—during the 1990s.

The pie chart shows that over-grazing is the leading cause of land degradation globally, accounting for 35% of the total. This is followed closely by deforestation, which is responsible for 30% of the degradation. Over-cultivation contributes to 28%, while other causes make up the remaining 7%.

The table indicates that Europe experienced the highest percentage of land degradation, with a total of 23%. Over-cultivation (7.7%) and deforestation (9.8%) were the significant factors contributing to this degradation, along with over-grazing (5.5%).

In Oceania, over-grazing was the predominant cause of land degradation, accounting for 11.3% of the total 13% degraded land. Deforestation contributed a smaller portion (1.7%), while over-cultivation had no recorded impact.

North America had the lowest total land degradation at 5%. Over-cultivation was the leading cause, responsible for 3.3%, followed by over-grazing at 1.5% and deforestation at a minimal 0.2%.

In summary, while over-grazing is the most significant cause of land degradation globally, the impact varies by region. Europe is the most affected, primarily due to deforestation and over-cultivation. Oceania’s degradation is mainly due to over-grazing, and North America has the least degradation, with over-cultivation being the major cause.