Researchers at 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) revealed that three species of animals- Indian Cheetah, pink-headed duck and Great Indian Bustard have become extinct in India. Research indicates that desertification is cause behind this. More than 150 species are approaching point of extinction and have been categorized as critically endangered. On this occasion, Director of Zoological Survey of India, Kailash Chandra expressed his opinion.  

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‘Impact of deforestation and desertification’ 

Chandra stated that y had a database of more than 5.6 million specimens, from all over India and neighbouring countries before Independence. According to him, this data gave a lot of information about how things had changed in more than 100 years. He stressed that deforestation and desertification had a huge impact on life of species. Furr, he elaborated on causes of desertification like insecticides, pesticides, conversion to agricultural land, industries and chemicals, and indiscriminate development. Chandra opined that entire food chain was affected due to desertification and it was essential to minimize it.  

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Millions of species at risk 

He observed that India faced a growing threat of land degradation. More than 30% of land resources in India have been affected by over-cultivation, soil erosion and depletion of wetlands. India is t only country having issues of aridity. A recent report from  Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), functioning under aegis of UN, estimated that over a million plant and animal species were at risk due to degradation of ecosystems like coral reefs, mangroves, and wetlands. 

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COP14-UNCCD meeting in Greater ida 

Representatives of countries all over world have gared at COP14-UNCCD from September 2 to September 13 to ackwledge this crucial issue and work towards better land manment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed garing and promised co-operation in fighting climate change and land degradation. He elucidated negative effects of climate change. Moreover, he anunced setting up of India’s first Centre of Excellence at Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education to focus on land degradation issues for better South-South co-operation. 

(With ANI inputs) 

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