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Deep Dive: Desertification: A Slow-Motion Disaster (2025)

Film Lens

Desertification: A Slow-Motion Disaster
The documentary examines the widespread issue of desertification, which threatens 40% of the Earth's land surface. It discusses how deserts are expanding, particularly in Africa, where the Sahara Desert has grown by more than 10% in the last century. The film shows the impact of sandstorms, which have increased in frequency and intensity, causing chaos in regions like the Middle East, where a sand wall affected several countries in September 2015. Experts are working to combat desertification through sustainable farming, improved irrigation, and forest conservation. The film presents initiatives like the ambitious plan to create a green barrier across the southern Sahara, connecting Senegal to Djibouti. Despite the challenges, the documentary emphasizes that there is still time to take action against desertification and its effects on human populations and ecosystems.

Why Watch

  • •See how sandstorms are reshaping the Middle East.
  • •Find out about the green barrier project in Africa.
  • •Meet experts studying desertification's impact on populations.

Did You Know

•Deserts cover nearly a third of the Earth's surface.
•If unchecked, desertification could lead to the loss of 10 million hectares of fertile land each year.
•The Sahara Desert has expanded by more than 10% in the last century.
•In Mauritania, two-thirds of the land is desert.

Perfect For

Environmental scienceClimate change awarenessSustainable agriculture