These challenges are all interrelated, especially in areas with high levels of poverty. Deforestation, for instance, is sometimes the only available option for farmers living in areas with no alternative livelihood and decreasing soil fertility in their current farms. Lack of capital to buy fertilisers for their infertile fields necessitates them cutting down the forest for fertile land, albeit for only one or two growing seasons.

It becomes a bit counterproductive to just carry out a campaign to stop deforestation without addressing the economics of the problem.

I think one way out of this is for NGOs working to curb deforestation to redirect their funds to empowering the farmers to maintain the fertility of their current fields or provide alternative livelihoods.

Dear Arthur,

Nice to hear all the aspects and the consequences we are facing now a days world wide. some of the things i wish to share.

1.lack of awareness

2.unsustainable utilization of resources

3. un-planned urbanization and industrial activities

4.improper disposal of wastes, waste-water, effluents in to natural resources like water bodies, agricultural fields etc.,

5.conversion of irrigation lands/areas into buildings

6. direct discharges of wastes into natural resources

In my opinion the main problem is unstoppable growth rate population at developing country (especially now at the pyramid shape). increasing population give impact on increasing the need of resources for food, space, materials, houses, roads, building, industries, and soon. People (farmers, fisherman, forester, etc) harvest, collect, gather, or exploit their livelihood and need direct or indirectly from natural resources. The exploitation and utilization to full fill the need of the people give impact on degradation, reducing or erosion (at any level of biodiversity), land conversion, and pollution . As a consequence there is scarcity of any resources (foods, biodiversity, etc), and even worse climate change, global warming, and poverty which is now happening around the world. so as long as there is no action to reduce the growth rate of population in developing country, there will be any problems related to the disturbances and natural resources scarcity. so it is cause-effect, everything is connected to anything else, and everything have limits (law of ecology).

Hari mentioned rapid population growth as a fundamental cause of natural resource degradation and climate change in developing countries, which is not touched by other participants. I also share this point, because population growth is mostly debated in national and international conferences as a factor contributing to this problem. Even some scientists argue that it is not a problem. By 2050 it is projected that the world population may reach 11 billion, additional 5 billion to the current figure. However, the resource is limited and even some resources have been very limiting even at present. So, I think it is not complex to anticipate the huge pressure on earth which will be caused by unplanned population explosion.

thanks Getachew, its the true reality. that is why we are facing food scarcity, poverty, and so on. In fact, there many family planning models are implemented in some countries such as China—advertises its one-child policy as a means to a “prosperous life” with the punishment: strictly enforced face mandatory abortions and severe financial penalties however there are no control management for the villagers. in Indonesia—population campaigns: Marriage Law Policy, family planning with birth control and for civil government is suggested with 2 children (financial support) however no control management. The problem in family planning is related to religion and ethic point of views. As consequences, Every second 4.2 children are born in the world, but only 1.7 people die. That is an increase of 2.4 people per second . In 2011, approximately 26.3% of the global population is aged under 15, while 65.9% is aged 15–64 and 7.9% is aged 65 or over. At the beginning of 2012, 50.5% of the world's population was under 30; increasing food, place for living, clothes others demand; “most of the Earth’s surface is heavily affected by human activity, leaving only limited areas (3.7% of the ocean’s surface [Halpern et al. 2008] and between 2 and 17% of the land’s surface [Sanderson et al. 2002]) "

Many reasons... But human greed comes to mind immediately. Development and mining of resources without any sustainability thinking. Lack of government regulation and corrupted government where licenses are giving out based on bribery rather than credentials.

Thanks RenardI, as you mentioned the causes are diverse. But, I think more views and comments may be necessary on the impact of population growth on natural resource degradation, global warming and climate change, including the future scenario based on the current circumstances.

The main cause of desertification was, in the last two centuries, the incorporation of new agricultural land to food production, mainly livestock grazing systems. This cause is still important in some countries, but there are new emerging causes as climate change, soil erosion by intensive agriculture, intensive extraction of water which is depleting water sources, chemical pollution and forest fires. The ultimate cause is the lack of perception that human have about the importance of keeping the natural equilibria for its own sustainability.

Yes, Fernando's last sentence, which underlines lack of awareness about our planet, is central point.

Deforestation may vary from place to place. Commercial logging (cutting down large trees for timbers which are on high demand) from rural areas. Expansion of Roads, railways, cities, industries, commercial monoculture, etc contribute to deforestation. Building large dams submerge large green areas including forest causing sewage, climate change, etc. In many cases it also submerge cultivable lands both wetland and terrace field which are food security for the local inhabitants. Such activities leads to decline in the soil and water quality as well as change in climatic condition of a particular area.

The large expansion of urbanization and industrialization in the developing countries also resulting to declining the food production specially in the rural areas.