ISLAMABAD, June 2: The World Environment Day 2006, with its slogan “don’t desert drylands,” poignantly brings home the urgency of the message that extraordinary measures need to be taken on emergency basis to reverse the trend of desertification.

With a large arid or semi arid region, Pakistan is extremely vulnerable to the growing threat of desertification through drought and soil degradation.

Moreover, the country has one of the lowest percentages of area under forest cover.

Each year, the day is commemorated by the UN to stimulate worldwide awareness of environmental issues and enhance political attention and action.

The day’s agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues, and advocate partnership which will ensure that all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.

The WED theme selected for 2006 is deserts and desertification. The slogan “don’t desert drylands” emphasises the importance of protecting drylands, which cover more than 40 per cent of the planet’s surface.

These ecosystems are home to one-thirds of the world’s people who are more vulnerable members of society. The main international celebrations of the WED 2006 will be held in the City of Algiers in Algeria.

A major portion of Pakistan’s area, especially in Sindh and Balochistan, also falls under the dryland category and is, in particular, vulnerable to the mounting threat of desertification from a variety of human activities.

Nearly 60 per cent of Pakistan’s area consists of rangelands that receive less than 200 mm of rainfall annually, and are considered arid. They support 93.5 millions heads of livestock and a very large number of pastoral people. However, continuous shortage of fodder and water due to the recent drought has caused heavy losses to livestock and very adversely affected the life of the pastoral communities.

Besides the drought conditions in the arid rangelands and low-availability of water in the Indus River system has made the situation even worse. Overgrazing has significantly brought down the productivity of rangelands.

The arid coastal strips and mangrove areas are under increased environmental stress from reduced fresh water flows, sewage and industrial pollution and over exploitation of other natural resources. Substantial decline in floodwater in Sindh has led to rapid sea intrusion in the delta region, raising salinity levels in underground water and spurring cattle migration to irrigated areas.

In the NWFP and Balochistan vegetation cover is receding. Excessive depletion of underground water resources has occurred, particularly in Balochistan, and will not be compensated without strong efforts for conservation, as well as immediate change in water use practices.