An event dedicated to SDG 15. "Desertification processes in the context of climate change"

On October 24, 2023, the Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics held a scientific seminar titled “Desertification Processes in the Context of Climate Change.” The seminar was organized as part of the young scientists' project AP09058590: “Monitoring the Processes of Land Degradation and Desertification in the Talas District of the Zhambyl Region Using GIS and Remote Sensing Data to Promote Sustainable Land Use.” The event was conducted in alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: “Life on Land.”

One of the most severe manifestations of land degradation is “technogenic desertification,” caused by human activity and climate change. A significant portion of today’s deserts is anthropogenic in origin. According to UN data, arid lands cover up to 43% of the Earth’s surface across more than 100 countries, with 70% of these lands suffering from soil degradation. The global desertification rate has now reached 7-10 million hectares per year. Additionally, another 20 million hectares lose their productivity annually due to erosion and sand encroachment.

The majority of Kazakhstan's territory lies within arid zones, with approximately 76.1% of the land subject to varying degrees of desertification and land degradation. Of the country's total area of 273.5 million hectares, about 191.1 million hectares are vulnerable to desertification. More than 100,000 hectares are affected by secondary salinization.

During the seminar, the main results of the project were presented, based on meteorological and hydrological data, field studies, and remote sensing data.

Speaker: O.Zh. Taukeybaev, Deputy General Director of the Engineering and High-Tech Cluster, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics.
Participants: Faculty members, master's students, and doctoral candidates of the Faculty of Geography and Environmental Management.