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Extreme temperatures in Brazil are causing desertification and drought in certain parts of the country, threatening the lives of over 35 million people.
Brazil's Environmental Ministry made the announcement Saturday, while suggesting the creation of a special body to regulate and fight against desertification and develop ways to mitigate the effects of drought.
Brazil has long been ravaged by drought, particularly in the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil.
Since 2012, more than 1,000 municipalities have asked the federal government for help to deal with the extreme drought.
A new law in Brazil establishes the National Policy to Combat Desertification and Offset the Effects of Drought. pic.twitter.com/xYLJ96GXHF
— Brazil Gov News (@BrazilGovNews) August 4, 2015
So far in 2016, desertification and the degradation of soil have affected 11 of the 27 federal districts in the country, reaching an area of about 1.35 million square kilometers, according to Prensa Latina.
Desertification is the persistent degradation of dryland ecosystems, namely caused by extreme changes in climate and human activity.
According to Greenfacts, desertification is one of the greatest environmental challenges since it tends to occur in areas where the world’s poorest populations live and threatens the prospects of poverty reduction.
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