Desertification is accelerating under climate change, threatening biodiversity, food security, and human well-being across the Mediterranean Basin, southern Europe, and the Middle East. Water scarcity and land degradation reduce carbon sequestration, increase soil erosion, and undermine rural livelihoods, pushing many dryland ecosystems into long-term decline.

Long-term observations from the Negev Desert show that ecological degradation is often driven by the breakdown of natural water redistribution processes.

Research demonstrates that rebuilding simple, water-retaining structures can restore these functional networks, reverse desertification trends, and recover vital ecosystem services.