MUCH of Earth’s landmass is drying out, damaging the ability of plant and animal life to survive, according to a United Nations report published today.

It was released at the UN summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on combating desertification — once-fertile lands turning into deserts because of hotter temperatures from human-caused climate change, lack of water and deforestation. 

It found that more than three-quarters of the world's land experienced drier conditions from 1970 to 2020 than in the previous 30-year period.