Social Aspects of Land Degradation from the Viewpoint of Experts of the Scientific Community

Abstract

Land degradation is a global problem of mankind, the greatest contribution to which belongs to aridity and soil erosion. The social consequences of land degradation are extremely important, but poorly conceptualized issues. This makes it difficult to create effective research programs to study them. The article provides an overview of the issues under consideration. An expert study was conducted to identify a problem field in the field of studying the social consequences of land degradation. By interviewing nine recognized scientific experts in the field of land degradation studies, the most reliable judgments were identified, which served as a basis for highlighting the main forms of manifestation of the social consequences of land degradation. Private research concepts were compiled, which consist in highlighting the position of each expert on the main consequences of land degradation. As a result, a generalized expert model of the problem field of the social consequences of land degradation was formed. According the model all experts note the interdisciplinary nature of the study of the issues under consideration, which are placed at the intersection of environmental, economic, and social problems. The overwhelming majority of experts noted the direct nature of the effect of land degradation on the formation of social consequences. Thanks to the integration of individual ideas, it was possible to identify characteristics for which there are discrepancies. This provides an opportunity for a broader study of the social consequences of land degradation. However, there is an expert opinion that the social consequences are rather indirect and are realized through resource problems. Some experts draw attention to the fact that there are the extreme forms of land degradation that significantly increases the manifestation of social consequences. According to experts, land degradation can lead to change in social status, a decrease in the recreational potential of land, hunger, a change in life expectancy and loss of jobs, increased stratification of society, changes in the cost of housing and a change in the type of land use, reduction in the use of land for agricultural needs, and changes in people’s attitudes to more individualistic ones. It was also noted that the use of products from degraded lands could lead to an increase in cancer incidence in the region. Conceptualization and identification of these problems could help to focus efforts in the field of studying the social problems of land degradation.