Spain leads EU in soil degradation and desertification

Spain has been identified as the European Union country with the highest levels of soil degradation and desertification. According to a report by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), 72.53% of Spain's surface area shows signs of soil degradation, the highest percentage among EU nations.

In terms of desertification, 53% of Spain's territory is affected, followed by Cyprus (45%), Greece (36%), and Portugal (28%). The study notes that desertification is a form of land degradation in arid zones caused by human activities and climate variations. Across the European Union, approximately 530,000 square kilometers—about 12% of the total territory—are affected by desertification, impacting an estimated 42 million people.

Other EU countries with significant land degradation include Italy (36,990 km²) and Hungary (13,229 km²), while Finland reports the lowest affected area at 1,327 km².