Spain’s Land Is Turning to Dust: UN Summit Sounds the Alarm

More than half of Spain’s territory is now desertified, making it the most affected country in Europe. In provinces like Murcia, Albacete, Almería, and Las Palmas, degraded land covers over 80% of the area. This week, 196 countries are meeting at a United Nations summit to confront what experts call a “silent threat”: the slow but relentless destruction of the soil beneath our feet. Desertification does not mean sand dunes sweeping over cities. It means the land loses its ability to support life—crops fail, water disappears, and ecosystems collapse. The process is gradual, but its impact is permanent. Spain is on the front line. Across the country, drylands are expanding, and the problem is worst in the south and the Canary Islands. The summit aims to push governments into action before more land becomes unusable. The message is clear: the ground we stand on is running out of time.