What does "desertification" mean?

The process by which a geographic region becomes a desert, resulting from natural changes in climate or by human activity.

What is a synonym for "desertification"?

Common synonyms include: land degradation, soil degradation, soil deterioration.

Pronounced //dɪˌzɝ.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən//.

/dɪˌzɝ.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
The process by which a geographic region becomes a desert, resulting from natural changes in climate or by human activity. uncountable
2
the gradual transformation of habitable land into desert; is usually caused by climate change or by destructive use of the land wordnet

"Bioremediation and environmental engineering of Terra saved that planet from pollution and desertification."

From desert + -ification (“process of becoming”).