Climate change and desertification in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil | Alterações climáticas e desertificação no semi-árido do Nordeste do Brasil

The most discussed scientific debates of today are climate change and desertification process. However, although they represent major challenges for humanity, mostly studies of these phenomena are realized in isolation. Both because global warming is still an uncertainty in academia where two chains are facing bitterly about this issue. Therefore, this paper aims to carry out a review of the literature, trying to analyze the complex and contradictory discourses surrounding climate change and its effects on the process of desertification in northeastern Brazil (NEB), in order to evaluate different scientific contributions on this topic, as well as raising the gaps. Although studies are scarce on the issue, the evidence of climate change (greater variability in rainfall and increased frequency of extreme events - droughts and floods) and intensification of desertification processes with the expansion of the Areas Susceptible to Desertification are sharp in NEB. Thus, this study aimed to contribute to the understanding of the complex phenomena of the discussion above, as well as highlighting the need for more research to planning the activities of the society