World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought... Land reform opens development horizons
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought... Land reform opens development horizons
The issue of land degradation constitutes one of the most prominent environmental and social challenges facing humanity in our current era, as the effects of desertification and drought are exacerbated by climate change and increasing development pressures, which calls for invoking the concept of sustainable development as a comprehensive framework to address the root causes of this phenomenon.
This phenomenon directly affects livelihoods, exacerbates poverty, and increases the likelihood of conflicts related to scarce natural resources. Therefore, we need to understand the dimensions of this problem and determine ways to address it, and this is whatEarth Protectors will address in this article, in conjunction with the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. So keep reading.
Desertification and drought and their repercussions
To understand the seriousness of this crisis in a deeper way, we must first focus on the nature of desertification and drought as they are two growing global challenges, as desertification and drought are among the most dangerous phenomena that threaten the sustainability of the planet, and they are the result of a complex interaction between climate change and unsustainable human activities, as recent statistics indicate that 77.6% of the Earth’s lands have witnessed more climatic conditions Drier in the three decades leading up to 2020, drylands expanded by about 4.3 million square kilometres, an area about a third larger than India; To now cover 40.6% of the total land area.
Desertification and drought have severe social, economic and environmental repercussions, as millions of people are affected by the loss of productive land, which leads to exacerbation of poverty and food and water insecurity. These phenomena also push people to displace and migrate in search of alternative means of livelihood. This increases the burden on urban areas and exacerbates social and economic challenges. The continuity of these challenges requires integrated, cross-border strategies aimed at addressing the root causes of these phenomena and limiting their spread, which prompts us to search for innovative and effective solutions. To address such phenomena.
Colombia is hosting this year’s celebration
Faced with this bleak environmental reality, practical international responses have emerged, the most prominent of which is the designation of a World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, as international communities prepare on June 17 every year to celebrate the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, and this year’s celebration comes under the slogan “Restoring the Earth, Opening Opportunities”; To emphasize the vital importance of restoring degraded lands as an essential foundation for building a sustainable future.
This day represents an annual opportunity to highlight the enormous challenges posed by land degradation, as well as to promote awareness of the need for collective action to preserve these precious natural resources. Addressing these phenomena is not just an environmental duty, but rather a direct investment in food security, societal stability, and economic growth, in line with the comprehensive goals of sustainable development sought by the United Nations.
The Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) announced that the official celebration of the Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2025 will be held in the city of Bogotá, in the State of Colombia, under the supervision of the Colombian government. The celebration will include a busy schedule showcasing inspiring success stories of land reform, dialogue sessions on project financing, and interactive initiatives with experts and the public.
Land reform is the basis of combating desertification and drought
Slogans and celebrations remain incomplete without actual steps on the ground, and here the importance of land reform emerges as the key to change, as restoring degraded lands represents the cornerstone of building the capacity of communities and ecosystems to withstand climate change and drought challenges. Restoration involves not only rehabilitating soil and plants, but also restoring vital ecosystem functions, such as regulating the water cycle, stabilizing soil, enhancing biodiversity, and storing carbon. These efforts contribute directly to mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change, by increasing the land’s ability to absorb Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) and improving air and water quality.
Global experiences have shown that land reform can provide significant economic and social opportunities, especially in rural areas; Through land rehabilitation, local people can resume sustainable agricultural and pastoral activities, develop eco-tourism, and create new job opportunities; Which strengthens local economies and improves living standards.
As the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030)reaches its halfway point, the need is growing to accelerate global action to reverse environmental degradation before it is too late. Current indicators show that the world will need to restore at least1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030.
This will require huge investments in the restoration economy, whose cumulative value is estimated at one trillion dollars, and this transformation is a historic opportunity to redirect development paths towards more balanced and sustainable models, in which the health of ecosystems is integrated with human well-being, and in which new spaces are available for both economic and societal opportunities.
Prospects for sustainable development through ecosystem restoration
Reform efforts cannot be separated from the broader vision set by the sustainable development agenda, as land and ecosystem restoration efforts are closely linked to many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approved by the United Nations. Which makes it a strategic hub for achieving comprehensive development. For example, restoring degraded lands contributes to eradicating poverty (Goal 1), by providing sustainable livelihoods, improving food security by increasing crop and pasture productivity, and providing clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), by improving the soil’s ability to retain and purify water.
Furthermore, land restoration plays a crucial role in climate action (Goal 13), through sequestering carbon in soil and vegetation, as well as protecting life on land (Goal 15) through restoring natural habitats and biodiversity; Therefore,Protectors of the Earth believes that the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a powerful reminder that the health of our lands is the foundation of the health of our societies and our planet, and that restoring degraded lands is a tremendous opportunity to unleash the potential of nature and humanity to achieve a more sustainable future.
