Unlock Opportunities for Environmental Protection: Combat Desertification Today!

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed on June 17. The theme for 2025, “Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities,” highlights a vital global issue: the need to revive 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land. This effort could create a trillion-dollar economy in land restoration by 2030, unlocking jobs, boosting food production, securing water, and enhancing our resilience to climate change.

As we reach the midpoint of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), taking action is more urgent than ever. Restoring land can open up endless possibilities, and it’s essential that we act now.

Desertification, land degradation, and drought are significant environmental challenges that mainly stem from human actions and climate fluctuations. Desertification doesn’t just mean enlarging deserts; it affects dry ecosystems that cover more than a third of the planet. These areas are often overexploited and mismanaged, leading to severe consequences for people and the environment.

Healthy ecosystems are crucial for our economy—more than half of the global GDP depends on them. Yet, we lose vast areas of land every year, equivalent to four times the size of Northeast India. This leads to biodiversity loss, heightened drought risks, and displaced communities. But there’s good news: investing in land restoration pays off. For every rupee spent, we can see a return of Rs. 2,520 in ecosystem services, which can revive productivity, enhance water cycles, and uplift millions of livelihoods.

According to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), up to 40% of the planet’s terrestrial areas are now degraded, directly impacting half of the world’s population. Each year, 75 billion tons of fertile soil are lost, highlighting the urgent need for land restoration and drought mitigation.

Drought, once a natural phenomenon, is becoming more severe and frequent due to climate change. A recent UN report states that droughts have increased in number and duration by 29% since 2000. If we don’t act quickly, more than 75% of the world’s population could face drought challenges by 2050. Currently, about 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed areas, with 160 million children at risk from severe drought.

These intertwined issues—land degradation, desertification, and drought—have dire impacts on our environment, economy, and communities. They reduce agricultural productivity, leading to higher food prices and increased poverty. In fact, every second, the equivalent of four football fields of healthy land is lost, totaling around 100 million hectares each year.

Growing populations and unsustainable consumption patterns only worsen the situation. Nearly three-fourths of Earth’s surface is now altered to meet demands for food, materials, and living space. To combat this, we must prioritize sustainable land management. A decade focused on restoration can yield numerous benefits for both the environment and society.

The link between deforestation and climate change cannot be overstated. Degraded ecosystems struggle to recover, leading to a vicious cycle of desertification that further impacts soil, water quality, and local climates. Annually, desertification releases about 300 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere, significantly contributing to global emissions.

Everyone relies on healthy land for survival. A robust ecosystem can fulfill the rising demand for food and resources, making land restoration vital for our future. The next few decades are critical for reviving land, and since humans caused the problem, we are also the key to solving it.

Investing in nature-based solutions, especially land restoration, is essential for achieving a greener and healthier future. We face the challenge collectively and need a unified effort to align political will, action, and investments.

Desertification and drought affect us all, regardless of location. For instance, in Manipur, deforestation and shifting cultivation can turn fertile areas into arid lands, accentuating the urgency for action. Vegetation diversity plays a critical role in soil conservation and climate regulation, making it crucial to protect our natural resources.

On this day, let’s commit to saving our forests and planting more trees during the monsoon. Together, we can combat degradation and drought for the sake of future generations.

Source link