Every year on June 17th, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought highlights methods to prevent desertification. It’s also a day to focus on finding ways to recover from drought.
Desertification is the process by which fertile land becomes desert. This is usually a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture. When desertification occurs, biological productivity is lost. This is detrimental in areas that are already greatly affected by poverty and hunger.
During the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, desertification was identified as one of the greatest challenges to sustainable development. In 1994, the UN General Assembly established the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). This legally binding international agreement linked the environment and development to sustainable land management. In addition to the UNCCD, the UN proclaimed June 17th as World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
The 2021 Desertification and Drought Day to be held on 17 June will focus on turning degraded land into healthy land. Restoring degraded land brings economic resilience, creates jobs, raises incomes and increases food security. It helps biodiversity to recover. It locks away the atmospheric carbon warming the Earth, slowing climate change. It can also lessen the impacts of climate change and underpin a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The theme for 2021 is "Restoration, Land, Recovery: We build back better with healthy land"
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