WITH the passage of time, the growing concern over the degradation of our planet, particularly through global warming, continues to escalate, undermining the Earth鈥檚 ability to fulfil its full potential in serving human welfare. Since the United Nations General Assembly designated June 17 as Desertification and Drought Day in 1994, this day has served as an important reminder of the accelerating decline of ecosystems worldwide. The phenomena of desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD), driven primarily by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions from the Neolithic period through the Industrial and Green Revolutions, are now visibly disrupting ecosystems and diminishing the services they provide.
Desertification and Drought Day seeks to galvanise public understanding and cooperation at every level. It aims to raise awareness about DLDD-related challenges, promote human-led solutions to prevent desertification and mitigate the impact of droughts and strengthen implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. The theme for 2025, 鈥楻estore the land. Unlock the opportunities鈥�, calls attention to the manifold benefits of restoring degraded land. Healthy land is foundational to prosperous economies; more than half of global gross domestic product is directly dependent on nature. Alarmingly, however, around one million square kilometres of fertile and productive land, equivalent in area to Egypt, are being degraded each year. This year鈥檚 observance focuses on accelerating efforts to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land globally and initiating what could become a trillion-dollar land restoration economy.
Among the gravest manifestations of DLDD are droughts, arguably one of the most feared natural disasters due to their profound and far-reaching impacts on life. The Global Assessment Report on Drought 2021 warned of the catastrophic social, ecological and economic consequences that droughts, worsened by climate change, can have if not managed properly. Such extreme weather events, already occurring in every region due to anthropogenic climate change, have led to significant losses to land, water and communities. Vulnerable populations, especially in the Global South, who have historically contributed the least to climate change, continue to bear the brunt of its impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report, 2023,听 reinforces this, cautioning that continued global warming will intensify the scale and frequency of multiple and simultaneous hazards.
In this context, Ibrahim Thiaw, executive secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, aptly observed: 鈥楲and degradation and drought are major disruptors of our economy, stability, food production, water and quality of life. They amplify climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, forced migration and conflicts over access to fertile land and water.鈥疞and restoration is an opportunity to turn the tide on these alarming trends. A restored land is a land of endless opportunities. It鈥檚 time to unlock them now.鈥� This call comes at a crucial juncture, as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021鈥�2030) reaches its halfway point. To meet the goal of a land-degradation-neutral world by 2030, 1.5 billion hectares must be restored. Encouragingly, one billion hectares have already been pledged through voluntary initiatives such as the G20 Global Land Restoration Initiative, hosted by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
Despite the promising benefits, every dollar invested in land restoration yields between seven and thirty dollars in return, progress remains sluggish. According to the Global Mechanism鈥檚 latest financial needs assessment, the world must invest $1 billion per day between 2025 and 2030 to tackle DLDD effectively. Yet, current annual investments stand at only $66 billion, with the private sector contributing a mere 6 per cent. It is, therefore, imperative that both governments and private sectors significantly increase their commitment to reach Sustainable Development Goal 15.3 on Land Degradation Neutrality.
While global warming remains the overarching concern, local warming, particularly in urban areas, also demands attention. Urban heat islands are exacerbated by human activity, including vehicular emissions, industrial infrastructure and dense construction. Climatic conditions and geographical features such as mountain-bound cities that limit wind flow further contribute to rising temperatures. Research suggests that, as cities expand and population densities increase, the heat island effect will intensify, with disproportionately adverse impacts on Least Developed Countries where adaptive capacity is limited. In such settings, local warming affects not only human health but also disrupts the biological and non-biological components of ecosystems.
The intersection of luxury-driven global consumption, particularly in the Global North, with the climate change 鈥� biodiversity loss 鈥� DLDD nexus underscores a deepening global inequality. Those who have contributed least to environmental degradation are often left to endure the harshest consequences, lacking even the most basic amenities. This disparity threatens not only social equity but also peace and prosperity. Addressing these challenges calls for renewed emphasis on food security, which depends on thriving ecosystems and fertile land. Revitalising degraded landscapes by transforming degradation into restoration is not only necessary but also achievable with the right investments.
Yet, financing adaptation remains a critical bottleneck, particularly in developing nations. These countries continue to face hurdles in adopting low-emission technologies due to limited financial resources, slow technology transfer and inadequate institutional capacity. Locally Led Adaptation strategies, which put communities at the heart of climate solutions, require urgent and increased investment. Sustainable Land Management, recognised as the most cost-effective pathway, encompasses the avoidance, reduction and reversal of land degradation. For this to succeed, investments must be channelled into research and development of such technologies, especially within LDCs. Strengthening the capacity of scientists and practitioners with on-the-ground expertise is also crucial.
Institutions such as the Global Environment Facility, the Global Mechanism, and development partners must rise to the occasion. The nexus between climate change, land degradation and poverty places humanity at a critical crossroads. The time to act is now. Without concerted investment in restoration, both the ecological and economic fabric of our planet will continue to unravel, making sustainable development an increasingly distant prospect.
听
Dr Md Sohrab Ali is the additional director general of Department of Environment.
