World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
The General Assembly established the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management, and declared 17 June " World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought" by its resolution A/RES/49/115. Desertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas. It is caused primarily by human activities and climatic variations. Desertification does not refer to the expansion of existing deserts. It occurs because dry land ecosystems, which cover over one third of the world's land area, are extremely vulnerable to over-exploitation and inappropriate land use. Poverty, political instability, deforestation, overgrazing and bad irrigation practices can all undermine the productivity of the land.
Statement by the U.N. Secretary-General on World Day to combat desertification and drought 2020, June 17.
The health of humanity depends on the health of the planet.
Today, our planet is ailing.
Land degradation affects some 3.2 billion people.
Seventy 70 per cent of the world’s land has been transformed by human activity.
We can reverse this trend and bring solutions to a wide range of challenges, from forced migration and hunger to climate change.
In Africa’s Sahel region, the Great Green Wall is transforming lives and livelihoods from Senegal to Djibouti.
By restoring 100 million hectares of degraded land, food security is maintained, households kept afloat and jobs created.
Such efforts bring back biodiversity, reduce the effects of climate change and make communities more resilient.
All told, the benefits outweigh the costs ten-fold.
On this Desertification and Drought Day, I call for a new contract for nature.
Through international action and solidarity, we can scale up land restoration and nature-based solutions for climate action and the benefit of future generations.
By doing so, we can deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and leave no one behind.
António Guterres
Events: This year's global observance event, hosted by Korea Forest Service (KFS), will take place online, with a full-day program featuring a variety of exciting events and international talent. The Programme as broadcast will include the following highlights:
- High Level Meetings panel with United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw
One-hour talk show co-produced with KFS.
- Video-teleconferences and stories on food, feed and fibre, featuring sustainable initiatives and famous chefs
- Orchestral music concerts by UNCCD Civil Society Land Ambassador Ricky Kej
- Youth in Action segment with UNCCD Youth Caucus and UNCCD Capacity Building Marketplace Land Heroes
- Segment about sustainable consumption patterns and the role of young people in the digital age
- List of Q&A panelists “The impacts of desertification on food systems” moderated by Danielle Nierenberg (Food Tank: The Food Think Tank) with Dr. Ismahane Elouafi (ICBA) and Joanne Kane-Potaka ( ICRISAT/Smart Food)
- Segment about Arable land restoration introduced by UNCCD Land Ambassador Baaba Maal, founder of Nann-k
- Joint event with ICLEI World Secretariat on land and climate
- Video messages from high-level officials
- Presentation by UNCCD Land Ambassador Liu Fangfei on the The Green Handkerchief initiative
Message by UNCCD Land Ambassador Byong Hyon Kwon about Future Forests Foundation and the work of Green Corps in Kubuqi Desert
- Message from UNCCD Land Ambassador Tarja Halonen on celebrations in Finland and the use of sustainable fabrics
- Film Screenings: When Skies Ran Dry, Julius and the Baobab and Ethiopia.
Forum: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2020 " Food, Feed, Fibre - the links between consumption and land.
Food, feed and fibre must also compete with expanding cities and the fuel industry. The end result is that land is being converted and degraded at unsustainable rates, damaging production, ecosystems and biodiversity. Food, feed, and fibre is also contributing to climate change, with around a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions coming from agriculture, forestry and other land use. Clothing and footwear production causes 8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure predicted to rise almost 50 per cent by 2030. With changes in consumer and corporate behavior, and the adoption of more efficient planning and sustainable practices, there could be enough land to meet the demand. If every consumer were to buy products that do not degrade the land, suppliers would cut back the flow of these products and send a powerful signal to producers and policymakers.
Campaign:
What we can do?
Consumers can make a positive difference because government policy and suppliers are extremely sensitive to individual market choices. If every consumer were to buy products that do not degrade the land, suppliers will cut back the flow of these products, and send a powerful signal to the producer of the change needed to stay in business.
Changing our diet and shopping behaviours can free up land for other uses and lower carbon emissions. Dietary change alone can free up between 80 and 240 million hectares of land.
Specific actions
Shift to more a balanced diet, featuring plant-based foods. This will improve your health, reduce demand for agricultural land and water, contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation and preserve habitats.
Ensure the meat you consume is grown ethically and sustainably.
Shop for groceries at local farmer’s markets and seek out locally grown produce in the supermarket to support local farmers and reduce the carbon footprint.
When you cannot buy locally grown food, choose a supermarket that is dedicated to revealing where products and ingredients are produced.
Reduce food waste by buying only what you need.
Plant fruit trees in schoolyards and in communal parks for a healthy snack within easy reach, and grow vegetables on your own property.
Make compost at home and use it in your own or community gardens instead of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
Repair, donate, swap clothes and avoid fast-fashion, to save water and prevent contamination of natural resources.
Use a handkerchief instead of disposable tissues.
Plant green roofs to cool homes in the summer and prevent heat loss in the winter, thus reducing your carbon footprint.
CONVENTIONS AND DECLARATIONS
The President of the United Nations General Assembly Tijjani Muhammad-Bande said that millions of hectares are lost each year, resulting in approximately 10% loss to global GDP and an estimated 3.2 billion people directly impacted by the diminution of land.
In his statement on Desertification and Drought Day, the President of the General Assembly said that land degradation depletes resources and further exposes the most vulnerable people to poverty and hunger, which are the root causes of both conflict and migration.