World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought – 17 June

Restore the land. Unlock the opportunities

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“Land 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. Land restoration is an opportunity to turn the tide on these alarming trends. A restored land is a land of endless opportunities. It’s time to unlock them now.”
— Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary

This year’s Desertification and Drought Day highlights one of the most urgent global challenges of our time: the need to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030 and kickstart a trillion-dollar land restoration economy.

Healthy land is the foundation of food and water security, economic stability and climate resilience. Yet, each minute, the equivalent of four football fields of fertile land is lost. Up to 40% of the world’s land is now degraded, affecting millions of rural livelihoods and driving biodiversity loss, drought, instability and migration.

Restoration brings hope—and economic opportunity. Every USD 1 invested in land restoration generates USD 7 to 30 in returns. Reviving land boosts agricultural productivity, strengthens water cycles and creates decent green jobs.

As we reach the halfway point of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), the call to action is clear: we must turn ambition into action. While 1 billion hectares have already been pledged through initiatives such as the  G20 Global Land Restoration Initiative and the Great Green Wall Initiative, more investment is urgently needed. According to the UNCCD Global Mechanism, USD 1 billion per day is required between now and 2030—far above current levels.

The 2025 global observance is hosted by the Government of Colombia, continuing a tradition of international leadership by countries such as Germany, the United States, Spain, Costa Rica and Burkina Faso.

Find out more and access campaign materials in multiple languages here: UNCCD website

WHAT DOES THE EU DO?

• The EU is doing its part in combatting desertification, land degradation and drought – at home and abroad. Check DG ENV’s web release for today that just got published to find out more: New EU Initiatives to Tackle Desertification and Drought
• Our regional support programme for the Great Green Wall (K4GGWA) – a key initiative operating in one of the world’s driest regions – is organizing a bespoke observance event today: Rural Innovation in the Great Green Wall
• Ready to dive deeper into the subject matter? Check out our new research summary brief of the ‘Regreening Africa’ programme – a ‘UN World Restoration Flagship’: Enhancing Adoption of Tree-Based Restoration Practices
• For world-class drought monitoring and forecasts look no further than the JRC’s very own Global Drought Observatory and World Drought Atlas.

📧 For further guidance on  #GreeningEUcooperation, contact  INTPA-GREENING-FACILITY@ec.europa.eu | ENEST-GREENING-FACILITY@ec.europa.eu | MENA-GREENING-FACILITY@ec.europa.eu