A New Dawn for Desert Lands
In a pivotal announcement made on the 12th of September 2023, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in conjunction with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has declared Riyadh as the host city for World Environment Day 2024. This significant event will cast a spotlight on the pressing issues of land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience, signaling a new era of environmental stewardship in one of the world’s most arid regions.
World Environment Day: A Global Call to Action
Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972, World Environment Day has blossomed into a preeminent occasion, observed on the 5th of June each year. It has become a beacon, rallying tens of millions to partake in a movement that spans the globe, engaging people through digital platforms and grassroots activities. This day serves as a testament to the power of collective action in confronting environmental challenges.
The Bleak Landscape of Our Planet
The stark reality of our environmental crisis is underscored by data from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, revealing that up to 40 percent of the Earth’s land surface is degraded. This degradation bears direct consequences for half of humanity and portends grave economic ramifications, endangering nearly half of the global GDP, a staggering US$44 trillion. Droughts, with their frequency and duration swelling by 29 percent since the turn of the millennium, loom as a threat that could potentially afflict over three-quarters of the global populace by 2050.
Reviving the Earth: A Decade of Restoration
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) stands as a monumental initiative, a clarion call to safeguard and rejuvenate the world’s ecosystems. This endeavor is not merely an environmental imperative but a cornerstone in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals.
A Milestone Anniversary Amidst the Sands
The year 2024 will mark the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. It is fitting, then, that the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to this convention will convene in Riyadh. From the 2nd to the 13th of December 2024, the Saudi capital will become the epicenter of global discussions and decisions on combating land degradation.
