This year is the 51st anniversary of World Environment Day, which looks back at several decades of global efforts aimed at raising awareness and promoting action on critical environmental concerns. This year’s theme, “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience”, is a call to heal our planet’s ecosystems and make them resilient to challenges such as desertification and drought.

Desertification is the process by which fertile land becomes desert, and drought, which is a period of abnormally dry weather, are major threats worsened by climate change. These phenomena disrupt food production, displace communities, and significantly contribute to global climate change. Rapid industrialization, urbanization, and population growth, especially in regions like Asia and the Pacific, intensify these challenges by increasing water stress and land degradation.

Globally, an area of soil the size of a football pitch is eroded every five seconds, while it takes nature up to a thousand years to form just three centimeters of topsoil.

Fortunately, there is hope through land restoration. Forests can be brought back to life by healing degraded lands thereby ensuring that water bodies will never run dry again while nourishing soils ensures soil fertility. Henceforth combating desertification plus drought also means maintaining biodiversity apart from enhancing food security plus reducing global warming.

The great news is that land restoration is an effective remedy. By restoring degraded land, we can revive forests, replenish water sources, and improve soil health. These actions not only combat desertification and drought but also improve biodiversity, strengthen food security, and mitigate climate change.

World Environment Day was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 for global consciousness raising on pressing environmental issues. The first celebration took place in 1973 under the slogan “Only One Earth,” which became a global tradition thereafter. Each year, another country hosts the official celebrations in order to promote international cooperation and shared responsibility.

This year, Saudi Arabia is the global host, calling upon governments, businesses, and individuals to unite in making peace with the land. The 2024 theme emphasizes restoring healthy land, preventing the expansion of deserts, and managing water shortages which are the key elements for a sustainable and resilient planet.

World Environment Day 2024 is a call to action for everyone. May we all work towards saving our planet both now and through ages to come!