Published: 04 June 2024
Concept Note
Since 1974, World Environment Day has been observed every year on June 5 to raise global awareness and encourage action for the protection of the environment and biodiversity. Each year, the day is commemorated in a different country with a unique theme. This year’s theme is "Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience." The Government of Saudi Arabia has placed special emphasis on combating desertification and land degradation as part of its Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, as part of its climate commitment, Saudi Arabia has set a target to reduce 4.1 million tons of carbon emissions by 2035. In recognition of its national and international commitments to environmental protection and to mark the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Saudi Arabia is hosting World Environment Day 2024. Globally, this year’s observance focuses on raising awareness about land degradation, desertification, and drought as pressing issues intensified by climate change. In Bangladesh, the day is being observed under the slogan: “We will restore land, resist desertification, and build drought resilience.”
The increasing global temperature and adverse impacts of climate change are significantly affecting land. Drought, desertification, and land degradation are on the rise, posing serious threats to global food security and the economy. Land degradation reduces soil quality and productivity, renders arable land uncultivable, and exacerbates the scarcity of safe drinking water. It is worth noting that climate change-induced salinity, unplanned and excessive land use, deforestation, soil erosion from rivers and hills, and the overuse of chemicals in farming accelerate the process of land degradation and desertification. These issues lead to irreversible damage to natural resources and biodiversity, on which a large population of the poor relies for food security. Rising temperatures and desertification also pose increasing threats to human health, with impoverished communities suffering the most.
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