World Environment Day is celebrated globally on June 5th to raise awareness about environmental issues and encourage action to protect the planet. This year, World Environment Day will be hosted by Saudi Arabia with the theme of “Land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience.”
What is this year’s theme all about?
Desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD) are growing crises affecting people and the planet. Due to the triple planetary threat from climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and waste, the DLDD crisis is accelerating as land around the world continues to be degraded. According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, up to 40 percent of the planet’s land is already degraded, directly affecting about half of the world’s population and threatening roughly half of the global GDP (US$44 trillion).
“24 billion tonnes of fertile soil were being lost per year, largely due to unsustainable agriculture practices. If this trend continues, 95 per cent of the Earth’s land areas could become degraded by 2050.”
- Global Environment Facility
Below are some of the human causes that worsen this crisis (hover over each image to learn more):
Deforestation
Poor agriculture practices
Water mismanagement
Overgrazing
Regions that are severely affected by desertification, land degradation, and drought
(Hover over each image to know more)
Ways you can help out
Raise awareness about ways to build back better with healthy land in your area
- Spread awareness on revitalising local land with sustainable methods such as organic farming practices, adopting no-till farming, replanting trees, reducing waste, etc. This will help foster a healthier environment for the community.
Practice sustainable gardening techniques
- This is to help reduce soil erosion and maintain soil health. This could be expanded further as community gardens to include even more areas and people.
Reduce water consumption through water-saving practices at home
- By reducing or controlling water consumption, we are helping to conserve essential water resources, reducing pressure on over-exploited water systems, and maintaining soil moisture levels necessary for healthy vegetation growth and soil stability.
Reduce waste generation and practice proper waste disposal
- By doing this, communities are able to mitigate pollution and safeguard soil integrity, paving the way for a healthy environment.
Use purchasing power to support environmentally friendly products
- This helps by encouraging responsible land use practices and reducing the exploitation of natural resources.
#GenerationRestoration: A Practical Guide