Germany to hold next ‘Desertification and Drought Day’ in June 2024

According to the United Nations, 40 per cent of the planet’s land is degraded, affecting nearly half of the world’s population

New Delhi: Germany will host the next Desertification and Drought Day on 17 June 2024 to raise awareness about desertification, land degradation and drought.

The announcement was made on Sunday at Climate Conference COP28, which is underway in Dubai UAE.

The day will also mark the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), one of the three Rio Conventions alongside climate and biodiversity.

According to the United Nations, 40 per cent of the planet’s land is degraded, affecting nearly half of the world’s population.

Since 2000, the number and duration of droughts has increased by 29 per cent, representing a severe risk to ecosystems and peoples’ livelihoods.

In a statement, UNCCD said the 2024 Desertification and Drought Day will focus on the transformative power of healthy land for addressing today’s most pressing and interconnected challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, food and water security.

The Day will also amplify a renewed global commitment to sustainable land management and drought resilience in the run-up to UNCCD COP16, scheduled for 2-13 December 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Speaking about the event, Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary, said, “In 1994, the world community sent a clear signal by ratifying the only legally binding treaty promoting good land stewardship. Restoring degraded land and soil provides the most fertile ground to take immediate and concerted action for our planet’s health”

“Now, it is time to reaffirm this global commitment by unleashing land’s potential for present and future generations”he added.

The Federal Republic of Germany, through the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), will host the global observance on 17 June 2024.

The event will engage prominent international and German personalities and the public at large to raise awareness about desertification, land degradation and drought.

Mr. Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Development, said, “No matter whether we are talking about climate change, biodiversity loss, pandemics, or food crises – soil quality plays a central role for meeting these global challenges”.

“I full heartedly welcome the Desertification and Drought Day here in Bonn! Together with the Federal Government of Germany and under the leadership of the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Ms. Svenja Schulze, I will be delighted to host a meaningful event engaging political leaders, the land community, cultural stakeholders and a broader public alike”, Katja Dörner, Lady Mayor of Bonn, said in a statement.

The City of Bonn, which has hosted the UNCCD Secretariat since 1999, will organize a series of events around 2024 Desertification and Drought Day.