🌿 World Environment Day 2024 is here, spotlighting one of the planet’s most pressing issues: preventing fertile soil from turning to dust. Coordinated by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), this global event unites millions from governments, businesses, civil society, and educational institutions to raise awareness and take action for a sustainable future.
This year’s theme, \"Our Land, Our Future. We are #GenerationRestoration\", emphasizes the critical need to restore land, combat desertification, and enhance resilience to drought. These efforts are essential to protect our planet and ensure a thriving ecosystem for generations to come.
🌾 A Silent Crisis
Land degradation, desertification, and drought are escalating issues driven by human activities and climatic changes. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification reports that up to 40% of the Earth's land is degraded, affecting around 3.2 billion people globally. Projections indicate that by 2050, over three-quarters of the world’s population will face drought conditions.
Water scarcity is expected to impact 4.8-5.7 billion people annually, with up to 216 million potentially displaced by 2050 due to drought, water shortages, declining crop yields, sea-level rise, and overpopulation. Common causes of land degradation include deforestation, converting grasslands to croplands, and over-exploiting water and soil in drylands.
As fertile land diminishes, so does biodiversity, leading to crop failures and threatening global food security. This World Environment Day, let's join #GenerationRestoration to take action and safeguard our land for a sustainable future. 🌱✨
