EarthAction

Desertification and Drought Day 2025: Restore the land, unlock the opportunities

Bonn, 7 April 2025 – Accelerating progress to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land around the world and jumpstarting a trillion-dollar land restoration economy will be the focus of this year’s Desertification and Drought Day on 17 June. The theme of Desertification and Drought Day 2025 is “Restore the Land, Unlock the Opportunities”, underscoring multiple benefits linked to land restoration.  

Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), said: “Land degradation and drought are major disruptors of our economy, stability, food production, water and quality of life. They amplify climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, forced migration and conflicts over access to fertile land and water. Land restoration is an opportunity to turn the tide on these alarming trends. A restored land is a land of endless opportunities. It’s time to unlock them now.”  

Healthy land underpins thriving economies, with over half of global GDP dependent on nature. Yet we are depleting this natural capital at an alarming rate—some 1 million km2 of healthy and productive lands, equivalent to the size of Egypt, are becoming degraded every year.   

As the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 marks its halfway point, we must accelerate efforts to turn the tide of land degradation into large-scale restoration. If current trends continue, we will need to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030 to achieve a land-degradation neutral world. To date, one billion hectares of degraded land has been pledged for restoration through voluntary commitments, such as the G20 Global Land Restoration Initiative hosted by UNCCD.   

Breathing life back into land yields multiple benefits for people and nature. Every dollar invested in restoring degraded lands brings between US$ 7-30 in economic returns. But despite a strong investment case, land restoration is not happening at the scale and pace that are so urgently needed.  

According to the latest financial needs assessment by UNCCD’s Global Mechanism, the world needs US$ 1 billion daily to combat desertification, land degradation and drought between 2025 and 2030. Current investments in land restoration and drought resilience stand at US$ 66 billion annually, with the private sector contributing just six per cent.  

“We need to scale up ambition and investment by both governments and businesses. While the benefits of restoration far outweigh the costs, initial investments in the magnitude of billions are needed. We need to unlock new sources of finance, create decent land-based jobs and fast-track innovations while making the most of traditional knowledge,” UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw concluded.  

About Desertification and Drought Day  

Officially declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994 (A/RES/49/115), Desertification and Drought Day, marked annually on 17 June, is a unique occasion to highlight practical solutions to combating desertification, land degradation and drought.  

The theme of Desertification and Drought Day 2025 is “Restore the Land, Unlock the Opportunities”, underscoring multiple benefits linked to land restoration. Countries and communities around the world organize activities to mark the Day. Previous global Desertification and Drought Day celebrations took place in Germany (2024), USA (2023), Spain (2022), Costa Rica (2021), Republic of Korea (2020), Türkiye (2019), Ecuador (2018) and Burkina Faso (2017). 

For more information, please contact: UNCCD Press Office [email protected]; https://www.unccd.int/events/desertification-drought-day   

About UNCCD 

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner.

Invitation to online Common Security Conference 10-11 April 2025

 

I am contacting you today to personally invite you to an online conference on 10-11 April, organized by the International Peace Bureau, International Trade Union Confederation, and the Olof Palme International Center. 

 

The event, entitled “Common Security Conference 2025: Redefining Security for the 21st Century” seeks to expand upon the work that we began in 2022 with the publication of the report Common Security 2022: For Our Shared Future and continued with last years’ Common Security in the Indo-Pacific report.

 

The upcoming conference is also a recognition that we are not the only organizations fighting to redefine ‘security’ away from strictly militarized definitions to more inclusive and peace-based ones. We therefore believe that it is vital that we come together for key discussions on our efforts to redefine security and to coordinate efforts to produce greater results for our shared goal.

 

Our collective knowledge and experience is needed to fight for a better, less militaristic and more just conception of security. We sincerely hope that you will be able to join us on 10-11 April. Importantly, the conference will include regional discussions and an open discussion forum – for the full program schedule you can visit this page.

 

Registration is available here.

 

Please note that this conference is envisioned as the start of a bigger process of coalition-building around redefining security. We will take extensive notes of the discussions with the aim of building the next steps collaboratively with all of you. 

 

Please feel free to share the invitation with those in your network that may be interested to attend/contribute to the discussion. We are also accepting ‘endorsing organizations’ for the events, should you be interested.

 

Should you have questions, please do not hesitate to let me know. Thank you and we hope to see you there!

 

Read more about the International Peace Bureau here

Applications now open for Younger Leaders for SDGs!

We are pleased to share that the UN Youth Office has officially launched the search for the next cohort of 17 Young Leaders for the SDGs!

On a biennial basis, the Youth office is proud to recognize outstanding young leaders between 15 and 35 years old for their agency, courage and ingenuity in finding lasting solutions to the world's greatest challenges. Becoming a Young Leader is a title of recognition from the United Nations for young people who are excelling in their contributions to helping deliver on the SDGs in their communities.

Throughout the two-year term, these 17 Young Leaders will engage young people for the 2030 Agenda, not only through their existing initiatives, platforms and networks but through advocacy opportunities with the United Nations and our partners. For inspiration, you can check out the profiles of previous Young Leaders from the 2022 cohort, 2020 cohort, 2018 cohort and 2016 cohort.

How can you engage and support the call for applications?

• Spread the word on social media. A dedicated social media toolkit is available on Trello, including assets and copy translated into Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Please feel free to amplify and circulate widely to your networks (especially via country-level colleagues working closely with young people on the ground).
• Make sure to use #YouthLead and tag @UNYouthAffairs in your posts.
• The easiest way to support is by sharing our launch posts on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Threads or by using this click-to-tweet.
• Encourage young people across your networks to apply. We are looking for diverse young people from all over the world between the ages of 15 and 35 who are driving change globally and/or in their communities. Applications are now open here and will close on Friday, 18 April 2025 at 11:59 pm ET.

Many thanks in advance for your support in helping to identify and recognize the next set of inspirational Young Leaders who are leading us towards the world we all want.

Read more about UNEP here

UNCCD Press Release - UN conference in Riyadh charts a path for global action on land, drought

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 14 December - After two weeks of intense negotiations on how to tackle land degradation, desertification and drought, the largest and most inclusive United Nations land conference wrapped up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The nearly 200 countries convening at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) committed to prioritize land restoration and drought resilience in national policies and international cooperation as an essential strategy for food security and climate adaptation. Nations also made significant progress in laying the groundwork for  a future global drought regime, which they intend to complete at COP17 in Mongolia in 2026. In the meanwhile, more than USD 12 billion were pledged to tackle desertification, land degradation and drought around the world, especially in the most vulnerable countries.

Among the main agreements reached at COP16 were the creation of a Caucus for Indigenous Peoples and a Caucus for Local Communities to ensure that their unique perspectives and challenges are adequately represented; a continuation of the Convention’s Science-Policy Interface to strengthen science-based decision-making, and the mobilization of private sector engagement under the Business4Land initiative.

COP16 was the largest and most inclusive UNCCD COP to date: it attracted more than 20,000 participants, around 3,500 of them from civil society, and featured more than 600 events as part of the first Action Agenda to involve non-state actors in the work of the Convention.

In a prepared statement, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed emphasized “Our work does not end with the closing of COP16. We must continue to tackle the climate crisis—it is a call to action for all of us to embrace inclusivity, innovation, and resilience. Youth and Indigenous peoples must be at the heart of these conversations. Their wisdom, their voices, and their creativity are indispensable as we craft a sustainable future with renewed hope for generations to come.”

In his closing remarks, COP16 President, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley, said the meeting marked a turning point in raising international awareness of the pressing need to accelerate land restoration and drought resilience. 

“The Kingdom’s hosting of this important conference reflects its ongoing commitment to environmental issues and sustainable development. It reaffirms its dedication to working with all parties to preserve ecosystems, enhance international cooperation to combat desertification and land degradation, and address drought. We hope the outcomes of this session will lead to a significant shift that strengthens efforts to preserve land, reduce its degradation, build capacities to address drought, and contribute to the wellbeing of communities around the world.”

Addressing COP16 closing plenary, Under-Secretary-General and UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw stated: “As we have discussed and witnessed, the solutions are within our grasp. The actions we took today will shape not only the future of our planet but also the lives, livelihoods, and opportunities of those who depend on it.”

He further emphasized a significant shift in the global approach to land and drought issues, highlighting the interconnected challenges with broader global issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, food security, forced migration, and global stability.

Read more here.

News from Nablus - Palestinian House of Friendship

The Palestinian House of Friendship (PHF) is located in Nablus, a medium-sized city north of Jerusalem on the West Bank in Palestine. Mohammed Sawalha, founder and director of PHF, describes the current situation there as extremely dangerous throughout the city and region, with illegal settlers attacking villagers and Israeli soldiers patrolling the streets of Nablus day and night. The city is literally under siege these days, and it often takes two or three hours to cross it because of numerous checkpoints where settlers stand next to Israeli soldiers and verbally or physically humiliate travelers.

Soldiers have been particularly threatening to worshippers going to their local mosques to pray in the early morning before work. Recently they entered a neighborhood mosque for the first time, interrupted the prayers, and detained participants.

Most distressing is the collapse of the local economy, as small businesses are forced into bankruptcy, and unemployment skyrockets. It is difficult for Palestinians to obtain cash or building supplies, though recently the Israeli government announced construction of 2300 new housing units for settlers on the West Bank.

     

In spite of these stressors of daily life for people living in the Nablus region, PHF continues to offer programs for children and their families. This summer six smaller camps for 180-200 children took place within their communities, so parents could quickly collect them if danger developed. 120 Boxes of Love containing food, books, toys, and warm winter clothing were distributed to needy families over the past four months. 200 school backpacks have been donated to children who are able to return to school this fall. Dancing and singing groups continue to meet. After-school programs, Girl Scouts, and the music studio are in operation this fall. And three or four English conversation classes are being held in order to raise money for other programs.

Thanks to a generous donor, PHF has opened a small café near its offices in downtown Nablus where young people can drink coffee at discounted prices, use the internet, and study in a quiet, peaceful environment.

PHF has also initiated a series of “Democracy Building” workshops in Nablus and the wider region to train adults in how to become active participants in a civil society, learning how to vote, how to run for office, and how to develop legislative proposals. Planning for a future in which Palestine may someday become an autonomous state reinforces identity, dignity, and hope during stressful times.

Meanwhile families are anxious, some schools opened late or not at all, and people are living in a state of hypervigilance on the West Bank in the fall of 2024.

Mohammed, his staff, and the families of PHF all express their gratitude for your continuing generosity in supporting the Palestinian House of Friendship.

To read more about the Palestinian House of Friendship, click here.

Palestinian House of Friendship: News From Nablus

Dear Friends of the Palestinian House of Friendship,

The “silent war” against the West Bank city of Nablus and the entire region continues. In December 2022 Netanyahu named Bezalel Smotrich the Minister of Finance, and Itamar Ben- Gvir, Minister of National Security. Both men are right-wing extremists, lawyers in their 40s living in Israeli settlements on the West Bank, and both are committed to the expulsion of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank. Ben-Gvir has a criminal record and has turned over West Bank policing to armed Israeli settlers who grab Palestinian land, uproot olive trees, and often shoot Palestinians on sight. This is not hyperbole; as of mid-July 572 Palestinians (including 139 children) have been killed, 5,300 have been injured by settlers, and much city infrastructure has been destroyed

In the context of the war in Gaza in which close to 40,000 Palestinians (70% women and children) have been killed since October 2023 (with recent estimates being more like 180,000 people murdered), and the threat of imminent violence on the West Bank, the Palestinian House of Friendship (PHF) continues to offer a sense of safety and hope through activities for children and their families in Nablus, the nearby village of Asira al Shamaliya, and a number of refugee camps.

Smiling Faces summer camp has been reorganized into 8 smaller camps located in separate neighborhoods, giving parents the opportunity to pick up their children quickly, if there is any danger of violence in the community. These camps include traditional Palestinian music and dance, games, and a Green Hands Initiative (planting crops) for children.

PHF has also provided food, shelter, and support to about 80 people from Gaza who lost their jobs in Israel last fall and came to Nablus seeking shelter.

This includes children diagnosed with cancer who are now receiving medical treatment in Nablus hospitals. In addition, PHF has collaborated with the municipality of Asira to set up medical clinics to treat injured people injured by settler violencewhen access to hospitals may be impossible due to army or settler violence.

Mohammed Sawalha, Founder/Director of PHF, iscommitted to peace, and continues to create programs that will give children opportunities for joy and play throughout the long hot summer. But he also continues to think toward the future when there will someday be a free democratic Palestinian state. To this end PHF is offering workshops for adults this summer in which men and women can learn how to participate in a civil society, become trained in how to vote how to conduct elections, run for office, and develop democratic legislative initiatives.

Beginning in mid-August, Mohammed plans to offer these workshops in a pilot program that will initially reach 100 adults in the Nablus region. After evaluation of the pilot program, the workshops will be offered more broadly in the West Bank. The American Friends of PHF are researching possibilities for grants for this innovative project. If you would like to help out with this project, please reach out to Katharine Baker at [email protected].

Mohammed, his staff, and the families of PHF all express their gratitude for your continuing generosity in supporting the Palestinian House of Friendship.

For more info or to donate:

palestinianhouseoffriendship.com

UNCCD PRESS RELEASE: ‘Silent Demise’ of Vast Rangelands Threatens Climate, Food, Wellbeing of Billions

Rangelands cover 54% of all land; as much as 50% are degraded,
imperiling 1/6th of humanity’s food supply, 1/3rd of Earth’s carbon reservoir
UNCCD report points way to restore, better manage rangelands,
urges protection of pastoralism

Bonn/Ulaanbaatar 21 May 2024 – Degradation of Earth’s extensive, often immense natural pastures and other rangelands due to overuse, misuse, climate change and biodiversity loss poses a severe threat to humanity’s food supply and the wellbeing or survival of billions of people, the UN warns in a stark report today. 

Authors of the Global Land Outlook Thematic Report on Rangelands and Pastoralists,launched in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), say up to 50% of rangelands are degraded. 

Symptoms of the problem include diminished soil fertility and nutrients, erosion, salinization, alkalinization, and soil compaction inhibiting plant growth, all of which contribute to drought, precipitation fluctuations, and biodiversity loss both above and below the ground. 

The problem is driven largely by converting pastures to cropland and other land use changes due to population growth and urban expansion, rapidly rising food, fibre and fuel demands, excessive grazing, abandonment (end of maintenance by pastoralists), and policies that incentivise overexploitation. 

What are rangelands? 

The rangelands category of Earth’s land cover consists mostly of the natural grasslands used by livestock and wild animals to graze and forage.  

They also include savannas, shrublands, wetlands, tundra and deserts.   

Added together, these lands constitute 54% of all land cover, account for one sixth of global food production and represent nearly one third of the planet’s carbon reservoir. 

“When we cut down a forest, when we see a 100-year-old tree fall, it rightly evokes an emotional response in many of us. The conversion of ancient rangelands, on the other hand, happens in ‘silence’ and generates little public reaction,” says UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw.  

“Sadly, these expansive landscapes and the pastoralists and livestock breeders who depend on them, are usually under-appreciated,” Mr. Thiaw adds. “Despite numbering an estimated half a billion individuals worldwide, pastoralist communities are frequently overlooked, lack a voice in policy-making that directly affects their livelihoods, marginalised, and even often seen as outsiders in their own lands.” 

Mongolia Environment Minister H.E. Bat-Erdene Bat-Ulzii says: “As custodian of the largest grasslands in Eurasia, Mongolia has always been cautious in transforming rangelands. Mongolian traditions are built on the appreciation of resource limits, which defined mobility as a strategy, established shared responsibilities over the land, and set limits in consumption. We hope this report helps focus attention on rangelands and their many enormous values – cultural, environmental, and economic –  which cannot be overstated. If these rangelands cannot support these massive numbers of people, what alternatives can they turn to?” 

Mongolia will host the 17th UNCCD Conference of the Parties meeting in 2026, the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP), declared by the United Nations General Assembly on Mongolia’s initiative.

Read more here

Remembering and Honoring the Women of Gaza

March is Women's History Month, and I would like to start by acknowledging, saluting, and honoring Palestinian women for their immense contributions to the liberation movement for a free Palestine.  We also remember and mourn all the women poets, writers, artists, journalists, and aid workers killed by the Israeli bombardment in Gaza over the past 155 days.  We salute the women of Gaza for their struggle and resilience and, above all, for the humanity they have shown us during their daily fight for their families’ lives amid the horrific deprivation of food, safe drinking water, and healthcare that is being imposed on the people of Gaza. We salute the mothers who are forced to skip meals so they can feed their children, the mothers who carry their babies in their wombs only to have to carry them again to their burial ground, the pregnant mothers who have no safe place to give birth and no access to clean water, and the mothers who have watched their children being gunned down during the Israeli flour massacres. And we salute all the women who are protesting, speaking out, and raising their voices to demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to oppression, apartheid, and occupation. We are with you with every breath and every heartbeat.

During National Women’s History Month—and each and every day—we also acknowledge, salute, and honor all the amazing women who are part of the Interlink family: poets, novelists, journalists, children’s books authors and illustrators, cookbook authors and photographers, and many others who have enriched our lives through their work and for the important role they are playing in literary circles as well as for their efforts in driving change, advancing gender justice, and illuminating the terror of War.

In honor of Women's History Month, we are offering a 25% discount on all orders throughout the month of March. Enter discount code SISTERS25 at check out.

While we remain a long way away from achieving gender parity and equality, it is vital that we come together as a community in order to face the ongoing challenges and threats to women's rights. We have learned the hard way that rights simply won once is not enough; they must be safeguarded.

At Interlink, we firmly believe that the voices and stories of women—especially those from marginalized communities and often overlooked BIPOC writers—must continue to be amplified and widely shared.  Please check out my selection below of new and forthcoming Interlink titles that showcase important works by women—from fiction to cookbooks, memoirs to children’s books. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

 

Michel Moushabeck

Founder/Publisher/Editor

Interlink Publishing

 

Click here to see Michel's selection of new and forthcoming Interlink titles.

 

International Children's Peace Prize 2024: Deadline extended!

As advocates for children's rights, we are reaching out to share a unique opportunity that allows each one of you to play a part in recognizing the extraordinary efforts of courageous children around the world.

KidsRights annually awards the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize to a child who fights for children’s rights. Winning the International Children’s Peace Prize gives the winner a global platform to promote their work. 

The winner also receives: 

• The “Nkosi” statuette which depicts a child that sets the world in motion; 
• The “Desmund Tutu” study and care fund to enable the child to obtain quality education; 
• A project fund of € 100.000, which is invested by KidsRights in relevant children’s rights projects that are closely connected to the winner’s area of work. 

The nominations are open until May 1st, 2024! 

Last year we received 140 nominations from 35 countries around the world. This year, make sure your country is represented in the nominations by nominating a young changemaker now! You can do so in 6 languages: English, Spanish, Hindi, French, Italian, and Dutch. 

Nominate your changemaker

Read about the nomination requirements here!

If you have any questions or comments, please read the FAQs or contact us by replying to this email. 

Please share this message with people within your network who may know someone they would like to nominate.

Read the inspiring stories of our previous winners and nominees

Taken from Kids Rights