SAUDI Arabia hosts World Environment Day this year, focusing on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience. This is relevant within the framework of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), a global initiative designed to protect and revive ecosystems to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Land degradation is a pressing global issue. According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, up to 40 per cent of the earth’s land is degraded, affecting a half of the world population and threatening about a half of the global gross domestic product. Since 2000, the frequency and duration of droughts have increased by 29 per cent and without urgent action, more than three-quarters of the world population could be affected by drought by 2050.
The theme of World Environment Day 2024 — Our Land. Our Future. We are #GenerationRestoration — emphasises collective action across all generations to tackle environmental degradation. This slogan calls on us to recognise that we are the first generation to witness the severe impact of environmental destruction and the last that can take effective measures to reverse it to meet global climate and biodiversity goals.
UNEP has been at the forefront of global efforts to address environmental challenges for over five decades. Its mission is to inspire, inform, and enable nations to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UNEP initiatives have ranged from restoring the ozone layer and protecting the world’s seas to promoting a green, inclusive economy.
UNEP works with governments, civil society, the private sector, and other UN entities to tackle the most pressing environmental challenges. They include addressing root causes of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. UNEP helps countries to transition to low-carbon, resource-efficient economies, strengthen environmental governance and law, safeguards ecosystems, and provides data-driven insights to inform policy decisions.
Observed in more than 150 countries, World Environment Day brings together major corporations, non-governmental organisations, communities, governments, and celebrities to champion environmental causes. This annual event supports progress towards the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals and has become a vital platform for promoting a sustainable future.
The participation of Saudi Arabia as the host nation for World Environment Day 2024 is significant. The focus on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience highlights its commitment to addressing these critical issues. Additionally, Saudi Arabia will host the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Riyadh in December 2–13, 2024. This event will mark the 30th anniversary of the convention, further underscoring the importance of global cooperation in combating desertification and promoting sustainable land management.
Land restoration is not only an environmental necessity but also an economic imperative. Every dollar invested in ecosystem restoration can generate up to 30 dollars in economic benefits. Sustainable land management practices can help break the cycle of land degradation, where pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss turn healthy lands into deserts and thriving ecosystems into barren wastelands.
Land transformation has far-reaching consequences, including crop failures, vanishing water sources, weakened economies and endangered communities, with the poorest populations being hit the hardest. This degradation hampers sustainable development and traps us in a destructive cycle, as land use accounts for 11 per cent of the carbon dioxide emissions that drive climate change. Breaking free from this cycle requires immediate and effective action.
UNEP, therefore, calls on countries to honour their commitments to restore degraded ecosystems and land, adhere to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and outline national plans to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. It is also essential to scale up financial support for developing countries to adapt to climate change, protect nature, and support sustainable development.
Inaction is costly, but swift and effective action brings significant economic and environmental benefits. As Generation Restoration, we have the power to build a sustainable future for our land and humanity. By leveraging knowledge, drive, and ambition, we can tackle the environmental challenges we face and ensure a better future for generations to come.
World Environment Day, designated by the United Nations General Assembly on June 5, 1972, after the Stockholm Conference, emphasises the importance of environmental protection for the well-being of people and economic development. It aims to foster an enlightened opinion and responsible conduct by individuals, enterprises, and communities to preserve and enhance the environment.
As we celebrate the day, let us commit to restoring land, combating desertification and building drought resilience. Together, we can achieve a sustainable future for all.
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Md Touhidul Alam Khan, a fellow member of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh, is managing director and chief executive officer National Bank Limited.
