World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2025; June 17th.

FORUM: ''Restore the Land. Unlock the opportunities." World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2025. This year’s Desertification and Drought Day focuses on one of the most urgent global challenges: restoring 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land and jumpstarting a trillion-dollar land restoration economy by 2030. More than half of global GDP relies on healthy ecosystems. Yet each year, an area the size of Egypt is degraded, driving biodiversity loss, increasing drought risk and displacing communities. The ripple effects are global—from rising food prices to instability and migration. But restoring land flips the script. Every dollar invested in restoration generates US$7 to US$30 in returns. Reviving land restores productivity, strengthens water cycles and supports millions of rural livelihoods. As we reach the midpoint of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), action is more urgent than ever. To meet global goals, 1.5 billion hectares must be restored by 2030. So far, 1 billion hectares have been pledged through initiatives like the G20 Global Land Restoration Initiative and the Great Green Wall Initiative. Now is the time to turn ambition into action.The financial case is clear, but action must follow. According to UNCCD Global Mechanism, the world needs to invest US$1 billion every day between 2025 and 2030 to stop and reverse land degradation. Current investments fall short at USD66 billion annually, with only 6% coming from the private sector. We need to scale up ambition and investment by both governments and businesses. This means unlocking new finance, creating decent jobs, embracing innovation and making the most of traditional knowledge. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #DesertificationAndDrought, #Drought, #ourlegacyourfuture, #United4land, #17june, #DesertificationDay.

EVENTS; On June 17th, Under the theme "Restore the land. Unlock the оpportunities," the 2025 observance will shine a light on how restoring nature’s foundation—land—can create jobs, boost food and water security, support climate action and build economic resilience. Events take place worldwide. 

The Republic of Colombia will host this year’s global observance of Desertification and Drought Day on 17 June, highlighting the country’s commitment to tackling land degradation through nature-based solutions. Taking place in Bogotá, the event will draw global attention to the urgent need to scale up land restoration as a catalyst for sustainability, peace, and inclusive development. The global observance will be part of the Global Land Forum, hosted by the Government of Colombia.Colombia’s decision to host the global event reflects its determination to restore land at scale and ensure that restoration efforts directly improve livelihoods and ecosystems. Faced with the serious challenge of land degradation — affecting nearly 30 per cent of its territory, or 34.39 million hectares — Colombia is stepping up with bold action. By 2030, it aims to restore 100,000 hectares of degraded land, conserve 22,000 hectares of dry forest, expand sustainable agroforestry systems, and support rural communities through targeted restoration and planning initiatives across priority regions. In hosting the observance, the country is also opening a platform for youth, Indigenous peoples, farmers, scientists and civil society to share local solutions that contribute to global goals. Colombia’s efforts reflect a broader global imperative: restoring land is essential to meeting today’s urgent challenges — from climate change and biodiversity loss to food insecurity and forced migration. Despite increasing momentum, including at UNCCD COP16, the true value of healthy land remains underestimated. Land degradation, drought and desertification cost the global economy an estimated US$878 billion each year. Meanwhile, restoring over one billion hectares of degraded land could generate up to US$1.8 trillion annually, with each dollar invested returning between US$7-US$30 in economic benefits. Yet the pace and scale of restoration remain far below what is needed. Colombia will welcome global leaders, experts, youth, and representatives from across society for the official celebration in Bogotá. Countries around the world are mobilizing to mark World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2025 with an array of educational, cultural and sporting activities to restore the land—and unlock the opportunities for a more sustainable, resilient and equitable future. Explore the events worldwide and Register to participate!

Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2025; June 17th.

What’s good for land is good for people and economies. But humanity is degrading land at an alarming rate, costing the global economy nearly $880 billion every year — far more than the investments needed to tackle the problem. Droughts are forcing people from their homes, and inflaming food insecurity – the number of newly displaced people is at its highest level in years. Repairing the damage we have done to our land offers huge benefits, including a great return on investment. It can reduce poverty, create jobs, safeguard water supplies, protect food production, and improve land rights and incomes – especially for smallholder farmers and women. The theme of this year’s Desertification and Drought Day – “Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities” – is both a statement of fact and a call to action. I urge governments, businesses, and communities to answer the call and accelerate action on our shared global commitments on sustainable land use. We must reverse degradation, and boost finance for restoration – including by unlocking private investment. Let’s act now to heal land, seize opportunities, and improve lives. 

United Nations Secretary-General.

Statement of Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Land degradation is more than just an environmental issue — it is a direct threat to our health, food and water security, and the stability of societies. When we lose healthy land, we weaken nutrition, increase the risk of disease, and expose communities to climate and economic shocks. Each dollar invested can yield up to thirty in returns. But beyond the numbers, restoring land is about protecting the dignity of communities, ensuring long-term access to food and water, and building a more stable and equitable world. Colombia’s leadership underscores what is possible when restoration becomes a national priority.

I thank the Republic of Colombia for its invitation to host this year’s observance, which will shine a light on how restoring land can protect nature, improve well-being, and build a more resilient future for all. 


Statement by Martha Viviana Carvajalino Villegas, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Colombia,

The protection of agricultural soils and land is an urgent imperative in the face of interconnected crises threatening our survival: biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, hunger, poverty, and displacement. In response, we commemorate Desertification and Drought Day to reaffirm that protecting the soil is protecting life. This struggle rests on three pillars: soil conservation and restoration, sustainable, fair and resilient agri-food systems, and improved quality of life in rural and urban areas. Without fertile soil, there is no food; without food, there is no peace. We implement comprehensive policies: equitable land redistribution, restitution of rights to historically marginalized communities, and guarantees for sustainable resource management. In this way, we transform the soil into a shield against hunger, a bridge towards reconciliation, and a legacy of dignity for future generations. Land is not just a resource: it is the foundation of peace.

Statement by UN Biodiversity Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker on World Day to combat Desertification and Drought 2024; June 17th.

PUBLICATION: Economics of drought — investing in nature-based solutions for drought resilience.

As droughts fueled by human destruction of the environment are projected to affect three in four people by 2050, investing in sustainable land and water management is essential. Read the full publication!

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