Environment conservationists, researchers, policy makers and associated agencies will today gather in Saudi Arabia for celebrations of the World Environment Day held annually on June 5.
This year’s World Environment Day campaign focuses on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.”
Desertification is one of the biggest environmental threats of our time – refers to land drying up due to reduced rainfall, the expansion of agriculture, including deforestation and poor irrigation practices.
Climate change is exacerbating desertification: right now, around 2 billion people live on drylands vulnerable to desertification, which could displace an estimated 50 million people by 2030.
If people cannot grow food, they will need to move to an area where they can, increasing the risk of desertification, and having negative effects on landscapes, wildlife and human health.
These issues will be highlighted at United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification COP 16 in Saudi Arabia in December this year.
Saudi Arabia has been hosting (June 3-4) the Arab Forum for Environment. It explored critical environmental issues in the Arab region, including land degradation and drought.
The two-day event, which took place in Riyadh, aimed to identify potential cooperation opportunities and establish a regional dialogue.