Every year on June 17, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought<\/strong> is celebrated throughout the world. This year the theme is \u201cRising up from drought together<\/strong>\u201d, seeks to promote early and timely action to avoid consequences that can be described as disastrous for humanity and planetary ecosystems.<\/p>\n The celebration this year 2022 will be held in Madrid, Spain. Being the host a country characterized by its vulnerability to drought, water scarcity and impacts related to climate change. At the same time, the Spanish government it’s moving forward in handling this problem and has effective programs to deal with it.<\/p>\n \u201cDesertification and drought, which are a degradation of environmental health, contribute to the collapse of biodiversity and favour the appearance of zoonoses. This is yet another reminder that human health and the health of our environment are deeply intertwined.\u201d Desertification<\/strong> is defined as \u201cland degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities\u201d. In turn, drought<\/strong> is defined as \u201cthe naturally occurring phenomenon that exists when precipitation has been significantly below normal recorded levels, causing serious hydrological imbalances that adversely affect land resource production systems.\u201d Article 1 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).<\/p>\n According to the recently published UNCCD report \u201cDrought in Numbers 2022. – Restoration for preparedness and resilience<\/strong>\u201d, due to the effect of land degradation and climate change, it is estimated that droughts \u201cincreased in frequency and severity, up 29% since 2000, with 55 million people affected each year.\u201d Today, about 2.3 billion people suffer from water scarcity. According to UNICEF \u201cone in four children in the world will be affected by this phenomenon between now and 2040\u201d. According to projections for 2050, droughts will affect approximately three quarters of the world’s population, which is why it is considered a problem that requires urgent and global attention.<\/p>\n \u201cRecent droughts point at a precarious future for the world. Food and water shortages as well as wildfires caused by the severe drought have all intensified in recent years.\u201d Key messages from United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n From SGK-PLANET we promote the global call of the UNCCD to treat the earth as a precious natural capital and a limited resource that we must restore. It is the duty of each one of us to assume the commitment to attend and fulfill that call, because the future is in our hands.<\/p>\n Aixa Chacin<\/strong><\/p>\n Sources:<\/p>\n United Nations. World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, 17 June. Rising up from drought together. Retrieve from https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/observances\/desertification-day<\/a><\/p>\n UNESCO. World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. Retrieve from https:\/\/en.unesco.org\/commemorations\/desertificationday<\/a><\/p>\n UNCCD. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. 2022 Desertification and Drought Day. Retrieve from https:\/\/www.unccd.int\/2022-desertification-and-drought-day<\/a><\/p>\n United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, in those countries experiencing serious drought and\/or desertification, particularly in Africa. Retrieve from https:\/\/catalogue.unccd.int\/936_UNCCD_Convention_ENG.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n Drought in Numbers 2022. Restoration for readiness and resilience. Retrieve from https:\/\/www.unccd.int\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-05\/Drought_in_Numbers_%28English%29.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n
\nAudrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2021<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\nIbrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n