World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
An annual observance raising awareness of land degradation, desertification, and drought, and the need for sustainable land management.
Date17 June
TopicEnvironment & Sustainability
Established1994
Ways to observe this day
- Join local tree-planting or land-restoration efforts
- Reduce water use at home and in the garden
- Raise awareness about how desertification threatens food security
In 1994, the UN General Assembly declared June 17 as the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, coinciding with the adoption of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification that same year. It has been observed annually since 1995 to draw attention to the crisis of land degradation affecting millions of people worldwide.
Desertification and land degradation affect nearly 40 percent of the world's land area, threatening food security and water resources and pushing millions toward migration and displacement in search of arable land. The problem is worsened by climate change, rising temperatures, and increasingly frequent severe droughts.
The day calls on governments and communities to adopt sustainable land management practices, restore degraded land, and protect soil from depletion, recognizing these efforts as essential pillars for food security, sustainable development, and climate adaptation.
