World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

About World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

• World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed every year on 17 June under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
• Objective: It is observed to spread awareness about international cooperation to combat desertification and the effects of drought. 
  • It also reminds people that desertification can be effectively tackled, solutions are possible and important is participation and cooperation at all levels are important.
• Theme for 2026: The theme for this year is “Rangelands: Recognise. Respect. “Restore”.
  • It calls for greater recognition of the economic, ecological and cultural value of rangelands, respect for their traditional stewards and stronger investment in restoring degraded rangelands.

About United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

• The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.
• Establish year: It was established in 1994.
• Parties: 197 countries and the European Union are now Parties to the Convention.
  • India signed the UNCCD in October 1994 and ratified it in December 1996. MoEF is the National Coordinating Agency for the implementation of the UNCCD in the country.
• Governing body: The Conference of the Parties (COP), which is the supreme governing body.
• Purpose: The Convention addresses the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found. 
  • Parties to the convention work together to improve the living conditions for people in drylands, to maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and to mitigate the effects of drought.
  • It facilitates cooperation between developed and developing countries, particularly around knowledge and technology transfer for sustainable land management.
• It  collaborates closely with the other two Rio Conventions– The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
• India, for the first time, hosted the 14th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-14) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in September 2019.