UN Convention to Combat Desertification

 

Context

In October, 2023 the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has announced the launch of its first-ever Data Dashboard.

About

1. It compiled national reporting figures from 126 countries.
2. This Data Dashboard shows that Land Degradation is advancing at an astonishing rate across all regions.

1. Land degradation is caused by multiple forces, including extreme weather conditions, particularly drought.
2. It is also caused by human activities that pollute or degrade the quality of soils and land utility.

 

3. Notable, the 21st session of the UNCCD Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 21) will focus on reviewing global progress towards achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and addressing related issues.

• It will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 13-17 November 2023.

Key Findings

1. From 2015 to 2019, the world lost over 100 million hectares of productive land every year, which is twice the size of Greenland.
2. Land degradation is worsening rapidly on a global scale.
3. Eastern and Central Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean experience severe degradation, impacting at least 20% of their total land area.
4. Sub-Saharan Africa, Western and Southern Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean have experienced land degradation rates faster than the global average. 
5. On the positive side, some countries have shown progress in combating land degradation.

1. For instance, in Sub-Saharan Africa, Botswana reduced land degradation from 36% to 17% of its territory.
2. In the Dominican Republic, the proportion of degraded land has decreased from 49% to 31% between 2015 and 2019. 
3. While Uzbekistan reported the highest proportion of degraded land (26.1%) in the Central Asia region, it also saw the largest decrease – from 30% to 26% compared to 2015. 
   1. Between 2018-2022, Uzbekistan carried out saxaul planting to eliminate salt and dust emissions from the drained bottom of the Aral Sea.          

India’s Statistics: 

Degraded Land Area in India has been increased from 4.42% in 2015 to 9.45 % in 2019.

Impact of land degradation

Measures for controlling land degradation

Recommendations of UNCCD to Achieve LDN Targets

1. Data emphasizes the need to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030 to achieve LDN targets outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
2. The UNCCD highlights that although global trends are concerning, it is still possible to meet or exceed LDN goals through stopping further degradation and accelerating restoration efforts.
3. Many countries have set voluntary LDN targets for 2030, and funding is crucial for these efforts.

Steps to tackle Land Degradation

1. Global: 

The Bonn Challenge: To bring 150 million hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded land into restoration by 2020, and 350 million hectares by 2030.

 Great Green Wall: Initiative by Global Environment Facility (GEF), where eleven countries in Sahel-Saharan Africa have focused efforts to fight against land degradation and revive native plant life to the landscape.

2.  India:

1. Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) (Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana)
2. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS),
3. Soil Conservation in the Catchment of River Valley Project,
4. National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA)
5. Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation).

Way Forward

1. Land degradation conservation is a long-term commitment that requires the active engagement of governments, communities, and individuals towards the common goal of achieving land degradation neutrality.
2. Sustainable land management practices should be tailored to the specific environmental conditions and challenges of each region to conserve land from degradation.

 

 

 

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