Under the theme “Our Land. Our Future. We are #GenerationRestoration,” the world united yesterday to mark World Environment Day 2024, focusing on restoring degraded lands, combatting desertification, and building drought resilience. Hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this year’s event marks only the second time in over 50 years that World Environment Day has occurred in the West Asia region.
Amid escalating environmental challenges, including severe droughts, sandstorms, and rising temperatures, the region faces expanding deserts, evaporating fresh water sources, and eroding fertile soils. These pressing issues underscore the urgency of the global call to action made during today’s celebrations.
World Environment Day 2024 we have witnessed an unprecedented level of engagement, with a record-breaking 3,657 events held globally by governments, cities, civil society organizations, universities, schools, and businesses. From high-level events in Riyadh to week-long festivities in South America, and from soil restoration labs for children in Africa to the largest mural in North America, the diversity of activities reflected the universal commitment to environmental restoration.
The online conversation was equally vibrant, with tens of millions of people joining the discussion and #WorldEnvironmentDay trending above major movies and global political events. This digital engagement amplified the global rally to restore the land that is essential for humanity and countless other species.
In a special address on climate action at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the urgent need for action.
“Today, we’re pushing planetary boundaries to the brink – shattering global temperature records and reaping the whirlwind,” he said. He highlighted the injustice faced by the poorest and most vulnerable, who are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.
Currently, up to 40% of the world’s land is degraded, impacting half of humanity. An estimated 3.2 billion people are negatively affected by desertification, and by 2050, more than three-quarters of the global population is expected to face drought-related challenges. This World Environment Day aims to accelerate progress towards global commitments, including protecting 30% of land and sea for nature and restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030. Although countries have pledged to restore one billion hectares of land by 2030, trends suggest that 1.5 billion hectares need to be restored to meet the land degradation neutrality goals.
Saudi Arabia has set ambitious environmental sustainability goals, including a pledge to plant 50 billion trees across the region through the Saudi Green Initiative and Middle East Green Initiative. On World Environment Day, the government celebrated its land restoration efforts and announced increased support and funding for private and philanthropic organizations working on environmental issues. The country also confirmed it is on track to meet the global land degradation neutrality target by 2030.
Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, Saudi Minister for Environment, Water and Agriculture, highlighted the nation’s efforts to restore lands and limit degradation. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to improve vegetation cover and combat desertification through the Saudi Green Initiative and national strategy will enable the country to reach its land degradation neutrality goal by 2030,” he said.
Addressing attendees in Riyadh, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen called for urgent action to achieve the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration goals by 2030. “Billions across the world are facing food insecurity, crippling droughts, and livelihoods are under threat. That is why on World Environment Day we’re asking the world to join the global movement to restore our lands, increase drought resilience, and combat desertification,” she stated.
Adding to the momentum, six new cities across Africa and Latin America joined UNEP’s Generation Restoration Cities initiative, representing 45 million inhabitants, 2.1 million hectares of land, and 600 kilometers of waterways. These urban areas aim to replicate and scale up ecosystem restoration using nature-based solutions.
World Environment Day 2024 serves as a crucial platform for rallying support for ecosystem restoration, aligning with the broader 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. Saudi Arabia, in partnership with the G20 nations and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), aims to cut land degradation by 50% by 2040 through the G20 Global Land Initiative. This December, the country will host the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the UNCCD, marking the first time the region has hosted this pivotal meeting in the global fight against land degradation.
