The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have announced that the World Environment Day 2024 will be hosted by Saudi Arabia. The focus of the event will be on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience. World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5 June and has become one of the largest global platforms for environmental outreach. Millions of people participate through online and in-person activities, events, and actions worldwide.
According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, approximately 40% of the planet’s land is degraded, directly impacting half of the world’s population and posing a threat to around half of global GDP. The frequency and duration of droughts have increased by 29% since 2000, and without urgent action, droughts may affect over three-quarters of the world’s population by 2050.
Land restoration is a crucial aspect of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), which aims to protect and revive ecosystems worldwide to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
2024 will mark the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will take place in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024.
World Environment Day, established in 1972 by the United Nations General Assembly, serves as a platform to raise global awareness and promote action for the environment. It is also significant for advancing progress on the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals. Over 150 countries participate each year, along with major corporations, NGOs, communities, governments, and celebrities.
The UNEP is the leading global voice for environmental issues, working towards inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life while safeguarding future generations. For more information, please contact the News and Media Unit of the UN Environment Programme.