Theme: “Land Degradation”

8th World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD)

As part of its campaign to tackle global environmental deterioration in particular by combatting the degradation of drylands -- which cover up to one quarter of the world's land surface -- the United Nations General Assembly designated 17 June as "World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought".

Celebrated world-wide, this day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

This year, it will be celebrated in Osnabrueck, Germany, at the kind invitation of the city of Osnabrueck. The theme this year is “Land Degradation”.

CNIRD’s Director of Programmes, Zakiya Uzoma-Wadada (right) participates in a tree planting exercise to mark World Day to Combat Desertification in Trinidad and Tobago.

To request further information, such as WDCD messages from United Nations officials or press releases in additional languages, as well as past campaign, press or awareness raising materials, please contact secretariat [at] unccd.int .