Theme: "Conserving land and water = Securing our common future"

2009 World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD) had a special significance for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Fifteen years before, on 17 June 1994, the Convention was adopted.

The WDCD is observed every year on 17 June. That year the Day's theme was "Conserving land and water = Securing our common future".

Desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) threaten human security by depriving people of their means of life – by taking away food, access to water, the means for economic activities, and even their homes. In worst-case scenarios, they undermine national and regional security, force people to leave their homes and can trigger low- or high-level intensity conflicts.

On that WDCD, we reminded everyone that threat to soil security unleashed by desertification, land degradation and the effects of drought constitute a peril to securing our common future.

The WDCD has been observed since 1995 (General Assembly Resolution A/RES/49/1995) to promote public awareness relating to international cooperation to combat desertification and the effects of drought, and the implementation of the UNCCD.

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 (secretariat[at]unccd[dot]int).