Desertification Day to focus on consumers making smart investments in the land

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Bonn, 7 February 2018. The World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD) to be marked worldwide on 17 June 2018 will focus on how consumers can regenerate economies, create jobs and revitalize livelihoods and communities by influencing the market to invest in sustainable land management through what we buy.

Unveiling the theme, Monique Barbut, Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), said “the campaign slogan, ‘Land has true value. Invest in it.’, reminds us that land is a tangible asset with measurable value beyond just cash. That value is lost through degradation. But we can encourage land users to use land management practices that keep the land productive by the decisions we make every day in what we buy to eat, drink and wear.”

A mapping of the impacts of our individual decisions by the Global Land Outlook shows the real picture. An analysis of the food consumed in the city London found that around 80 per cent of the food is imported from other countries. The footprint for the Netherlands shows that the country needs four times its own land area to feed its people.

Thirty percent of all land is degraded, and has lost its true value. Land grabbing and a headlong rush for productive land signals a growing recognition that access to productive land will be crucial for future economic growth, peace and stability. 

The sustainable development goal target to achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030 is an important response to these challenges. It will help to recover degraded lands, stop land grabbing, fight climate change, increase food production and provide clean water.

“Every coin a consumer spends determines where investments by the private sector and governments go – either to land degrading ventures or towards good land use practices. Let’s not underestimate how our small individual decisions transform the world, so let’s choose wisely with our purchases,” Ms Barbut said.

The global observance of the Day in 2018 will be hosted by the Government of Ecuador. 

Ecuador promotes smart and healthy consumerism and supports the use of sustainable land use practices such as bioeconomy, which is an impact indicator of the National Development Plan (2017-2020).

The World Day to Combat Desertification was established by the UN General Assembly 23 years ago to be celebrated by every country in order to raise global awareness about the status of, and the priority actions taken at global and national levels to reverse desertification land degradation and strengthen responses to drought. 

Notes to Editors