{"id":45674,"date":"2025-06-18T21:05:43","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T15:35:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=45674"},"modified":"2025-07-07T16:06:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T10:36:21","slug":"world-day-to-combat-desertification-and-drought-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/18-06-2025\/world-day-to-combat-desertification-and-drought-2","title":{"rendered":"World Day to Combat Desertification &amp; Drought"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recently, India joined the global community in <strong>observing the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought<\/strong>, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable land management and climate resilience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It was established by the <strong>United Nations General Assembly in 1994, <\/strong>observed <strong>annually on June 17<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It highlights the urgent need for sustainable land management and global action against desertification.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Theme (2025):<\/strong> \u2018Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities\u2019<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Desertification<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification)<\/strong> defines land desertification as \u201cland degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Land degradation is accelerating, <strong>costing the global economy $878 billion annually<\/strong>. <strong>Africa and Asia are worst affected<\/strong>, with the Sahel, Middle East, and Central Asia being major hotspots.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to <strong>ISRO\u2019s Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas (2021)<\/strong>, 29.7% of India\u2019s total geographical area (TGA) is undergoing desertification or land degradation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The UNCCD was created to address these issues, promoting policies that encourage sustainable land use and resilience against climate change.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"edefea\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"556\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/06\/land-degradation.png\" alt=\"land degradation\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-45687\" style=\"--dominant-color: #edefea; width:372px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/06\/land-degradation.png 556w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/06\/land-degradation-290x300.png 290w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 556px) 100vw, 556px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Causes of Desertification<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Drought and erratic rainfall:<\/strong>&nbsp; Overgrazing, deforestation, and unsustainable agriculture<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Climate change:<\/strong> Urbanisation and industrialization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wind and water erosion:<\/strong> &nbsp; Excessive groundwater withdrawal and poor irrigation practices<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Salinization of soil:<\/strong> Mining and infrastructure development<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Impacts of Desertification<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Environmental: <\/strong>Decline in soil fertility, biodiversity, and groundwater recharge.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Intensification of climate change via reduced carbon sequestration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increased frequency of dust storms and sand encroachment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Economic: <\/strong>Reduced agricultural productivity and livelihood loss for farmers and pastoralists.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increased rural poverty, food insecurity, and migration pressures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Huge costs on restoration and irrigation infrastructure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social: <\/strong>Distress migration and resource-based conflicts.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Erosion of traditional knowledge and indigenous land management systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Geopolitical:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/02-12-2024\/earths-desertification-emergency\"><strong>Desertification <\/strong><\/a>contributes to transboundary tensions over water, land, and food security, particularly in fragile ecosystems like the Sahel or Indo-Gangetic plains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Efforts&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC):<\/strong> National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture and Green India Mission address land degradation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Afforestation Programme:<\/strong> Through the <strong>National Mission for a Green India (GIM) and Forest Fire Protection &amp; Management Scheme (FFPM), <\/strong>India supports states in afforestation and forest conservation.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Compensatory afforestation under <strong>Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA)<\/strong> is used to increase forest cover.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Desert Development Programme (DDP):<\/strong> Targets arid zones with integrated watershed management.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mangrove and Coastal Ecosystem Protection:<\/strong> India implements annual <strong>Management Action Plans<\/strong> for conserving mangroves and coral reefs across coastal states and UTs under the <strong>National Coastal Mission.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>International Frameworks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD):<\/strong> India has been a party since 1996; hosted COP-14 in 2019 in New Delhi.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bonn Challenge:<\/strong> It is a global goal to bring 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested landscapes into restoration by 2020 and <strong>350 million hectares by 2030.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India pledged to restore 13 million hectares of degraded land by 2020 and an <strong>additional 8 million hectares by 2030.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2030 Agenda (SDG 15.3):<\/strong> Committed to achieving Land Degradation Neutrality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Integrated Land Use Planning: <\/strong>Align national planning with land capability and agro-climatic zones.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Promote multi-cropping, crop rotation, and sustainable grazing systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Community-Led Watershed Management: <\/strong>Empower Panchayats and local communities.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Incentivize watershed-based planning and decentralized water harvesting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scientific Monitoring:<\/strong> Use remote sensing, GIS, and AI for real-time tracking of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/20-12-2021\/desertification-of-the-thar-region\"><strong>degradation<\/strong><\/a>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Strengthen Soil Health Monitoring Networks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sustainable Agriculture:<\/strong> Shift towards organic farming, zero-budget natural farming, and agroforestry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsonair.gov.in\/world-day-to-combat-desertification-observed-today-india-hosts-workshop-in-jodhpur\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Source: News On AIR<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Read this in Hindi: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs-hindi\/18-06-2025\/%e0%a4%b5%e0%a4%bf%e0%a4%b6%e0%a5%8d%e0%a4%b5-%e0%a4%ae%e0%a4%b0%e0%a5%81%e0%a4%b8%e0%a5%8d%e0%a4%a5%e0%a4%b2%e0%a5%80%e0%a4%95%e0%a4%b0%e0%a4%a3-%e0%a4%8f%e0%a4%b5%e0%a4%82-%e0%a4%b8%e0%a5%82%e0%a4%96%e0%a4%be-%e0%a4%a8%e0%a4%bf%e0%a4%b5%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%b0%e0%a4%a3-%e0%a4%a6%e0%a4%bf%e0%a4%b5%e0%a4%b8\">\u0935\u093f\u0936\u094d\u0935 \u092e\u0930\u0941\u0938\u094d\u0925\u0932\u0940\u0915\u0930\u0923 \u090f\u0935\u0902 \u0938\u0942\u0916\u093e \u0928\u093f\u0935\u093e\u0930\u0923 \u0926\u093f\u0935\u0938<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Recently, India joined the global community in observing the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable land management and climate resilience.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<h3><strong>About World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994, observed annually on June 17.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">It highlights the urgent need for sustainable land management and global action against desertification.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Theme (2025): \u2018Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities\u2019<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/18-06-2025\/world-day-to-combat-desertification-and-drought-2\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45674"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45674\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47116,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45674\/revisions\/47116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}