Desertification and Drought Day, designated by the UN General Assembly in 1994, is observed annually on 17 June. It raises awareness and promotes solutions to desertification, land degradation and drought.
This year’s Desertification and Drought Day focuses on one of the most urgent global challenges: restoring 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land and jumpstarting a trillion-dollar land restoration economy by 2030.
Under the theme “Restore the land. Unlock the оpportunities,” the 2025 observance shines a light on how restoring nature’s foundation—land—can create jobs, boost food and water security, support climate action and build economic resilience.