Later this year, Saudi Arabia will again host a major environmental event: the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).



One of the three major treaties known as the Rio Conventions, the UNCCD unites governments, businesses and civil society in an effort to chart a sustainable future for land.



Taking place from 2-13 December, it is hoped the conference will accelerate action on drought resilience, and help spur the transition to greener societies and economies. 

It is restoration day in a village high in the Andes and the mood is festive. After limbering up with a traditional dance, dozens of volunteers each grab an armful of bushy green saplings. Then they clamber onto pickup trucks, motorbikes and horses and stream up a treeless mountainside to plant them.



Grassroots reforestation efforts like this one in Ecuador’s Chimborazo Province are the hallmark of Acción Andina, a multi-country initiative to restore native forests along the mountainous 700-kilometer spine of South America.  

It is restoration day in a village high in the Andes and the mood is festive. After limbering up with a traditional dance, dozens of volunteers each grab an armful of bushy green saplings. Then they clamber onto pickup trucks, motorbikes and horses and stream up a treeless mountainside to plant them.



Grassroots reforestation efforts like this one in Ecuador’s Chimborazo Province are the hallmark of Acción Andina, a multi-country initiative to restore native forests along the mountainous 700-kilometer spine of South America.  

Another big day on the environmental calendar this year is Desertification and Drought Day, which will be hosted by Germany on 17 June. The event, which takes place in Bonn, will also mark the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).



The gathering will bring together politicians, business leaders, academics, entertainers and youth. The aim? To showcase the importance of protecting the Earth’s landscapes. The event comes ahead of the largest-ever UN conference on land and drought, UNCCD COP 16, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in December 2024.    

Stretching across seven European countries, the Carpathian Mountain range is home to some of the continent’s largest intact forests. It boasts nearly 4,000 plant species, as well as large populations of brown bears and grey wolves. 



To find out what global warming is doing to the Carpathians, and how countries can preserve and restore one of Europe’s few truly wild areas, we spoke to Harald Egerer, the Head of UNEP’s Vienna Office and Secretary of the UNEP-administered Carpathian Convention. 

On June 5, UNEP and the UN Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific are hosting an in-person and online event focused on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience. Among other things, the session will explore solutions to land degradation, such as water conservation, sustainable food production and drought-resilient urban development. 

Do you know how many people around the world are affected by droughts? Any idea what the leading causes of land degradation are? Know what the world’s most biodiverse ecosystem is?



Try to answer those questions, and others, in our World Environment Day quiz, which dives deep into some of the biggest challenges facing the planet.

Universities around the world are increasingly weaving lessons on environmental sustainability into their programmes. A webinar, hosted by UNEP and partners, will showcase the experience of some of those institutions, including schools in France and Lebanon. 

The session, which takes place on World Environment Day, will also mark the opening of registration for the 2024 edition of the My Sustainable Living Challenge. It invites participants to reflect on how their lifestyle choices affect the planet.   

In the heart of Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, is a small commercial garden run by the community group the Abilities Foundation. Neat rows of fruits and vegetables line the plot, which helps fund vocational training for students with special needs. Alongside the produce is a tank that harvests rainwater and a network of tubes that disperses it into the garden. That system is crucial, as dwindling rainfall – caused by climate change – has meant that this type of drip irrigation infrastructure is a must for farming.



This story highlights how UNEP is helping more than 130,000 people in Jamaica and the wider region contend with climate change.   

 

The Faith for Earth Coalition has created a guide for faith actors to join the global World Environment Day celebrations. The guide aims to engage communities and individuals motivated by religious and spiritual principles with land restoration, desertification and drought resilience, and drive solutions.