The United Nations has issued a stark warning about the urgent need for increased investment to combat land degradation worldwide, highlighting a staggering £200 billion funding gap. With only £56 billion currently mobilised, the dire financial shortfall threatens to exacerbate food insecurity, fuel conflict, and cause mass displacement across the globe.
Urgent Call for Financial Solutions
Yasmine Fouad, the executive secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and former Egyptian environment minister, has emphasised that a strategic overhaul of financing is essential to address the escalating crisis of desertification. In an exclusive interview, she pointed out that the current funding levels fall woefully short of the estimated £261 billion needed annually to effectively tackle land degradation.
“The gap between available finance and the amount needed is immense,” Ms Fouad remarked. “To bridge this divide, we cannot solely depend on public budgets. It is imperative that we engage the financial sector, development banks, insurance systems, and private capital to recognise healthy land as vital infrastructure for our economies and societies.”
The most recent assessment from the UNCCD reveals that approximately $355 billion (£261 billion) is required each year to combat the degradation of land globally. Alarmingly, only $77 billion is currently being mobilised, with a mere 6 per cent of this funding coming from private investments. Most of the existing financial resources are generated by the nations that are most threatened, with around 72 per cent sourced domestically and 22 per cent from international aid.
The Rising Tide of Land Degradation
Land degradation encompasses a decline in the quality and productivity of land, driven by factors such as soil erosion, deforestation, and overgrazing. It is a pressing concern, especially in dryland regions where persistent degradation leads to desertification, resulting in severe consequences for agriculture and livestock.
“The repercussions of inaction extend beyond environmental concerns,” Ms Fouad cautioned. “Land degradation and drought are already catalysts for food insecurity, supply chain disruptions, forced migration, and heightened inequality in vulnerable areas. In an interconnected world, no nation is insulated from these ramifications.”
According to the UNCCD, as of 2019, 15.4 per cent of the world’s land was classified as degraded—an alarming increase of 4 per cent over just four years. This translates to an annual loss of around 100 million hectares of once-fertile land, adversely affecting 1.3 billion people. The economic impact is staggering, with land degradation costing afflicted countries approximately 2 per cent of their GDP, equating to an estimated $878 billion each year.
Global Leadership and Future Initiatives
Ms Fouad’s urgent warning has resonated with global leaders, including the G7 environment ministers, who recently acknowledged desertification and drought as “systemic global challenges” that serve as multipliers for security risks. This recognition is a crucial step towards galvanising international support for initiatives aimed at combating land degradation.
Fortunately, there is optimism regarding the solutions available to address this crisis. “If we can secure sufficient funding, there are numerous strategies we can implement to mitigate the impact of land degradation,” Ms Fouad stated. “For example, we are backing watershed management projects in Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as initiatives encouraging farmers in the Nile Delta to cultivate crops that can thrive in increasingly saline soils.”
One notable project supported by the UNCCD is the ambitious Great Green Wall initiative, which aims to restore 100 million hectares of trees across desert-prone regions of Africa by 2030. Additionally, 74 low- to middle-income countries vulnerable to drought have submitted management plans to the UNCCD, now awaiting funding to bring their proposals to fruition.
In August, the UNCCD will convene its “Conference of Parties” (COP) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where generating finance to combat desertification will be a central focus. Despite widespread scepticism regarding the effectiveness of global conferences in addressing pressing issues like climate change, Ms Fouad remains hopeful. “COPs are more crucial than ever, as they unite countries from both the global North and South. They are essential for achieving the consensus needed to tackle various global environmental challenges.”
Why it Matters
The consequences of failing to address land degradation extend far beyond environmental degradation; they threaten global food security, social stability, and economic resilience. The UN’s clarion call for increased investment underscores the interconnected nature of environmental health and human welfare. As nations grapple with the realities of climate change, the time to act is now—investment in sustainable land management is not merely a humanitarian effort; it is a critical strategy for ensuring a stable and prosperous future for all.
