UN ‘High-Level Dialogue on Desertification Land degradation and Drought
Source : PIB
GS II : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate
GS III : Environment Conservation
Why in News ?
PM’s keynote address at the UN ‘High-Level Dialogue on Desertification, Land degradation and Drought’
Key Facts
- Opened as the President of the 14th Session of the Conference of Parties of United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
- Land as the fundamental building block for supporting all lives and livelihoods India called for called for reduction of the tremendous pressure on land and its resources.
- It is mankind’s collective responsibility to reverse the damage to land caused by human activity.
- It is sacred duty to leave a healthy planet for our future generations.
Need for High Level action
- Globally one fifth of Earth’s land area more than 2 billion hectares is degraded.
- It including more than half of all agricultural land.
- Each year more than 12 million hectares of land are lost to desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD).
- The world loses 24 billion tons of fertile soil annually due to dryland degradation with significant negative impacts on food production and economic activity.
India against Desertification
- India has taken the lead to highlight land degradation issues at international forums.
- Delhi Declaration of 2019 called for better access and stewardship over land, and emphasised gender-sensitive transformative projects.
- In India over the last 10 years around 3 million hectares of forest cover has been added.
- This has enhanced the combined forest cover to almost one-fourth of the country’s total area.
- India is on track to achieve its national commitment of Land degradation neutrality.
- India also working towards restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 would contribute to India’s commitment to achieve an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
- Banni region in Rann of Kutch in Gujarat start a virtuous cycle of good soil health, increased land productivity, food security and improved livelihoods.
- Banni region, land restoration was done by developing grasslands, which helped in achieving land degradation neutrality.
- Also supports pastoral activities and livelihood by promoting animal husbandry.
- South-South cooperation
- India is assisting fellow developing countries to develop land restoration strategies.
- A Centre of Excellence is being set up in India to promote a scientific approach towards land degradation issues.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
- The most comprehensive global commitment to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) in order to restore the productivity of vast expanses of degraded land.
- Also improve the livelihoods of more than 1.3 billion people and reduce the impacts of drought on vulnerable populations to build.
- Aims to tackle Desertification, Land degradation and Drought.
- The Convention’s 197 parties work together to improve the living conditions for people in drylands, to maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and to mitigate the effects of drought.
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