Global Call to Action: $2.6 Trillion Needed by 2030 to Combat Desertification and Drought

The world is facing an urgent environmental crisis, with desertification, land degradation, and drought threatening the livelihoods of billions. According to the latest report from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), $2.6 trillion in investments is needed by 2030 to restore over one billion hectares of degraded land and build resilience to drought.

The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UNCCD, which runs from December 2 to December 13 in Riyadh under the theme “Our Land. Our Future,” has brought together global leaders and experts to tackle this growing issue. The “Investing in Land’s Future” report, launched at the conference, calls for $1 billion in daily investments until 2030 to meet global land restoration targets and combat desertification and drought.

Jessika  Roswall,  EU  Commissioner  for  Environment,  Water  Resilience,  and  a  Circular Competitive Economy, stressed the urgency of the situation. “The world loses 100 million hectares of healthy and productive land every year, around twice the size of France,” Roswall said. “Without rich and fertile soils, we have no food. Without healthy land, people lose their livelihoods. Without tackling land degradation and enhancing drought resilience, we cannot ensure a competitive and circular economy.”

The report paints a stark picture of the current state of funding, revealing a $278 billion annual shortfall in global investments needed to meet the required financing levels. Global investments in land restoration have risen from $37 billion in 2016 to $66 billion in 2022, but the gap remains large. $355 billion per year is required between 2025 and 2030 to close the funding gap.

Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, called for bold action: “To protect lives and livelihoods, we must significantly increase investments in land restoration. Every dollar invested in healthy land is a dollar invested in biodiversity, climate, and food security. The good news is that the world could save billions annually and earn trillions more by restoring land back to health.”

Up to 40% of the world’s land is degraded, affecting over 3.2 billion people. The most vulnerable populations including indigenous communities, smallholder farmers, women, and youth are bearing the heaviest costs. The rise in droughts, which have increased by 29% since 2000, is exacerbating the situation, with projections showing that by 2050. three in four people worldwide could be affected by drought.

Africa faces the largest financing gap, requiring $191 billion annually to restore 600 million hectares of degraded land. “Losing over 100 football pitches of healthy land every minute threatens livelihoods, food and water security, and public health,” the report warned. “This could disrupt regional economies and global trade.”

Despite the vast gap in funding, the report also emphasizes the significant financial returns of land restoration. For every dollar invested in land restoration, there is a return of up to $8 in social, environmental, and economic gains. These returns include improved agricultural productivity, enhanced drought and climate resilience, and better ecosystem services.

The report also points to the importance of unlocking private sector investment. Private sector contributions currently account for only 6% of the necessary funding. Key strategies such as public-private partnerships, blended finance models, and green bonds are essential for mobilizing the capital needed for large-scale land restoration.

“The challenge is enormous, but the opportunity is equally great,” said Thiaw. “We have the power to reverse land degradation and build resilience against drought. But we need unprecedented levels of investment and collaboration to get there.”

As COP16 continues through December 13, the urgency of addressing desertification, land degradation, and drought has never been clearer. The global community must act now: before the consequences of inaction become irreversible.