World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2026: All You Need to Know
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It’s estimated that over 75% of all land has already been degraded and 90% could be degraded by 2050, displacing more than 135 million people and negatively affecting countless wild species. Our planet provides all the necessities to sustain life and our way of living, meaning that its protection should be of the highest priority. So, we had to ask: What is the most important information you need to know about this year’s World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought?
👉 Official Name: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
💚 Cause: Raise awareness of desertification, land degradation, and drought in the wake of the climate crisis
📅 Next Date: June 17, 2026
🌐 Official Website: https://www.un.org/en/observances/desertification-day
Keep on reading to find out all the important information about World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought at a glance, including its big picture, why it’s important, and how you can get involved. We’ll then share its brief history, three interesting facts about it, its future dates, and how you’ll never miss any important awareness event again.
The Most Important Information About World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought at a Glance
1️⃣ The big picture: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a UN initiative celebrated every year. The main purpose of this event is to bring organizations and communities together to raise awareness of desertification through events and campaigns in order to improve the state of our natural lands.
2️⃣ Why is this important: Every second, the equivalent of 4 soccer fields of healthy land become degraded, totaling 100 million hectares every year. Labeled as the silent killer, drought causes fertile soil to be swallowed up by desert conditions, often in areas where people are already starving. In fact, it’s estimated that 1.8 billion people will experience absolute water scarcity and ⅔ of people around the world will be living under water-stressed conditions in 2025. Furthermore, the restoration of degraded land is vital in the fight against climate change because soils of degraded ecosystems can store up to 3 billion tons of carbon every year.
3️⃣ How can you get involved: One of the best ways to get involved in World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is to organize a community awareness event. You can also add your event to the United Nations virtual map of world events and download campaign materials from their website. In addition, you can consider volunteering with a local organization to restore degraded land or spread awareness through your social media channels.
Below are our favorite charities that are especially relevant for World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought:
- 9 Best Charities for Land Conservation
- 9 Best Charities for Reforestation
- 9 Best Charities for Climate Change
- 11 Best Charities for Planting Trees
A Brief History of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
When was this event established: The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought was founded in 1994 by the General Assembly, alongside the establishment of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). It was set up to mobilize global action to fight land degradation caused by climate change and develop sustainable land management practices.
How has it developed since then: Since 2017, the UNCCD and their partners have supported over 70 drought-prone countries to develop national action plans to reduce drought disasters. Today, the event is used to raise awareness of the plight facing our natural planet, particularly in the wake of the climate crisis.
3 Interesting Facts About World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
- Costly Damage: Droughts affect both developed and undeveloped countries around the world with devastating consequences for communities and the economy. For example, in the decade up to 2017, droughts affected an estimated 1.5 billion people and cost $125 billion globally, reinforcing the need for immediate action.
- Annual Themes: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought has a different theme every year. For example, previous themes have included ‘Restoration, Land, and Recovery. We build back better with healthy land’ in 2021, ‘Rising up from drought together’ in 2022, and ‘United for Land: Our Legacy. Our Future’ in 2024.
- Sustainable Development Goals: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development declares that “we are determined to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change”. Specifically, SDG Goal 15: Life on Land states the resolve of the United Nations.
Upcoming Dates of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed every year on June 17.
| Year | Date | Day(s) |
| 2025 | June 17 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | June 17 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | June 17 | Thursday |
Never Miss an Important Awareness Event Again
Sources
- The World Counts: A third of the world’s land surface is threatened by desertification
- United Nations: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification: Events around the world
- Trello: Desertification and Drought Day
- Impactful Ninja: 9 Best Charities for Land Conservation
- Impactful Ninja: 9 Best Charities for Reforestation
- Impactful Ninja: 9 Best Charities for Climate Change
- Impactful Ninja: 11 Best Charities for Planting Trees
- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification: Home page
- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification: Drought
- United Nations: 2030 Agenda
- Wikipedia: Sustainable Development Goals
