The Desertification and Drought Challenge

Summary. Healthy land underpins thriving economies, with over half of global GDP dependent on nature. Yet we are depleting this natural capital at an alarming rate: every minute, the equivalent of four football fields is lost due to land degradation. This drives biodiversity loss, increasing drought risk and displacing communities. The ripple effects are global—from rising food prices to instability and migration. Desertification, land degradation and drought are among the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, with up to 40% of all land area worldwide already considered degraded.