World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a United Nations observance celebrated each year on 17 June. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the presence of desertification and drought, highlighting methods of preventing desertification and recovering from drought. Each year's global celebration has a unique, novel emphasis that had not been developed previously.

This day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/49/115 on January 30, 1995, after the day when United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is drafted.

Desertification and the 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, so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations". Specifically, SDG Goal 15: Life on Land states the resolve of the United Nations and the SDG signatory nations to halt and reverse land degradation.

Annual themes

 * 2024 - United for Land: Our Legacy. Our future
 * 2022 – Rising up from drought together
 * 2021 – Restoration, land and recovery. We build back better with healthy land
 * 2020 – Food. Feed. Fibre – the links between consumption and land
 * 2019 – Let’s Grow the Future Together (Reflecting on 25 years of progress and envisaging to the next 25)
 * 2018 – Land has true value. Invest in it
 * 2017 – Link between land degradation and migration (in light of Syrian mass emigration following environmentally-caused failure of Syria's agricultural system) #2017WDCD
 * 2016 – Protect Earth. Restore Land. Engage People.
 * 2015 – Attainment of food security for all through sustainable food systems. – "No such thing as a free lunch. Invest in healthy soil"
 * 2009 – Conserving land and energy = Securing our common future
 * 2008 – Combating land degradation for sustainable agriculture
 * 2007 – Desertification and Climate Change - One Global Challenge
 * 2006 – The Beauty of Deserts – The Challenge of Desertification
 * 2005 – Women and Desertification
 * 2004 – Social Dimensions of Desertification: Migration and Poverty
 * 2003 – International Year of Deserts and Desertification (IYDD)
 * 2002 – Land Degradation