UNEP supported the marshalling of US$80 million in funding for Africa’s Great Green Wall, an effort to increase the amount of arable land across 8,000 km of the Sahel, a semi-arid region that spans Africa. The projects from that funding are expected to cover more than 6.9 million hectares and benefit 5 million people. In Iraq, 90 per cent of which is arid or semi-arid, UNEP supported the roll out of a national strategy to counter land degradation. In the countries of the South Caucuses, including Armenia and Georgia, UNEP is backing the restoration of 20,000 hectares of degraded drylands, work that is expected to benefit 15,000 people. 

World Environment Day showcased solutions to drought, desertification and land degradation, spurring people around the world to act on these mounting threats. Saudi Arabia hosted the official celebrations on 5 June, while 4,000 other events took place in 150-plus countries. #WorldEnvironmentDay was the top trending hashtag on X, while political leaders and celebrities, from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to actor Leonardo DiCaprio, voiced their support for ecosystem restoration. UNEP’s World Environment Day-related content was viewed 421 million times across social media, while the celebration was mentioned by press in 178 countries. 

At the sixteenth Conference of Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, nations launched the Riyadh Action Agenda, which saw US$12 billion committed in loans and grants for land restoration and drought resilience initiatives. Also launched was the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, which will work to leverage finance in support of 80 of the most vulnerable and drought-hit countries around the world.