World Environment Day 2024

Date
05.06.24
Time
12:00 am > 12:00 am UTC+03:00

World Environment Day is the United Nations’ main vehicle of worldwide encouragement for environmental action and awareness. After its first edition in 1972, World Environment Day has become a major global event for environmental awareness. This year, the campaign will focus on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.”

The UN warns that about 40% of the Earth’s land is degraded, impacting half the population and endangering roughly half of the global economy. Droughts have increased by 29% since 2000, and without action, they could affect over 75% of the world’s population by 2050.

At CGIAR, we believe that biodiversity and environmental health are fundamental to building resilient and sustainable food systems, especially in the face of climate challenges, and we are committed to pioneering nature-based solutions through cutting-edge scientific collaboration. We focus on developing impactful, scalable actions that ensure equitable access to nutritious, resilient, and biodiverse food systems. Our efforts aim to address the pressing environmental challenges posed by current food systems.

Challenges We’re Tackling

Food systems worldwide exacerbate social inequities and contribute to biodiversity loss, water pollution, and natural resource depletion. Agriculture is a significant driver of forest and biodiversity loss, crucial for healthy diets and nutrition. With a third of the world’s soils degraded and agriculture accounting for about 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, it’s clear that solutions must address both current needs and future sustainability.

Our Solutions

CGIAR embraces landscape considerations, circular economy principles, and agroecological approaches to harmonize food production with environmental health. We are dedicated to transforming food systems from being sources of environmental degradation to supporting regeneration.

CGIAR’s Impacts

Land Restoration and Desertification: Our science helps countries combat environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. We focus on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience.
Innovative Water Management: We implement advanced techniques to optimize water use efficiency in drought-prone areas, supporting sustainable agriculture and resilience.
Restoring Degraded Landscapes: We lead large-scale initiatives to restore degraded lands, transforming them into productive and sustainable ecosystems.
Data-Driven Solutions: Using satellite imagery and AI, we map and monitor desertification risks, guiding precise interventions in vulnerable areas.

Our Vision

CGIAR envisions sustainable, healthy, equitable, and prosperous landscapes and livelihoods, critical for the long-term sustainability of food systems and human health. Through modern digital tools, our data informs global solutions and national policies, ensuring they stay within planetary boundaries for water, nutrient, and land use.

Let’s sow the seeds of regeneration and ensure food systems support a viable future for people, their prosperity, and the planet. Join us in celebrating World Environment Day as we work towards a future where science and technology create lasting harmony between people and the planet. Register now for CGIAR Science Week!