This year’s Desertification and Drought Day focuses on one of the most urgent global challenges: restoring 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land and jumpstarting a trillion-dollar land restoration economy by 2030.
Under the theme “Restore the land. Unlock the оpportunities,” the 2025 observance shines a light on how restoring nature’s foundation—land—can create jobs, boost food and water security, support climate action and build economic resilience.
Why land restoration matters
More than half of global GDP relies on healthy ecosystems. Yet each year, an area the size of Egypt is degraded, driving biodiversity loss, increasing drought risk and displacing communities. The ripple effects are global—from rising food prices to instability and migration.
But restoring land flips the script. Every dollar invested in restoration generates USD7 to USD30 in returns. Reviving land restores productivity, strengthens water cycles and supports millions of rural livelihoods.
