Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message to the seventh Kubuqi International Desert Forum, in Kubuqi Desert, China, on 27to 28July:
It is a pleasure to greet this important forum on combating desertification and promoting global cooperation for global desertification control. I welcome the cooperation between the People’s Republic of China, the United Nations and other partners that has made this gathering possible.
Every year, the world loses 12million hectares of productive land, with far-reaching consequences, including falling crop yields, massive food loss, rising tensions over natural resources, forced migration and weakened resilience to climate change.
With the climate emergency deepening and global population growing, it is crucial to reverse these trends. Land restoration and rehabilitation can generate livelihoods, spur economic growth and empower women, who often bear the brunt of land degradation and water scarcity. It can also sequester significant amounts of carbon emissions.
Climate disruption is progressing even faster than the world’s top scientists have predicted and is outpacing our efforts to address it. We are in a battle for our lives. But with new technology, smart policies, strong solidarity and greater ambition, this is a battle we can win.
We have seen promising commitments, from the Great Green Wall across the African continent to ambitious restoration and reforestation efforts in Latin America and Asia. I urge the international community to support these undertakings.
The Kubuqi International Desert Forum is an opportunity to share and scale up success stories in and beyond China. I will also count on you to announce concrete commitments in time for the Climate Action Summit that I am convening on 23September at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Restoring and protecting our planet’s fragile layer of land is a matter of life and death. Losing these lands has brought us conflicts, fires, job losses and other upheavals. We must take restoration to a new level. This is an imperative for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring a brighter future for people everywhere. In that spirit, please accept my best wishes for a productive forum.
As someone deeply entrenched in the field of environmental sustainability and climate action, I bring a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience to the discussion on combating desertification and promoting global cooperation for desertification control. My expertise stems from years of engagement with international organizations, governmental bodies, and non-profit initiatives dedicated to addressing the pressing issues outlined in the UN Secretary-General António Guterres' message to the seventh Kubuqi International Desert Forum.
The evidence supporting the urgency of this matter is indisputable. The UN Secretary-General highlights the alarming fact that the world loses 12 million hectares of productive land annually, leading to severe consequences such as falling crop yields, substantial food loss, escalating tensions over natural resources, forced migration, and compromised resilience to climate change. This information is not merely statistics to me; it represents the dire reality we face in the battle against desertification.
Land restoration and rehabilitation, as mentioned by Guterres, are pivotal solutions that I have actively advocated for in various capacities. I have witnessed firsthand how these efforts can generate livelihoods, stimulate economic growth, and empower marginalized communities, particularly women who often bear the disproportionate burden of land degradation and water scarcity. Moreover, the capacity of land restoration to sequester significant amounts of carbon emissions aligns with my commitment to addressing the global climate crisis.
The acknowledgment that climate disruption is outpacing our current efforts emphasizes the need for immediate and robust action. My involvement in projects spanning the Great Green Wall in Africa, ambitious restoration initiatives in Latin America and Asia, and collaboration with diverse stakeholders positions me as a contributor to the global movement striving to reverse these detrimental trends.
The Kubuqi International Desert Forum represents a crucial platform for sharing and scaling up success stories. My active participation in similar forums, coupled with a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between environmental, social, and economic factors, equips me to appreciate the significance of international cooperation in addressing desertification.
As the UN Secretary-General calls for concrete commitments in preparation for the Climate Action Summit, I echo the urgency of supporting these endeavors. My commitment extends beyond mere awareness to tangible action, and I look forward to leveraging my expertise to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing global efforts to restore and protect our planet's fragile lands.
In conclusion, the imperative outlined by António Guterres aligns with my life's work, and I am poised to actively engage in the collaborative initiatives needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and secure a brighter future for people worldwide. The call for a productive forum is not just a formality but a shared commitment to address the critical challenges that lie ahead.
