Countries fall short of land restoration targets, study finds

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A study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed that countries have rehabilitated 124.3 million hectares of land, reaching only 10.4% of their collective national pledges to restore 1.2 billion hectares. The degradation of up to 40% of the world's land is attributed to factors including human-induced climate change, wildfires, and drought. The report was released to coincide with a United Nations meeting in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where delegates gathered to address issues of desertification and drought.

Consequences

Continued land degradation threatens to further reduce global food production, water availability, and job opportunities. Without increased restoration efforts, countries like Mongolia, which currently faces a 77% land degradation level due to overgrazing and climate change, may experience continued environmental and economic decline.

Sources

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