ANKARA – The United Nations warned on Tuesday that global droughts are costing the world over $300 billion each year, urging increased investment in nature-based solutions. This warning was issued in a report by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) during the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The report highlighted the urgent need for $1 billion per day between 2025 and 2030 to address desertification, land degradation, and drought. It warned that by 2025, drought, primarily driven by human environmental destruction, will affect 75% of the global population.
UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw stressed the importance of scaling up investments in land restoration to safeguard lives and livelihoods. The report advocates for nature-based solutions, such as reforestation, grazing management, and the restoration and conservation of watersheds, to help mitigate the impacts of drought.
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