UN Official Links Land Restoration to Broad Benefits

Why this is here: Since the year 2000, the frequency of droughts globally has intensified by roughly one-third, according to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

Xenya Scanlon of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification spoke at the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan. She stated that investments in land restoration yield economic, social, and environmental benefits.

Scanlon explained that resilient land equates to resilient communities, offering returns in health and economic stability. She also noted droughts have increased in frequency by about one-third since 2000.

The UN official highlighted the Amazon basin’s growing vulnerability to drought and wildfires, appearing on the UNCCD’s global drought hotspots index last year. WUF13, currently underway, has hosted over 40,000 participants from 182 countries to discuss sustainable urban development.

While the forum addresses multiple facets of urban life, the link between land health and community wellbeing remains a central theme. Further research continues to clarify the long-term impacts of land restoration in diverse ecosystems.