FAO and UNEP Celebrated World Environment Day at St. Petersburg Forum

What happens when earth is dehydrated? It destroys the conditions for existence of many flora and fauna species. It leads to desertification, recognized as a global environmental problem. In the next 10 years, 50 million people may be forcibly displaced due to desertification. Human history has already seen that – it caused the fall of empires and mass migration of peoples. Does this mean that everything repeats itself and humanity is moving in a circle or a spiral?

This essential issue was the topic of a press briefing jointly organized by Moscow offices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nations Environment Programme in the venues of St. Petersburg Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2024.

The briefing took place on 5 June, the date when the UN General Assembly decided to celebrate the World Environment Day (WED) since 1972. This year’s WED was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) with the slogan “accelerating land restoration, drought resilience and desertification progress”.

While opening the press briefing, Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Centre in Russia, recalled the statement made by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the occasion of the World Environment Day, “Pollution, climate chaos, and biodiversity decimation are turning healthy lands into deserts, and thriving ecosystems into dead zones.”

The UN Secretary-General called for redoubling of efforts to combat ecosystem destruction. The UN member countries must deliver on their commitments to restore degraded ecosystems and land, emphasized Antonio Guterres, – inaction is too costly.

*   *   *

“Desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) undermine agricultural productivity and food security, disrupt vital ecosystem functions, adversely affect biodiversity and water resources, and increase carbon emissions and vulnerability to climate change,” noted Oleg Kobiakov, Director of FAO Liaison Office with the Russian Federation. “Every year degradation affects over half of all agricultural land, and the losses of soil ecosystem services owing to unsustainable land use are estimated at 1 trillion US dollars.

FAO assists its members in the transition to more efficient, inclusive resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, ensuring better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better life while leaving no one behind.

This year, the National committee for the implementation of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration in Russia was established at the initiative of FAO and UNEP Moscow offices. Events associated with the Decade are already underway, which are aimed at preventing, halting and reversing ecosystem degradation in Russia and neighbouring countries.”

*   *   *

“Land degradation affects over three billion people on the planet. Freshwater ecosystems are also degrading, which hinders agricultural crop cultivation and raising of livestock,” said Vladimir Moshkalo, Head of UNEP Office in Russia. “This disproportionately affects small farmers and the rural poor. But nature is resilient.

By restoring ecosystems, we can slow down the triple planetary crisis: climate change, environmental and land loss crisis, and pollution and waste crisis, stressed Vladimir Moshkalo. We can help reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 in compliance with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Thus, we can make progress in limiting global temperature rise by increasing carbon stock, including in peatlands, reduce poverty, and approach the goal of zero hunger in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

*   *   *

According to UN data, ecosystems around the world are under threat, from forests and arid lands to agricultural areas and lakes – natural spaces on which human existence depends are close to the point of no return.

Already 40% of land on Earth is degraded to varying extents, which directly affects half of global population. Since 2000, the number and duration of droughts has risen by 29%. Without urgent measures, by 2050 over 75% of the world's population may be affected by droughts.

“The UN Convention to Combat Desertification is the only universal international agreement that covers the issues of combating desertification, land degradation and drought, calls for sustainable land management and assuming obligations on balanced land and water resources management globally to ensure sustainable future and healthy planet as a solid basis for life,” said Nadezhda Dementyeva, Regional focal point for CEE and CA countries at the UNCCD Secretariat.

“As of today, noted the expert, 196 countries and the EU have signed the Convention. Over 130 countries have made a commitment to achieve the so-called land degradation neutrality (LDN) by 2030.

Our Convention deals with questions related to land husbandry, land tenure, pasture lands, as well as natural disasters, sandstorms for instance. Of course, we should not also neglect gender issues. We need to remember that women are at the forefront of countering such phenomena as desertification, land degradation and drought.

We call the attention of Russian private sector to the UNCCD initiative “Business for Land”, continued Nadezhda Dementyeva. The initiative invites businesses to become part of a global partnership and contribute to the global goal of restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land. Investments in land are fail-safe and long-running.”

*   *   *

Exactly one year ago the Astrakhan region became a pilot area for the implementation of a national programme to combat desertification. The programme encompasses 14 regions of the Russian Federation. This is a relevant issue for the Astrakhan region. Sandstorms are increasing in frequency every year as harbingers of advancing desert. Pastures and agricultural areas take the blow. The programme is expected to result in the restoration of soil, introduction of new lands into agricultural use, increased feed efficiency of range areas in the region.

“Desertification is a big problem, especially for our region. We have over 2 million hectares of pastureland,” said Ruslan Pashayev, Minister of agriculture and fisheries of the Astrakhan region. "According to preliminary estimates, around 70–80% of these agricultural lands suffer from some kind of degradation. Approximately 15% of pasture lands are invaded by various ungrazed plants, which also puts the agricultural sector under quite serious stress.”

Furthermore, land degradation directly affects the work environment and life of agricultural workers, emphasized the Minister. Ruslan Pashayev expressed his gratitude to all the partners who understand the existing risks and are ready to help eliminate them.

*   *   *

What is needed to save and grow natural treasures and biological diversity of Russia? We need meaningful cooperation among the government, academia, businesses and, of course, civil society.

Such NPOs – non-profit organizations – should be based on associations of people who are not just willing, but knowledgeable. Those who understand the significance of projects on conservation and restoration of rare animal and plant species. Those who have first-hand experience of natural landscape management based on ecosystem approach. Those who promote the greening of consciousness principles – both for businesses and society.

“This year Conferences of the Parties to all three Rio Conventions will be following one another – those on climate change, biodiversity conservation and combating desertification.” At the first conference on biodiversity conservation, said Sergey Rybakov, Director-General of the Nature and People Fund, his organization will present the Russian businesses’ openness rating that offers a response to this burning matter and contributes to the conservation of many flora and fauna species.

In this area environmental specialists are proceeding from five fundamental principles. The first one, noted the head of the Fund, “is sustainable development and its funding. The second one is peace and global security. The third track is technology, innovation, and everything related to it. The fourth one is change in global governance. And the fifth principle is involvement of youth.”

“Everything that does the UN and the Nature and People Fund is future-oriented and stems from the desire to leave a clean and healthy planet to the next generations,” stressed Sergey Rybakov.

*   *   *

This year the Green Wave eco-marathon will sweep through 22 Russian cities. What is the Green Wave? It is a large-scale country-wide environmental campaign that Rusal company will be organizing for the seventh time. Participants will be planting seedlings of arrow-wood, lilac, rowan tree, apple tree, jasmine, hydrangea, shrubby cinquefoil, ninebark, and shiny cotoneaster. Rusal volunteers from St. Petersburg will join the campaign for the first time.

“This year Rusal company that employs 60 thousand workers will be planting seedlings already in 22 Russian cities. However, taking into account its international business connections, the company implements its environmental agenda in another 12 countries on all the five continents,” said Elena Miakotnikova, Rusal board member and independent observer at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

“Recently Rusal employees have planted cashew trees on 26 hectares in the Republic of Guinea and will take care of them during the next five years, mentioned Elena Miakotnikova as an example. The company has also taken under its patronage areas with problematic soils. But our main focus is undoubtedly the Russian Federation both in terms of climate and environmental protection.”

*   *   *

In conclusion Vladimir Mikheev, Press Secretary of FAO Moscow Office who moderated the briefing, noted,t “Problems related to the preservation of nature, or environment if you like, are numerous. Today we have just spoken of a small fraction of them, so that people know. So that they feel indignation about inaction or, on the contrary, feel joy about the existence of enthusiasts who are professionally searching for response to these challenges for the sake of current and future generations.”

BACKGROUND

The UN member states adopted the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) 30 years ago to protect and restore lands affected by droughts and to slow down the process of desertification.

Together with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) it is one of the three Rio Conventions that provide a framework for close cooperation in search of solutions for multisectoral global issues and challenges, particularly nature-based solutions.

In March 2019, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming 2021–2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.The movement for territories restoration is the key element of the Decade that unites efforts to protect and revive ecosystems around the world, which is crucial for attaining Sustainable Development Goals.

By 2030, measures to restore 350 million hectares of degraded land and water ecosystems may provide us with ecosystem services worth 9 trillion US dollars. In addition, restoration activities will help remove from the atmosphere 13 to 26 gigatons of greenhouse gases. Economic benefits from such measures exceed ninefold the cost of investments, while inaction costs at least three times as much as ecosystem restoration.