
Healthy soils are the basis for healthy food production. Soils are the foundation for vegetation which is cultivated or managed for feed, fibre, fuel and medicinal products. Soils support our planet's biodiversity and they host a quarter of the total. Soils help to combat and adapt to climate change by playing a key role in the carbon cycle. Soils store and filter water, improving our resilience to floods and droughts. Soil is a non-renewable resource; its preservation is essential for food security and our sustainable future.
Did you know
-
The earth's surface is about
70,9% water and
29,1% land.
-
Humans obtain
more than 99,7%
of their food (calories) from land.
-
Soils hosts 25% of the planet's biodiversity.
-
60%
of all ecosystem services are
degraded.
-
50,000qm2
are annually lost
to land degradation.
This surface equals Costa Rica.
-
33%
of global soils are
degraded
(16% of Africa).
-
167 countries
declared themselves
affected by desertification
-
It takes up to
1000 years
to produce 2-3 cm of soil.
-
Land footprint:
1 car = 150m2
1kg beef = 22m2
-
Land footprint:
1 coffee = 4,3m2
1 burger with fries = 3,61m2
- 01 February 2019UN-Generalsekretär ernennt Ibrahim Thiaw aus Mauretanien zum Exekutivsekretär des Übereinkommens der UN zur Bekämpfung der Wüstenbildung (UNCCD)Deutsch
- 01 February 2019Secretary-General appoints Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw of Mauritania as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)English
- 02 November 2018Neue GEO Land Degradation Neutrality Initiative – Deutschland sagt €100,000 zuDeutsch
- 02 November 2018New GEO Land Degradation Neutrality Initiative – Germany pledges an initial €100,000English
- 26 July 2018Solarenergie für nachhaltiges Landmanagement: UNCCD und Internationale Solarallianz bekräftigen ZusammenarbeitDeutsch
- 26 July 2018UNCCD and International Solar Alliance will work together to promote solar energy for sustainable land managementEnglish
- 16 July 2018UNU-Institute for Environment and Human Security: Understanding drought risk in South AfricaEnglish
- 16 July 2018UNU-Institut für Umwelt und menschliche Sicherheit: Dürre-Risiken in Südafrika verstehen und erfassenDeutsch
- 17 June 2017UNCCD: Message from the Executive Secretary, Ms. Monique Barbut on World Day to Combat Desertification 2017English
- 15 June 2017UNCCD: Land for Life Award 2017 winners announcedEnglish
- 01 June 2017Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the US decision to withdraw from the Paris AgreementEnglish
- 01 June 2017UNFCCC Statement on the US Decision to Withdraw from the Paris AgreementEnglish
- 31 May 2017UNCCD: Connecting the dots between climate and landEnglish
- 31 May 2017UNCCD: Burkina Faso to host high-level meeting on green jobs for youthEnglish
- 31 May 2017UNFCCC: COP23 in Bonn, Germany / UN-Klimakonferenz 2017 in Bonn (engl. Website)Deutsch
- 17 May 2017UNCCD: Connecting the dots between climate and landEnglish
- 11 April 2017UNFCCC: COP23 Logo Launched in Fiji - Winning Design Unveiled by Incoming COP President English
- 07 April 2017UNCCD: Research meets Development: Drought resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa English
- 31 March 2017UNCCD: Agadir Commitment to restore 8 million hectares of forest ecosystemsEnglish
- 07 March 2017IPBES: "Press Release" - Climate Change and Biodiversity: Opportunities and RisksEnglish