June 17 – World day to combat desertification and drought
2025-06-17 09:00:00 / News
Uzbekistan is among the countries most vulnerable to desertification. Nearly 70% of its territory, particularly in the Aral Sea region, is at risk. Rising temperatures, low precipitation, and increasing dust storms accelerate soil degradation and disrupt the ecological balance.
Since 1995, Uzbekistan has been actively implementing the UNCCD. The country is carrying out extensive efforts to restore degraded lands, plant saxaul on the dried seabed of the Aral Sea, establish green belts and introduce digital soil monitoring systems.
In 2024, at COP16 in Riyadh, Uzbekistan’s initiative — the Samarkand Declaration — received broad international support.
Desertification is a serious threat to sustainable development. Combating land degradation is directly linked to food security, poverty reduction and the protection of public health.