Accelerating Generation Restoration with Effective Communication

June 2024

By Sandpiper’s Energy Environment and ESG Practice Team. We specialise in developing sustainability narratives and programmes to increase the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) profile of our clients. Our expert team combines a deep passion for ESG and sustainability with strong technical and communications knowledge and experience to support our clients’ engagement with governments, organisations, and individuals across the region to help them navigate the ESG landscape with greater confidence.

Temperatures in northern and eastern regions of India have soared to record highs, leading to more than 50 deaths over the last week alone – a reminder of the impacts and repercussions of climate change. The problems of climate change are multifaceted. As of February 2024, approximately 26 percent of the total land area of India was affected by drought conditions, with around nine percent of India’s land area suffering from extreme drought conditions – wreaking havoc for India’s farmers and food systems alike.

With over three-quarters of the world’s population projected to be affected by drought by 2050, this year’s World Environment Day, themed “Generation Restoration” calls for collective action to revive our planet’s ecosystems. Central to this theme are the critical issues of land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience.

The urgency of land restoration

Land degradation, affecting over 25% of the world’s land surface, has emerged as a pressing global concern, impacting the lives of more than a billion people. This degradation not only diminishes agricultural productivity but also disrupts natural ecosystems, leading to biodiversity loss and increased carbon emissions.

The concept of land restoration has gained prominence as a crucial solution to this challenge. It encompasses various practices aimed at rehabilitating degraded land to a functional and productive state, including reforestation, agroforestry, and soil conservation techniques. The benefits of these practices extend far beyond ecological improvements:

Enhanced Biodiversity: Restoring native vegetation and habitats supports wildlife and promotes biodiversity.
Climate Mitigation: Healthy soils and forests sequester carbon dioxide, helping to mitigate climate change.
Economic Benefits: Improved land productivity boosts agricultural yields and can provide new income streams for local communities through sustainable practices.

Building drought resilience and combating desertification

Droughts are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, posing significant threats to water security, agriculture, and human health. Building drought resilience through effective water management, maintaining soil health and developing and deploying early warning systems is essential to mitigate these impacts and ensure the sustainability of our ecosystems and communities.

Desertification, a severe form of land degradation primarily affecting arid and semi-arid regions, exacerbates food insecurity, water scarcity, and social instability. Unsustainable land management practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and climate change are key drivers of desertification. The consequences of desertification are profound:

Food Insecurity: As productive land turns barren, food production plummets, leading to hunger and poverty.
Water Scarcity: Desertification exacerbates water scarcity, affecting drinking water supplies and agricultural irrigation.
Migration and Conflict: Loss of livelihoods can drive mass migrations and contribute to social instability and conflict.

Northern China provides a striking example of how desertification leads to severe food insecurity. The region faces extreme environmental challenges, including erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and expanding deserts. These factors profoundly impact agriculture, which is the primary livelihood for many local communities.

To combat these issues, various initiatives have been implemented by the central government and local authorities in Northern China:

Three-North Shelterbelt Program (Green Great Wall): This large-scale project aims to create forest belts across the north, northeast, and northwest of China to act as windbreaks, reduce soil erosion, and combat desertification.
Agroforestry: Integrating trees with crops and livestock has helped improve soil fertility, retain moisture, and increase agricultural productivity.
Sustainable Farming Practices: Training farmers in sustainable land management techniques, such as crop rotation, mulching, and using organic fertilizers, has improved soil health and boosted crop yields.
Water Management Projects: Implementing rainwater harvesting systems and building small dams have helped communities secure water for irrigation and reduce the impacts of drought.

These interventions have led to notable improvements in some areas of Northern China. Increased vegetation cover, improved soil fertility, and enhanced water management have contributed to better food security and livelihoods for many communities. However, continued efforts and investment are required to sustain and expand these successes.