Accelerating progress to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land around the world and jumpstarting a trillion-dollar land restoration economy will be the focus of this year’s Desertification and Drought Day on Tuesday, June 17.
Under-Secretary-General and UNCCD Executive Secretary, Ibrahim Thiaw
The theme of Desertification and Drought Day 2025 is “Restore the Land, Unlock the Opportunities”, underscoring multiple benefits linked to land restoration.
Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), said: “Land degradation and drought are major disruptors of our economy, stability, food production, water and quality of life. They amplify climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, forced migration and conflicts over access to fertile land and water. Land restoration is an opportunity to turn the tide on these alarming trends. A restored land is a land of endless opportunities. It’s time to unlock them now.”
Healthy land underpins thriving economies, with over half of global GDP dependent on nature. Yet the world is depleting this natural capital at an alarming rate – some 1 million km2 of healthy and productive lands, equivalent to the size of Egypt, are becoming degraded every year.
As the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 marks its halfway point, the world must accelerate efforts to turn the tide of land degradation into large-scale restoration.
“If current trends continue, we will need to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030 to achieve a land-degradation neutral world. To date, one billion hectares of degraded land has been pledged for restoration through voluntary commitments, such as the G20 Global Land Restoration Initiative hosted by UNCCD,” submitted the UNCCD.
Breathing life back into land yields multiple benefits for people and nature. Every dollar invested in restoring degraded lands brings between $7-30 in economic returns. But despite a strong investment case, land restoration is not happening at the scale and pace that are so urgently needed.
According to the latest financial needs assessment by UNCCD’s Global Mechanism, the world needs $1 billion daily to combat desertification, land degradation and drought between 2025 and 2030. Current investments in land restoration and drought resilience stand at $66 billion annually, with the private sector contributing just six per cent.
“We need to scale up ambition and investment by both governments and businesses. While the benefits of restoration far outweigh the costs, initial investments in the magnitude of billions are needed. We need to unlock new sources of finance, create decent land-based jobs and fast-track innovations while making the most of traditional knowledge,” Thiaw concluded.
Officially declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994, Desertification and Drought Day, marked annually on June 17, is a unique occasion to highlight practical solutions to combating desertification, land degradation and drought.
Countries and communities around the world organise activities to mark the Day. Previous global Desertification and Drought Day celebrations took place in Germany (2024), USA (2023), Spain (2022), Costa Rica (2021), Republic of Korea (2020), Türkiye (2019), Ecuador (2018) and Burkina Faso (2017).
Zambia’s candidate for the African Development Bank (AfDB) presidency, Samuel Maimbo, met with Mozambican President Daniel Chapo Friday, April 4, 2025, to seek strategic advice and strengthen diplomatic ties.
Mozambique leader, Daniel Chapo in audience with AfDB presidential candidate, Samuel Maiambo
“I came here as a candidate for the presidency of the AfDB,” Maimbo told reporters after the meeting.
“The visit to Mozambique was important for two reasons. One, I came home. I worked in Mozambique before and it is always a pleasure.”
Maimbo presented his vision for the bank, emphasising strategic investments in high-impact economic sectors.
“The vision I have for the AfDB is fully aligned with the vision for Mozambique’s development, which focuses on ensuring that the economy grows rapidly,” Maimbo said.
The Zambian economist, who previously met with officials from France, Japan, Morocco and the United Kingdom, also delivered a message from Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.
Maimbo faces competition from candidates from Senegal, Chad, Mauritania and South Africa in the May 29 election.
African countries control 60 percent of the vote, with non-African nations holding the remainder.
The Southern African Development Community and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa have endorsed Maimbo’s candidacy.
Many electricity consumers on Bands B to E in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have alleged discriminatory supply of electricity to their homes and business premises.
National grid lines
According to them, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company is giving preference to residents on Band A.
The residents, who spoke in Abuja on Sunday, April 6, 2025, said the development had brought about epileptic power supply to those on other Bands, causing significant hardship on them.
Mr. Moses Omoruyi, a resident of Kuje, who said he was on Band B, noted that there should be power supply to all electricity consumers irrespective of the band they belong.
Omoruyi emphasised that consumers should pay based on the units consumed, not the number of hours that power was supplied.
According to him, those on Band A are enjoying up to 18 to 20 hours power supply daily, while others are left to suffer.
“Those on Band A are enjoying regular power supply while others are left to suffer, are we not Nigerians like them?.
“Government should find a way of providing reliable and steady power supply to all Nigerians and the tariff should be uniform not satisfying some and leaving others,” he said.
Mrs. Ufuoma Ifeta, residing in Kubwa, suggested that the price of electricity should be reviewed downward to create an equal tariff for all consumers.
Ifeta said that the issue of Bands where some got power supply for close to 20 hours a day and others don’t get for more than two to five hours should be looked into.
“If we place everyone on an equal, affordable rate, people will still pay based on the number of units they consume,” she said.
Mr. Joseph Akhere, a civil servant also residing in Kubwa, said that government should focus on ways to provide reliable power supply to electricity consumers.
According to him, if power supply is regular people will gladly pay for it .
He said that instead of concentrating only on those on Band A, electricity should be made to go round every household in the country.
Mrs. Titilayo Olowu, who resides at Dutse, noted that if the government decided to move all consumers to Band A, the supply of power should be stable and consistent.
Olowu said that whatever Band anyone found himself, government should ensure that the infrastructure was in place for stable power supply.
Mr. Gilbert Akpan, also residing in Dutse, said that consumers on other Bands were really suffering due to lack of constant power supply.
Akpan suggested that government should stop the preference given to consumers on Band A and give electricity to all its citizens with a uniform tariff.
Under the existing framework, Band A customers, who are guaranteed 18 to 20 hours of electricity, daily pay ₦209.5per kilowatt-hour (kWh), while Band B customers pay ₦63 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
In the heart of Nigeria’s last remaining rainforests, a growing crisis is unfolding.
Elephants
Once revered as symbols of nature’s majesty, elephants in the Mbe Mountains of Cross River are now seen as threats by local farmers.
Their increasingly frequent crop raids are pushing already struggling communities to the brink.
In communities such as Bamba and Butatong, wild elephants have destroyed farmlands, economic trees, and crops worth millions, with reports of human casualties.
Conservation groups argue that a major factor behind these invasions is habitat losses in parts of the Cross River National Park, forcing elephants to encroach on human settlements.
Hence, they have advocated for alternative livelihoods, such as beekeeping and livestock farming, to help reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
In response, the House of Representatives recently called for collaboration with Cameroon to manage the situation, while NEMA has been urged to provide relief for affected communities.
During a recent debate, Mr. Victor Abang, who represents the Boki/Ikom Federal Constituency, revealed the dire situation.
He stated, “Between Jan. and Feb. 2025, wild elephants from the Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park and Cameroon’s Takamanda National Park invaded farms in Bamba, Butatong, and other communities around the Mbe Mountains.
“Their rampages destroyed farmlands worth millions of naira and reportedly led to loss of lives.”
While conservationists work tirelessly to protect these endangered giants, frustrated farmers are demanding urgent action.
Many fear that, without swift intervention, desperate locals may resort to self-defence, escalating tensions and endangering both humans and elephants.
Building on this information, a correspondent visited several affected communities around the Mbe Mountains in Boki Local Government Area.
The Mbe Mountains, covering approximately 85 square kilometres, serve as an important wildlife corridor between two national parks, home to critically endangered species such as the Cross River gorilla, chimpanzees, and elephants.
However, many of the surrounding communities lack basic amenities such as electricity and potable water.
They rely on boreholes installed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and other charitable organisations, but these are grossly inadequate.
This once-pristine landscape faces increasing threats from unchecked logging of ebony, mahogany, and other valuable woods, driven by both state and non-state actors.
Agricultural expansion and poaching with wire snares and shotguns further exacerbate the crisis.
Nine communities: Abo Mkpang, Abo Obisu, Abo Ogbagante, Kayang I, Kayang II, Wula Ekumpou, Wula Mgba Esour, Bukalum, and Bamba, are at the heart of this conflict.
With a combined population of roughly 10,000, they depend heavily on farming, yet many now find their livelihoods destroyed.
“We’ve always had these raids, but recently, they have become worse,” said Kingsley Obua, a resident of Bamba, the hardest-hit community.
He added that, in 2023, two people: Mr. Eugene Ekwo and Mr. Simon Ewa, were killed in elephant attacks, warning that action must be taken before the situation spirals out of control.
In Wula I, Chief Damian Aria, the Village Head and a key member of the Conservation Association of Mbe Mountains (CAMM), confirmed that they have received numerous complaints from farmers about elephant raids.
“We have investigated these reports, and they are true. When elephants enter a farm, it looks as if a bulldozer has passed through. However, we have not received reports of them killing anyone,” Aria said.
A report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) revealed that elephants require between 90 and 270 kg of food and 50 to 100 gallons of water daily, depending on the temperature.
In the past, the forests provided these resources, but widespread deforestation has wiped out many fruit-bearing trees, forcing elephants to seek food and water in community farms.
In fact, Dr Peter Oko, an environmental scientist at the University of Calabar, explains that forests serve as watersheds, but excessive logging disrupts them.
“When this happens, both food production and water availability decline, forcing wildlife to move into human territories.
“The problem is worsened by climate change and prolonged dry seasons, as many rainforest streams are fast drying up, leaving the Okorn River, which demarcates the national park from community farmlands as one of the only remaining water sources.
“Elephants, desperate for water, now cross from the park into farmlands more frequently,” he said.
According to Isaac Bessong of the Boki Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, elephants cross the Okorn River to raid crops in Bamba between February and April.
Bessong insists that they then shift to Abo Mkpang and Bokalum from May to September, causing losses in the hundreds of millions.
He warns that financial strain on farmers is pushing some toward retaliatory killings.
Conservationists report that at least seven elephants were killed in the Okwangwo-Takamanda landscape in 2024 due to crop raids.
Given that the region’s elephant population is estimated at just 74, according to the latest African Elephant Status Report, this is a concerning trend.
Similarly, Dr Inaoyom Imong, Director of Cross River Landscape at the WCS, argues that elephant incursions are largely due to human encroachment on their historical ranges.
“When the park was established, a buffer zone separated it from community farmlands, reducing human-wildlife conflict.
“However, these buffer zones have been overtaken by farmlands, leaving no protective space between the park and communities.
“As we face increasing deforestation from illegal logging and unsustainable farming practices, elephants struggle to find food and water, forcing them to venture into community farms”.
Imong also revealed that political unrest in south-western Cameroon has left weapons in the hands of militants who hide in the forests, including Takamanda National Park.
He suspects these agitators are poaching elephants for meat and ivory to fund their conflicts, driving more elephants into Nigerian territory and increasing crop raids.
While conservation groups like WCS and the Elephant Protection Initiative are working to address the issue, urgent government intervention is necessary.
Stakeholders stress that the National Elephant Action Plan (2024–2034) must go beyond paperwork and be fully funded and implemented.
According to them, government visits, such as that of Boki Local Government Chairman Mrs. Beatrice Nyiam, are insufficient.
They opined that concrete action is needed, including expanding buffer zones, promoting sustainable farming, improving infrastructure, and enforcing wildlife protection laws.
Overall, without urgent intervention, Cross River could lose its last elephants, and local communities will continue to suffer. Immediate action is needed from all stakeholders.
The Women Miners in Nigeria (WMIN) has called for strict compliance to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as mandated by law for mining companies before they begin operations.
National President of the Women Miners in Nigeria (WMIN), Mrs. Janet Adeyemi
National President of the association, Mrs. Janet Adeyemi, made the call in an interview on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Abuja.
“Before any mining activity begins, companies should be made to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as mandated by law.
“This will help in addressing environmental pollution in mining communities across states in Nigeria,” Adeyemi said.
She affirmed that though the laws governing the mining sector were extensive, different regions, however, had their unique challenges, particularly in complying with EIA regulations, especially with illegal miners.
“Enforcement is a major problem, especially with illegal miners. Many illegal operators work without any form of coordination.
“The only solution is to continue enforcing regulations and educating people on the devastating effects of illegal mining on the ecosystem.
“The government must ensure strict enforcement and impose heavy sanctions on those caught violating the laws,” she said.
Adeyemi added that companies should also provide an Environmental Sustainability Governance (ESG) report, which covers broader sustainability factors alongside the EIA report.
According to her, to strengthen environmental protection, Nigeria should adopt a framework similar to America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) to enhance the resilience and safety of its water systems against pollution caused by mining activities.
“We should adopt AWIA certification in Nigeria to promote responsible mining. It is essential because the consequences of mining can be devastating,” Adeyemi stressed.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has urged the new Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) management to activate “Petroleum Products Passport” to secure petroleum products.
Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, PETROAN’s National President
Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, National President of PETROAN, made the call on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in an interview in Abuja, while reacting to the new development in the sector.
The Petroleum Products Passport refers to the document containing detailed and crucial information about the origin, quality and specification of a petroleum product being traded.
PETROAN urged the NNPC Ltd. to adopt activation of the petroleum products passport platform to ensure that every product lifted by petroleum tankers was utilised and accounted for.
Gillis-Harry, while listing some critical areas for the new NNPC Ltd. management, said it should focus on activation of that platform which was being used by some marketers but not nationally used.
“We are looking forward to ensuring that the petroleum products passport platform is activated for national use to ensure safety of tankers.
“The key benefits of this technology include protection of petroleum tankers and products being lifted from depot to fuel stations.
“It ensures that products are secured, safe and received at their destinations without being hijacked or smuggled,’’ Gillis-Harry said.
He further urged the new NNPC Ltd. management to think out of the box and produce an extra one million barrel of crude oil per day for domestic refining and guarantee feed-stock to local refineries.
On the transparency and communication system of the NNPC Ltd., Gillis-Harry described it as a public company owned by all Nigerians, emphasising on the need for Nigerians to know its proceedings to build trust and courage.
“The industry already has what is called the Petroleum Industry Stakeholders’ Forum; that forum has the role to shape the industry, and should be sustained.
“All the refineries under the NNPC Ltd. should be looked into quickly for efficient repair to boost oil production.
“There should be a consultation forum with retail outlet owners to ensure that prices are not arbitrarily fixed,’’ he said.
Gillis-Harry, while congratulating the new leadership, described the new GCEO and board Chairman as seasoned professionals and a square peg in a square hole.
President Bola Tinubu had on April 2 announced the appointment of Mr. Bayo Ojulari as the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC Ltd. and Ahmadu Kida as non-executive Chairman.
The Tinubu administration targets raising oil production to two million barrels daily by 2027 and three million daily by 2030.
Concurrently, the government wants gas production jacked to 8 billion cubic feet daily by 2027 and 10 billion cubic feet by 2030.
Furthermore, President Tinubu expects the new board to elevate NNPC’s share of crude oil refining output to 200,000 barrels by 2027 and reach 500,000 by 2030.
Contrary to the conventional idea of photo exhibitions in fancy Galleria and Museums, Nigerian photographer and environmentalist Mayowa Adebote’s recent solo photo exhibition, The Current, turned the spotlight on climate adaptation in Akodo-Ise, a coastal community in Lagos State.
Mayowa Adebote, Creative Lead at Climagraphy, standing by some of his works in Akodo-Ise community, Lagos. Photo credit: Nifemi Fayefunmi
The two-day exhibition on April 4 and 5, 2025, featured breathtaking images that defined the impact of climate change in ways that words wouldn’t. The pictures were displayed in the corridor and rooms of what was once the palace of the community’s traditional ruler – the Baálè. Now, the palace stands as a roofless crumbling carcass: half of it already lost to the current of the Atlantic Ocean.
At some point, the waves of the sea silenced the conversation during the exhibition, allowing people to soak in each pixel, from striking drone shots of buildings nearly submerged by water in a riverine community, to intimate close-ups capturing the expressions and stories of those grappling with loss.
The unpleasantness of exhuming graves and relocating what was left from being swallowed by the sea to honour their loved ones even in death; the pain of going fishing and returning with nearly nothing; the anguish of seeing one’s ancestral home gradually swallowed by an unrelenting water body; and the uncertainty of tomorrow. Each photograph carried with it mixed tales of pain, resilience, and a fading heritage.
It was almost magical to witness nearly 200 people travel hundreds of miles to this remote, often overlooked community — from young and curious University student groups, the researchers hope to find answers or inspiration, down to elders who had heard but never seen first-hand this way in which climate change impacts the world around them.
From engaging panel sessions to paint-and-sip activities, photography workshops, quiz games, music, dance, and deep reflections about the photos exhibited, the event was a rich blend of education, entertainment, and activism. It became a total experience – one that combined memory-making with meaningful contributions to a pressing cause and even sparked hopes for the community members.
Being Mayowa’s first solo exhibition, The Current will remain a deeply memorable moment for me and many others. It has birthed ideas and initiatives that can catalyse more youth involvement in the climate space. I hope that this will inspire many more young people across the world to explore more creative means to take climate action.
Despite having 25 rivers and regular flooding, Mozambique remains among the eight countries worldwide with the worst drinking water supply systems, according to the World Water Council.
Mozambique struggles with water access
Less than 50% of Mozambique’s 31 million inhabitants have access to safe drinking water, forcing many residents to travel long distances or use contaminated sources.
“We wash our clothes and drink the same water because of poverty,” said an elderly woman identified only as Fatima in Govuro district.
“The water transmits diseases, but what can you do when you’re thirsty?”
In Maputo’s densely populated Polana Canico neighbourhood, residents go up to three days without running water.
“We don’t have water in our homes. All the people in the region are here looking for water. We are suffering,” said Susana Armando, who wakes up early searching for water from any available source.
Some city residents resort to collecting water from drainage ditches along major roadways, despite obvious health risks.
Agostinho Vilanculos, head of River Basin Management at the National Directorate of Water Resources, cited unlicensed water providers and significant water loss during distribution as major challenges.
“A significant portion of the water that is treated and pumped for human consumption is lost for various reasons, leading to high costs,” Vilanculos said.
Mozambique recently joined an African Union climate initiative spanning 15 countries.
The project allocated $399,843 to help Mozambique prepare investment programs for water infrastructure.
“This project is going to support countries to prepare climate water resilient investment programmes,” said Jose Alvaro Malanco, National Technical Coordinator.
“It can be strengthening agriculture or building water infrastructure like small dams so that water can benefit the community.”
Over the decades, China has used its pandas as a tool for diplomatic relations, gifting or loaning them to countries as a gesture of friendship.
The giant panda
This practice is largely known as panda diplomacy.
During a visit to the Dujiangyan base of China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), journalists participating in China’s media exchange programme witnessed China’s commitment to preserving its national treasure, pandas.
Located at Qing Cheng town, the Dujiangyan base is not just a sanctuary able to support 40 giant pandas, but also a research facility that plays a crucial role in China’s conservation efforts.
The base is composed of functional zones of disease prevention and research, rescue and quarantine, rehabilitation training, public education, administrative office and the natural landscape area.
To the Chinese, the panda represents peace and is a cultural treasure that reflects the delicate balance between nature and human civilisation.
With about 230 million RMB ($4,127,000) invested in conservation efforts, the Dujiangyan base has led the way in captive breeding, rewilding efforts and advanced research into panda behaviour and genetics.
According to Mr. Jiang Weiwei, Secretary of the Communist Party of China Dujiangyan Municipal Committee, the city boasts of 30 million annual average number of visitors and 40 billion yuan (over $5 billion) from tourism.
He said that Dujiangyan was consistently ranked among China’s top 100 counties in tourism comprehensive strength with giant panda bases being part of its world-class tourist destinations.
Wei Rongping, Deputy Director, China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda, spoke about the enormous responsibility that comes with preserving the creatures.
He said that the base was built to balance development and protection of the environment as well as the distinct species.
“Protecting them in our bases is one of the biggest challenges we face because they are used to living on high lands.
“We had to get information about how they used to live and then take care of them accordingly to give them the best chance at survival,” he explained.
According to Wei, Sichuan Province houses about 1,040 wild and 500 captive pandas with over 50 per cent in Dujiangyan base.
He said that while protecting pandas in the base, the locals were put into consideration.
Asides protecting pandas, the centre is also empowering locals, he added.
Wei said that over 120 jobs had been created in the Dujiangyan base, offering locals sources of livelihood.
“From gardeners and interpreters, to researchers, we continue to help the villagers to improve their incomes and lives.”
According to a tour guide, as early as five years, giant pandas can start reproducing and the average years of a wild panda is 20.
“At the moment, the oldest panda, Paiyun, is 34 years old,” she noted.
The Dujiangyan base is the first giant panda disease prevention and control institution in the world.
It is an open platform for scientific cooperation.
As the main platform for the international and domestic scientific cooperation and exchanges of CCRCGP, it is also the point of departure for giant pandas travelling abroad.
Before I wrote this article, I searched “Who does society trust the most”. I also searched for the most trusted scientists and teachers. In both cases, the results show that doctors, scientists, and teachers are the most trusted by society. This is not a recent phenomenon; surveys from as far back as 2019 show the same trend.
Participants at the Future of Science Communication Forum, hosted by the Alliance for Science Global Consortium in Nairobi, Kenya
From the Ipsos Trustworthiness Index survey to the Pew Research Centre International Science Survey, the findings are consistent.
I also searched “mis and disinformation on the rise”. Your guess is as good as mine. Reports from the OECD, Pew Research Centre, UNDP, and Stanford University, among other leading global institutions, paint a grim picture, and the consequences of misinformation and disinformation are far-reaching in public policymaking.
Speakers at the Future of Science Communication Forum organised by the Alliance for Science Global Consortium echoed these outlooks. As one of the speakers noted, “Misinformation is making it very difficult for good innovation to have an impact on the ground as those who are supposed to use and benefit don’t know what to believe.”
The findings by these global institutions note that today’s digital and interconnected world is aiding the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation, a critical threat hampering our ability to improve public health and address issues such as climate change.
The forum was a moment to reflect and a call on all scientists to leverage the trust society has in them to counter mis and disinformation and ensure people and policymakers have the right information that they need to make decisions for society’s wellbeing.
As noted by Dr Sheila Obim, the Alliance for Science Executive Director, countering misinformation and disinformation is not about fighting information with information, it will have to be strategic communication that can have an impact on a wide scale.
Mastering the art of science communication is crucial, and current initiatives by AfS and other actors need to be accelerated, perhaps at the same pace as that of the spread of misinformation.
Scientists are being challenged to improve their communication skills. The biggest hurdle – trust – is already overcome. Society is relying on scientists to get critical life-saving information. Scientists must stretch beyond the comfort of laboratories to challenging information domains, ensuring people and policymakers are equipped with reliable, trustworthy, and verifiable information for decision-making.
Initiatives like TED Talks, specialised training for scientists in science communication, and the establishment of Centres of Excellence in Science Communication by the Alliance for Science are playing a crucial role in bridging the information gap and combating the rise of mis and disinformation.
These platforms equip scientists with the skills to convey complex ideas in accessible ways, engage with the public, and foster trust in scientific findings.
Making science more relatable and transparent ensures that accurate, evidence-based information reaches wider audiences, empowering individuals and communities to make informed decisions in an era of increasing misinformation.
Equally important is the collaboration between these Centres of Excellence, scientists, academic institutions, and policymakers in strengthening the reliability of public discourse. By working together, these stakeholders create a network that ensures trustworthy, evidence-based information informs decision-making at all levels.
This collaborative approach helps communities better navigate challenges—whether addressing climate change, public health crises, or technological advancements—by equipping them with the knowledge they need to respond effectively.
When scientific integrity is upheld through clear communication and strategic partnerships, society becomes more resilient and capable of making informed, forward-thinking choices.
By Irina Wandera, the policy manager at EmergingAg
