Abu Dhabi: The UAE is celebrating the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought under the theme of “Our Land, Our Home, Our Future”.
Observed every year on June 17, the celebration aims to promote public awareness of desertification and drought as they are a great challenge facing the environment and a serious environmental phenomenon that threatens the economic life of communities.
The UAE has spared no effort to combat desertification and drought through addressing the root causes leading to the two issues, the man-made factor, which results from the misuse of natural resources such as removing vegetation and overgrazing, and natural causes, which result from the high temperature and humidity and scanty rains.
Although desert covers 80 per cent of the UAE’s total area, the government has successfully invested in those areas through creating green zones, establishing parks and natural reserves, planting vast swathes of the desert, greening roads and sand dunes. It has also carried out economic, urban and tourism projects in the heart of the desert and organised various sports and heritage events and activities.
