Reckoning with land degradation in a changing world

Introduction
As the UN community turns its attention to CRIC23 in Panama, the broad lessons emerging from the COP30 process—particularly the emphasis on stronger implementation pathways, more transparent reporting, and deeper integration of land, climate, and biodiversity action—provide important direction. COP30’s momentum underscored that commitments alone are not enough; countries must demonstrate measurable progress, scale finance for land restoration, and strengthen cooperation with local communities. These takeaways set a constructive backdrop for CRIC23, where the focus will shift from global negotiation to the practical mechanisms that ensure promises translate into sustainable, resilient landscapes on the ground. The stakes are clear: we are running out of time to restore the land we’ve lost and protect what remains. 
Part I: The Global Crisis and the Road to Panama
“We are losing the very ground we stand on.” — Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary
As the world prepares for CRIC23 in Panama this December, the urgency surrounding land degradation and desertification has reached a critical threshold. The Earth is not just warming—it’s unraveling. Beneath our feet, the soil that feeds us, shelters us, and sustains ecosystems is eroding at an unprecedented rate. Over 40% of the Earth’s land is now degraded, affecting more than 3 billion people. Each year, nearly 100 million hectares of healthy land vanish—an area twice the size of Greenland lost to erosion, drought, and mismanagement. These aren’t just environmental statistics; they are indicators of a deepening crisis that touches food security, migration, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
A Crisis of Convergence
The triple planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—has converged on the land. Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns are accelerating soil erosion and desertification. Biodiversity, which underpins soil fertility and ecological balance, is collapsing in degraded landscapes. Pollution from industrial waste, agrochemicals, and plastics poisons the very soil we depend on. Land is no longer just a victim of these crises—it is their battleground.
This convergence isn’t incidental—it’s systemic. Land degradation doesn’t just reflect environmental decay; it reveals how deeply entangled our crises have become. As conservationist John Muir once observed, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” The soil beneath us is not just dirt—it’s a living archive of ecological balance, and its collapse signals a broader unraveling.
The Roadblocks Ahead
CRIC23, the 23rd session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention under the UNCCD, is not just another bureaucratic checkpoint. It is a reckoning. Delegates from 196 countries will gather in Panama—a country that itself faced its driest year on record in 2023—to assess progress, confront failures, and chart a path forward.
The restoration moonshot, as it’s been called, requires an estimated $1 billion per day in funding. Yet, private sector contributions remain dismal, hovering around 6%, and harmful subsidies continue to outweigh investments in sustainable land use. Despite the pledges made at COP16, the restoration moonshot remains underfunded and politically fragile. The world continues to subsidise practices that degrade the very land it seeks to restore. As Pope Francis warned, “Isn’t humanity committing suicide with this indiscriminate and tyrannical use of nature?” CRIC23 must confront this contradiction head-on, or risk turning restoration into rhetoric.
One of the central challenges before CRIC23 is the lack of robust monitoring and accountability. Many countries still rely on outdated or inconsistent data to track land degradation. Without accurate metrics, restoration targets become aspirational rather than actionable. The need for real-time, transparent, and interoperable data systems is urgent.
Equally pressing is the question of equity. Indigenous communities, women, and youth are disproportionately affected by land degradation, yet their voices remain marginal in global decision-making. CRIC23 must move beyond symbolic inclusion and embrace participatory governance.
Beyond 2030: A New Vision
The post-2030 strategic framework is another critical agenda item. With the current targets set to expire in five years, the world must begin shaping a new vision that aligns with climate and biodiversity goals. This requires cross-sectoral coordination—linking agriculture, forestry, water, and finance in a coherent policy architecture. The fragmentation that currently plagues land governance must be addressed head-on.
Panama’s hosting of CRIC23 (1–5 December 2025) is emblematic. The disruption of the Panama Canal due to drought was a stark reminder that land degradation is not a distant rural issue—it has global economic consequences. The crisis is no longer theoretical; it is personal, immediate, and systemic.
Yet, the crisis is not irreversible. Land can heal—if we let it. Restoration is not just a technical fix; it’s a moral and ecological imperative. “Restoring land is not just about healing soil—it’s about rebuilding trust between people and the planet.” CRIC23 must be the moment we stop treating land as a commodity and start honoring it as a shared inheritance.
“Land is not just where we live—it is how we live. To restore it is to restore ourselves.” — Sunita Narain, Environmental Economist
<><><>
(Views are personal.) (The writer is a retired officer of the Indian Information Service and a former Editor-in-Charge of DD News and AIR News (Akashvani), India’s national broadcaster. Also served as an international media consultant with UNICEF Nigeria and contributes regularly to various publications.)