World Environment Day

JUNE 5 was World Environment Day, which was observed focusing on the theme, "Our land. Our future. We are Generation Restoration."

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification reported that about 40 percent of the planet's land is degraded, which has a direct adverse impact on half of the world's population. The frequency and duration of droughts have risen by 29 percent since 2000. "Without urgent action, droughts may affect over three-quarters of the world's population by 2050," the report warned.