Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — The program for the upcoming UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh has been unveiled, for the first time featuring the dual approach of a Negotiation Track and Action Agenda to foster international solutions to the urgent global crises caused by land degradation, desertification and drought.
The Negotiation Track will focus on crucial decisions and political declarations from Parties to the Convention that can advance global land and drought resilience. Simultaneously, the so-called Action Agenda will encourage and showcase voluntary initiatives, innovation and tangible solutions across a range of thematic days vital to restoring land and tackling drought.
The high-level segment of COP16 in Riyadh, scheduled for December 2 and 3, will feature ministerial dialogues on drought resilience, finance, and the impact of land degradation and drought on forced migration, security and prosperity. This will provide a crucial platform for high-level discussion and collaboration, in a bid to help deliver multilateral action.
“COP16 in Riyadh is a critical moment for the international community to address land degradation, drought and desertification. From food and water insecurity to climate change, conflict, instability, and forced migration, how we treat our land has a profound impact on lives and livelihoods around the world,” said Dr. Osama Faqeeha, deputy minister for environment at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and advisor to the UNCCD COP16 Presidency.
“As the hosts, we are presiding over the first ever Green Zone at a UNCCD COP to mobilize the scientific community, businesses, financial institutions, NGOs, and the public to deliver lasting change. At the same time, we are engaging policymakers from around the world in a range of high-profile discussions to deliver decisive multilateral action. This dual-pronged approach is vital to accelerating the land restoration and drought resilience initiatives our planet and its people so desperately need.”
Alongside the Negotiation Track, an Action Agenda will take place throughout COP16 in Riyadh, featuring dedicated days to hone discussion and outcomes. A total of seven thematic days will take place in both the Green and Blue Zone, including Land Day (December 4) Agri-food System Day (December 5), Governance Day (December 6), People’s Day (December 7), Science, Technology and Innovation Day (December 9), Resilience Day (December 10), and Finance Day (December 11).
Land degradation affects nearly 40 percent of the planet and impacts the lives of over 3.2 billion people, according to the UNCCD. Data strongly indicates action is urgently needed, with issues surrounding land degradation, desertification and drought only worsening. Every year 100 million hectares of land are degraded based on UNCCD findings, and drought frequency and intensity has increased by nearly a third since 2000. Meanwhile, land restoration and drought resilience initiatives continue to suffer from a significant lack of funding, with COP16 in Riyadh set to prioritize the mobilization of public and private sector finance to accelerate corrective actions.
The UNCCD COP16 conference will take place from December 2-13, 2024, near Riyadh Boulevard World. The conference, themed "Our Land. Our Future," will mark the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD and aims to secure multilateral action on critical issues such as drought resilience, land tenure, and sand and dust storms.
