Riyadh (TDI): Saudi Arabia is hosting “One Water Summit” in Riyadh at a crucial time when 3 billion people worldwide are suffering the impact of degraded land.
Experts maintain that the summit is an opportunity where the regional countries including Pakistan could highlight its land degradation issue coupled with climate change and agricultural related issues.
UN-backed conference on desertification that is being held in Riyadh, , highlighted that degradation of land could increase levels of migration, stability and insecurity among many communities.
According to the UN, globally up to 40 per cent of the world’s land is degraded with dire consequences for the climate, biodiversity and people’s livelihoods.
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Droughts, which is a priority issue at COP16, are becoming more frequent and severe, increasing by 29 per cent since 2000 due to climate change and unsustainable land management.
This week in a video address to the conference in Riyadh, the UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed urged delegates at COP16 to play their part and “turn the tide,” by focusing on three priorities including strengthening international cooperation.
Also Read: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2021
She said it was also crucial to “ramp up” restoration efforts and work towards “the mass mobilization of finance.”
Financing these efforts is going to be challenging, and is unlikely to come from the public sector alone, but according to the UN deputy chief, “cumulative investments must total $2.6 trillion dollars by 2030; That is what the world spent on defence in 2023 alone.”
