United Nations (TDI): The largest and most inclusive UN land summit concluded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, charting a path for global action following two weeks of intense discussions on how best to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification, which affects one quarter of the world.
The nearly 200 nations gathered at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and committed to prioritizing drought resilience and land restoration in national policies and international cooperation as an essential strategy for food security and climate adaptation.
Experts said that while parties were unsuccessful to agree on the nature of a new drought regime, they did adopt a strong political declaration and thirty-nine decisions shaping the way forward.
Droughts affect the livelihoods of 1.8 billion people globally, pushing already vulnerable communities to the brink, according to UNCCD’s newly released World Drought Atlas and Economics of Drought Resilience reports.
They also cost an estimated 300 billion dollars per year, threatening important economic sectors such as energy, agriculture and water.
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The creation of designated caucuses for Indigenous Peoples and for local populations to ensure their unique perspectives and challenges are adequately represented
Oliver Tester from Australia, a representative of Indigenous Peoples, said that they were look forward to championing their commitment to protect Earth through a dedicated caucus and leave this space trusting that theirs voices be heard.
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Countries also made significant progress in laying the groundwork for a future international drought regime, which they intend to complete at COP17 in Mongolia in 2026.
At COP16, over thirty decisions were issued on key topics through the negotiation process, including storms, enhancing the role of science, migration, dust research and innovation, and empowering women to deal with environmental challenges.
Some decisions introduced new topics to the agenda such as environmentally sustainable agrifood systems and rangelands, which cover 54% of all land.
The degradation of rangelands alone threatens one sixth of international food supplies, potentially depleting one third of the planet’s carbon reserves.
