The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) opened on Monday in Riyadh, marking a significant milestone as the largest UN land-focused conference to date. Running until December 13 under the theme of \"Our Land. Our Future,\" this event is the first UNCCD COP held in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Ibrahim Thiaw, executive secretary of the UNCCD, emphasized the crucial role of land restoration in tackling some of the most pressing challenges of our time, including climate change, food insecurity, economic inequality, forced migration, and global instability. \"Together, we can reverse the trends of land degradation and build a more resilient world to drought,\" Thiaw stated.
Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley highlighted the severe impact of land degradation, noting that over 3 billion people are affected annually by the loss of 100 million hectares of land, forests, and grasslands. He warned that this trend could lead to increased migration and threaten the stability and security of numerous communities.
COP16, which also marks the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, is expected to result in collective actions aimed at accelerating land restoration efforts, enhancing resilience to droughts and sandstorms, restoring soil health, and scaling up nature-positive food production by 2030 and beyond. Delegates are committed to forging a path towards a more sustainable and resilient global landscape.
Reference(s):
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