Current Context : The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2 to 13, 2024.
- Theme:“Our Land. Our Future.”
- Marks the 30th anniversary of UNCCD and the first COP in the MENA region.
Participation:
- Attended by representatives of 197 parties(196 countries + European Union).
- Over 20,000 participants, including 3,500 civil society members.
Goals:
- Accelerating land restoration and drought resilience
- Addressing the impacts of desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD)on livelihoods and ecosystems.
Major Outcomes:
- Launch of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, with $12 billion in pledges for combating drought.
- Discussions on financing land restoration initiatives.
- Negotiations on the Drought Protocol deferred to COP17 (2026, Mongolia).
About UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification):
- Established: 1994, under the UN framework.
- Objective: To combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought, particularly in Africa.
- Parties: 197 (196 countries + European Union).
- Headquarter : Bonn, Germany
Structure:
- Conference of the Parties (COP): The decision-making body.
- Committee on Science and Technology (CST): Provides technical advice.
- Global Mechanism (GM): Mobilizes financial resources for land restoration.
Notable Initiatives:
- The Great Green Wall: Aimed at restoring Africa’s degraded landscapes.
- Drought Resilience Initiatives: Focus on drought-prone regions globally.
Relevance to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- Directly linked to SDG 15(Life on Land), specifically Target 15.3 (achieving land degradation neutrality).