Saudi Arabia Takes the Helm of UNCCD Presidency at COP16 Opening Ceremony
In a significant development during the opening ceremony of the UNCCD COP16 held in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was officially announced as the President of the sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16). This moment marks the beginning of a two-year mandate aimed at spearheading international efforts toward land restoration and improving resilience against droughts.
The conference, which lasts from December 2 to 13, 2024, has gathered policymakers, representatives from international organizations, businesses, NGOs, and key stakeholders, all converging in Riyadh to seek urgent global solutions to the pressing issues of land degradation, desertification, and drought. The UNCCD COP16 is notably the largest of its kind, showcasing the commitment to tackle these extensive environmental challenges.
During the opening session, Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley, the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia and also the newly appointed President of the COP16, welcomed attendees and emphasized the need for decisive action from the international community. He stated that the UNCCD aims to restore up to 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030, pointing to the severe degradation affecting over 3 billion individuals and resulting in a loss of an astounding $6 trillion in ecosystem services annually.
AlFadley further remarked, "Saudi Arabia aims to enhance international efforts through the UNCCD COP16 to confront major environmental challenges while fostering close ties with other global environmental agreements, including the Rio Conventions on climate change and biodiversity. It is essential to achieve ambitious outcomes that enhance land conservation, minimize land degradation, and bolster global capacity to combat drought."
The conference also highlighted the alarming statistics: over 100 million hectares of land are deteriorating each year, impacting more than 3 billion people worldwide and leading to rising food and water insecurity. AlFadley's words resonate strongly as COP16 aims to turn this crisis around.
Importantly, the inaugural day of COP16 is marked by the launch of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Alliance. This initiative is designed to enhance synergy and amplify international action regarding drought resilience while shifting global responses from reactive crisis management to proactive prevention strategies. Notably, the alliance has already garnered an additional commitment of $1 billion from both the OPEC Fund and the Islamic Development Bank, supplementing Saudi Arabia's $150 million pledge to the initiative.
During the opening ceremony, Ibrahim Thiaw, the UNCCD Executive Secretary, expressed gratitude towards Saudi Arabia for their leadership in addressing land degradation issues and raising awareness on global platforms such as G20, as well as organizing this historic COP and the Saudi Green Initiative.
In anticipation of the multilateral discussions, the UNCCD also released a new report in collaboration with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, encapsulating the global urgency caused by the critical state of land degradation. This report underscores that unsustainable agricultural practices are responsible for up to 80% of deforestation and account for 70% of fresh water usage.
Overall, the UNCCD COP16's theme, 'Our Land. Our Future,' aligns with its goals to safeguard the future of global ecosystems amid the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, tackling critical issues such as drought resilience and land tenure.
As the conference unfolds, numerous international announcements and initiatives are set to follow, promising a pivotal moment in the global fight against land degradation and enhancing action towards a sustainable future. For further information and updates on UNCCD COP16, stakeholders and interested parties are encouraged to visit UNCCDCOP16.org.
The conference, which lasts from December 2 to 13, 2024, has gathered policymakers, representatives from international organizations, businesses, NGOs, and key stakeholders, all converging in Riyadh to seek urgent global solutions to the pressing issues of land degradation, desertification, and drought. The UNCCD COP16 is notably the largest of its kind, showcasing the commitment to tackle these extensive environmental challenges.
During the opening session, Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley, the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia and also the newly appointed President of the COP16, welcomed attendees and emphasized the need for decisive action from the international community. He stated that the UNCCD aims to restore up to 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030, pointing to the severe degradation affecting over 3 billion individuals and resulting in a loss of an astounding $6 trillion in ecosystem services annually.
AlFadley further remarked, "Saudi Arabia aims to enhance international efforts through the UNCCD COP16 to confront major environmental challenges while fostering close ties with other global environmental agreements, including the Rio Conventions on climate change and biodiversity. It is essential to achieve ambitious outcomes that enhance land conservation, minimize land degradation, and bolster global capacity to combat drought."
The conference also highlighted the alarming statistics: over 100 million hectares of land are deteriorating each year, impacting more than 3 billion people worldwide and leading to rising food and water insecurity. AlFadley's words resonate strongly as COP16 aims to turn this crisis around.
Importantly, the inaugural day of COP16 is marked by the launch of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Alliance. This initiative is designed to enhance synergy and amplify international action regarding drought resilience while shifting global responses from reactive crisis management to proactive prevention strategies. Notably, the alliance has already garnered an additional commitment of $1 billion from both the OPEC Fund and the Islamic Development Bank, supplementing Saudi Arabia's $150 million pledge to the initiative.
During the opening ceremony, Ibrahim Thiaw, the UNCCD Executive Secretary, expressed gratitude towards Saudi Arabia for their leadership in addressing land degradation issues and raising awareness on global platforms such as G20, as well as organizing this historic COP and the Saudi Green Initiative.
In anticipation of the multilateral discussions, the UNCCD also released a new report in collaboration with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, encapsulating the global urgency caused by the critical state of land degradation. This report underscores that unsustainable agricultural practices are responsible for up to 80% of deforestation and account for 70% of fresh water usage.
Overall, the UNCCD COP16's theme, 'Our Land. Our Future,' aligns with its goals to safeguard the future of global ecosystems amid the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, tackling critical issues such as drought resilience and land tenure.
As the conference unfolds, numerous international announcements and initiatives are set to follow, promising a pivotal moment in the global fight against land degradation and enhancing action towards a sustainable future. For further information and updates on UNCCD COP16, stakeholders and interested parties are encouraged to visit UNCCDCOP16.org.
Topics Environment）
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