#Saudi Arabia #Riyadh #UNCCD COP16 #Drought Resilience

Saudi Arabia Takes Leadership at UNCCD COP16

The sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has officially commenced in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking a significant milestone in international environmental efforts. Saudi Arabia was recognized as the president of COP16 during the opening ceremony, where key political figures, NGOs, and stakeholders gathered to address urgent challenges related to land degradation, drought, and desertification.

The opening session was led by Eng. Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, who underscored the importance of the event in fostering international cooperation. He called for a decisive global response, with an ambitious goal of restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030 under the UNCCD framework.

Saudi Arabia's leadership comes at a pivotal time as over 100 million hectares of land are lost annually, impacting over 3 billion people and causing a depletion of ecosystem services worth more than $6 trillion, while simultaneously increasing food and water insecurity. Minister AlFadley stated, “This COP will be a historical moment to stem land degradation and drought worldwide.”

The COP16, running from December 2 to December 13, 2024, is set to be the largest UNCCD conference to date, featuring a 'Green Zone' for mobilizing multilateral actions and funding initiatives aimed at restoring land. Early on the first day of the conference, three major international announcements were made to enhance global drought resilience, highlighting the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership aimed at transitioning from reactive crisis management to proactive prevention initiatives.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has pledged $150 million towards this initiative while an additional $1 billion commitment was secured from the OPEC Fund and another $1 billion from the Islamic Development Bank to enhance the global response to droughts. These financial contributions are a part of a larger commitment to bolster international efforts in combating drought and land degradation.

During the opening ceremony, Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of UNCCD, acknowledged Saudi Arabia's significant role in promoting land restoration and drought resilience, thanks to initiatives such as its Green Initiative and the pivotal hosting of COP16. He remarked, “My deepest appreciation goes to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its vision and leadership in driving the global agenda for land restoration and drought resilience.”

On the eve of the conference, a new report published in collaboration with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research shed light on the escalating global crisis of land degradation, emphasizing that 80% of deforestation and 70% of freshwater consumption are attributed to agricultural practices. Moreover, 23% of greenhouse gas emissions stem from land use and forestry activities. As per current data, 46% of the world's land area is now classified as arid.

The UNCCD COP16 conference, themed “Our Land. Our Future,” also commemorates the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD and aims to ensure multilateral action on critical issues such as drought resilience and land ownership. The international community is encouraged to engage actively in this critical dialogue for a sustainable future.

For additional details on the UNCCD COP16, visit UNCCDCOP16.org.