UNCCD COP16 : ENVIRONMENT

UNCCD COP16 : ENVIRONMENT

NEWS: Earth’s desertification emergency: UNCCD COP16 summit begins in Riyadh next week — what can we expect to happen

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

UNCCD COP16, marking its 30th anniversary, will convene in Riyadh (Dec 2-13, 2024) with a focus on land restoration, drought resilience, and launching the Riyadh Action Agenda to accelerate global land conservation efforts. Desertification impacts 3.2 billion people, necessitating urgent, collaborative action.

UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, 2024

Overview:

  • Event: 16th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP16) to the UNCCD.
  • Date & Venue: December 2–13, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  • Occasion: Marks the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD.
  • Theme: Our Land and Our Future.
  • Objective: Accelerate land restoration and enhance drought resilience globally.

Special Features:

1.      Dual Approach:

    • Negotiation Track: Focuses on critical COP decisions and political declarations.
    • Action Agenda: Voluntary commitments and thematic actions on land and drought resilience.

2.      Focus Areas:

    • Combating desertification, land degradation, and droughts.
    • Restoring soil health and achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030.
    • Enhancing resilience to climate impacts like sandstorms and droughts.
    • Promoting land rights, job creation, and economic opportunities.

3.      Riyadh Action Agenda:

    • Structured around thematic days with announcements, events, and initiative launches.
    • Collaborative platform for governments, non-state actors, and multi-sectoral partnerships.

Challenges Addressed:

·         Desertification & Drought:

  • Affects 3.2 billion people globally; economic losses exceed $11 trillion.
  • Drought frequency has increased by 29% since 2000 due to climate change and poor land management.
  • Desertification risks displacing 216 million people by 2050, especially in Africa and Asia.

·         Groundwater Depletion:

  • Declining recharge zones lead to reduced irrigation sources, forcing migration.

Call to Action:

  • 197 parties will declare a global emergency to address land degradation.
  • Implementation pledge expected to accelerate land restoration efforts by 2030.

 

 

BACKGROUND

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD):

  • Purpose: Combats desertification, land degradation, and mitigates drought effects through international cooperation.
  • Legal Framework: Legally binding, focusing on sustainable land management to prevent desertification.
  • Origins: Created from the 1992 Rio Conference’s Agenda 21 and adopted in 1994.
  • Reach: 197 parties, making it nearly universal in its reach.
  • Focus Areas:
  • Prevent and reverse desertification and land degradation.
  • Mitigate drought effects to support poverty reduction and environmental sustainability.

Objectives:

  1. Build a global partnership to reverse desertification and prevent land degradation.
  2. Mitigate drought impacts to enhance poverty reduction and environmental sustainability.

Key Features:

  • National Action Programs (NAPs): Country-specific strategies for combating desertification.
  • Capacity Building: Promotes research and knowledge sharing about desertification causes and solutions.
  • Reporting: Countries must regularly report their progress to the UNCCD.

Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN):

  • LDN Concept: Ensures land productivity remains stable or improves over time by restoring degraded areas.
  • Benefits: Prevents further land degradation while restoring ecosystems and enhancing food security.