Dr Renuka Thakore, Founder & CEO of GSFN and Bharatkumar Thakore, Co-Founder of GSFN, attended the COP16 UNCCD Riyadh from December 2 to December 6 2024.
Grateful to Nature’s Rights for Advancing Land Restoration Efforts
We extend heartfelt gratitude to Nature’s Rights for the invaluable opportunity to attend COP16 UNCCD and contribute to the critical dialogue on desertification and land restoration. Nature’s Rights operates on a groundbreaking framework that recognizes ecosystems as living entities with intrinsic rights, ensuring their protection and restoration. This approach advocates for the legal recognition of nature’s rights within governance systems, offering a transformative path to address the root causes of environmental degradation.
By aligning human development with ecological integrity, Nature’s Rights provides a robust foundation for combating desertification, promoting sustainable land use, and fostering global resilience. Their framework emphasizes collaborative action, equitable policies, and community engagement, which are vital components in achieving the UNCCD goals. As we gather at COP16, we are inspired by their vision and remain committed to leveraging this innovative framework to restore degraded lands and secure a sustainable future for all.
Exploring Governance Functionality to Combat Desertification: A GSFN Side Event
At COP16 UNCCD, the Global Sustainable Futures Network (GSFN) proudly presents an event focused on crafting a robust governance model to address desertification, one of the most pressing environmental challenges. This event, Exploring Preferred Governance Functionality for Addressing Desertification and Developing Strategies that Effectively Integrate Local, Regional, and International Efforts to Mitigate the Impact of Desertification, spearheaded by James Balzer, a GSFN Coordinator from Australia who is attending COP16 in person, represents a critical step toward integrating local, regional, and international efforts into cohesive strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of desertification.
What It’s About
This initiative is dedicated to equipping participants with tailored governance approaches that reflect the unique complexities of desertification. By fostering collaboration among stakeholders at all levels, it seeks to address desertification’s multifaceted impact through innovative and inclusive strategies.
Objectives
- Showcasing Case Studies: Presenting diverse case studies that illustrate the varying characteristics of desertification and the governance models best suited to combat them.
- Identifying Expertise Needs: Highlighting the specific expertise and resources government agencies require to tackle desertification effectively.
- Introducing Strategic Foresight: Leveraging methodologies like Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) to enhance preparedness and response to desertification issues.
- Strengthening Networks and Capabilities: Exploring ways for government agencies to build pre-established networks and capabilities, enabling more agile and impactful responses to desertification challenges.
This event underscores the importance of innovative governance frameworks designed to foster collaboration, integrate diverse perspectives, and ensure sustainable outcomes. It reflects GSFN’s commitment to providing practical solutions and enhancing global readiness to address desertification, ensuring no one is left behind in the journey toward environmental resilience.
Speakers
Professor HAITHAN ASKAR, Executive Board and Division Director (Energy & Climate)
The Blockchain and Climate Institute.
Dr. Pallavi Saxena, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, Hindu College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
iLEAPS and GEIA SSC Member
A Spectacular Start to COP16 UNCCD in Riyadh
The opening day of COP16 UNCCD in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, set an extraordinary stage for meaningful dialogue and collaboration. With a warm Saudi welcome, attendees experienced the nation’s renowned hospitality and cultural richness, from seamless registration to mesmerizing artistic dance performances. The event masterfully blended tradition with innovation, showcasing cutting-edge digital technology that captivated participants and emphasized the forward-thinking spirit of this gathering. Among the attendees, leaders and stakeholders like UNDP, OPEC, and many NGOs embraced the vibrant atmosphere, reflecting a shared commitment to combat desertification and foster sustainable futures. COP16 promises to be a defining moment in uniting global efforts for land restoration and climate resilience.
Green Saudi: A Vision for Regional Leadership in Sustainability
Saudi Arabia is committed to addressing environmental challenges through collective action and forward-thinking strategies. Recognizing that environmental issues transcend borders, our government has embraced sustainable development strategies that actively incorporate public perspectives. Through the Green Saudi Project, we are expanding green spaces to combat deforestation and create a healthier, more resilient environment. This initiative is part of our broader strategy, which includes multiple programs designed to position Saudi Arabia as a national leader and a regional role model in sustainability. Together, we are building a future that prioritizes our planet’s and its people’s well-being.
Turning the Tide on Land Degradation: A Global Call to Action
With 40% of the world’s land already degraded, the foundation of peace, stability, and livelihoods is under serious threat. Speaking at COP16 in Riyadh, the UN Secretary-General emphasized the critical need for good governance and collective implementation to address this crisis. Riyadh holds the potential to lead transformative change, with Saudi Arabia’s first policy initiative paving the way for sustainable land restoration. Restoring degraded lands can generate millions of jobs, create vital safety nets, and set industries such as agriculture and mining on sustainable paths. However, this requires clear investments, cumulative efforts, and a commitment from governments to increase subsidies for sustainable practices while eliminating harmful ones. The time to act is now—together, we can restore our planet and build a more secure and resilient future.
Global Solidarity for Land Restoration and Resilience
At COP16, the UNCCD Secretary highlighted Saudi Arabia’s renowned warmth and hospitality, symbolizing the collective spirit needed to tackle the global land degradation crisis. With 40% of the world’s land affected, this “sickness” has become an epidemic threatening economies, ecosystems, and livelihoods. However, this challenge also presents a unique opportunity—land restoration is now a top priority in global discussions, including at the G20. Powerful examples from nations like India and Côte d’Ivoire underscore the urgent need to address environmental disasters that cost economies the equivalent of four football fields of land every minute. The Secretary emphasized the critical role of evidence-based action to combat degradation and the need to address deep injustices, such as the fact that only 13% of women globally own land, while much of their labour benefits others. With COP16 focused on drought resilience, we are reminded that no country is immune. Collectively, we must seize this opportunity to restore lands, secure global supply chains, and build a more equitable and sustainable future.
Global Financial Institutions Unite for Land Restoration
At COP16, leading financial institutions reaffirmed their commitment to tackling land degradation. The World Bank announced its support, highlighting the critical gap in funding as developing countries allocate only 1.5% of their budgets to address this pressing issue. The Islamic Sustainable Development Bank emphasized its focus on the “Three Ds”—drought, desertification, and land development—as pillars of its sustainability agenda. Meanwhile, the OPEC Fund fully supported the UNCCD goals, recognizing the urgent and complex nature of the land degradation crisis. These organizations stressed the need for strategic investment and resource mobilization to restore degraded lands, enhance resilience, and drive sustainable development. Together, their efforts signal a united global push toward addressing one of the most critical challenges of our time.
Unpacking the Intersections: Climate, Peace, and Land Restoration
At COP16 UNCCD, an engaging session focused on the intricate intersections between desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD), climate change, peace and security, and displacement, with a particular spotlight on the MENA region and the pressing challenges faced by women in affected areas.
H.E. Ambassador Elshad Iskandarov, Senior Advisor to COP29 Presidency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Azerbaijan, delivered a compelling address, emphasizing the launch of an initiative in African regions as a beacon of hope and unity. He reiterated the need for global coordination, not only within the COP framework but also beyond, to address the multifaceted issues of climate and peace. Stressing the climate and peace nexus, he highlighted how climate-triggered conflicts divert critical resources away from addressing the climate crisis, urging for peace recovery and development as integral to climate action.
With 17 of the 25 most climate-affected countries also grappling with conflicts, impacting 450 million people, the ambassador underscored the global nature of these challenges. He praised the coalition of nations, including the UK, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, and others, as a pivotal force for driving impactful solutions. His call for humanity and unity resonates as a powerful reminder: climate change is a shared burden, demanding a collective, global response to ensure peace, security, and sustainable development.
Unpacking the Intersections: DLDD, Climate Change, Peace, Security, and Displacement
The interconnected crises of desertification/land degradation and drought (DLDD), climate change, peace, security, and displacement demand a shift from crisis management to prevention-focused strategies. While Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) provide a foundation, they remain limited in scope and impact, highlighting the need for policies that foster integrated, whole-of-society approaches to benefit real-life scenarios. Scarcity of resources, exacerbated by climate crises, further fuels displacement—both internal and cross-border—impacting livelihoods and intensifying vulnerabilities. Initiatives like Climate-Smart Villages Plus in the MENA region offer a promising pathway to transform agriculture sustainably, restore ecosystems, and combat the widespread effects of ecocide. However, significant barriers, such as access to finance for refugees, hinder progress. Despite their interest in investing in livelihoods and climate resilience, displaced populations remain disproportionately affected. Egypt’s commitment to linking peace processes with climate action underscores the urgent need for global collaboration, moving beyond reactive solutions to sustainable, preventive measures that address the root causes of displacement and environmental degradation.
Collaborative Solutions for DLDD and Climate Resilience
Addressing the complex intersections of desertification/land degradation and drought (DLDD), climate change, and displacement requires a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach. Humanitarian, development, and investment agencies must come together to co-design solutions that are rooted in local realities while addressing global challenges. These agencies need to harmonize efforts, leveraging each other’s expertise and resources to create sustainable, scalable strategies. A critical challenge remains the lack of reliable data, which hampers effective decision-making and the ability to target interventions accurately. Bridging this data gap through robust collection, analysis, and sharing mechanisms is vital for informed policy-making and successful implementation of integrated solutions. By fostering dialogue and collaboration among these sectors, we can create actionable frameworks to mitigate the impacts of DLDD, climate crises, and displacement at both local and global levels.
Water Governance and Collaborative Solutions in MENA
The UNDP Regional Head for MENA emphasized the urgent need to address massive water governance challenges, underscoring issues of resource use and mismanagement. Launching the Tunisia Water Relief Programme, UNDP highlighted that no single entity can tackle this multifaceted issue alone. Collaborative frameworks are essential, particularly in aligning efforts across sectors.
Key challenges include project design inefficiencies, which hinder mobilisation of funds, despite substantial financial commitments. A proposed redefinition of PPPs—Pipeline, Pipeline, Pipeline—aims to prioritize streamlined project pipelines for effective implementation. Additionally, de-risking strategies are essential, calling for extensive research and development to redistribute risks equitably among partners. Lastly, creating an enabling policy environment that bridges country-level initiatives with global investment strategies is crucial for sustainable solutions.
The World Bank echoed the importance of understanding these dynamics to foster impactful action, ensuring water governance aligns with broader sustainability and resilience goals across the region.