Riyadh, January 31, 2024, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) have officially inked an agreement, setting the stage for the 16th session of the Convention’s Conference of the Parties (COP16) scheduled to take place in Riyadh from December 2 to 13, 2024.
This forthcoming Riyadh COP16 is poised to be a historic event, marking the largest-ever gathering of UNCCD’s 197 Parties. It holds the distinction of being the first COP to be hosted in the Middle East region and stands as the most extensive multilateral conference ever hosted by Saudi Arabia. Significantly, 2024 also commemorates the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, a pivotal environmental treaty forming one of the Rio Conventions alongside climate change and biodiversity.
During the signing ceremony in Riyadh, Eng. Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Alfadley, the Saudi Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, and COP16 President, affirmed, “The hosting of the conference (COP16) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reflects the commitment of the wise leadership to environmental protection at the national, regional, and international levels. Additionally, Saudi Arabia launched several groundbreaking environmental projects, such as the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative.”
Ibrahim Thiaw, the Executive Secretary of UNCCD, emphasized the urgent need for global action, stating, “Today, we are losing fertile lands at an alarming rate, jeopardizing global stability, prosperity and sustainability. The Riyadh COP16 must mark a turning point in the way we treat our most precious resource—land—and collectively tackle the global drought emergency.”
UNCCD data reveals that up to 40% of the world's land is degraded, impacting half of humanity and posing severe consequences for climate, biodiversity, and livelihoods. Addressing this, the Riyadh COP16 aims to rally governments, businesses, and communities globally to accelerate efforts in land restoration and drought resilience as fundamental elements of food, water, and energy security.
As droughts intensify worldwide, increasing by 29% since 2000 due to climate change and land management practices, the Riyadh COP16 will focus on generating momentum for collective action. A key objective is to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030 to achieve a land-degradation-neutral world.
The two-week event will include a high-level segment and associated events such as the Gender Caucus and the Business for Land Forum. Taking place in a region grappling with water scarcity and significant desertification challenges, the Riyadh COP16 will serve as a platform to showcase ongoing initiatives in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and beyond, highlighting a commitment to a green transition founded on sustainable land stewardship.
