This was said by Abdul Rahman Alfad, the newly elected president of the United Nations supported conference on desertification, drought and land restoration, which started in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdul Rahman Alfadale was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in the country’s capital. This session will start on Monday 2nd December and will continue till 13th December.
According to the UNCCD, the meeting is “an important opportunity to raise global ambitions and accelerate action on land and drought resilience through a people-centred approach.”
Globally, 40 percent of the world’s land is degraded, meaning that biological or economic productivity has declined. It has severe impacts on climate, biodiversity and human livelihoods.
Drought is a priority issue at COP16, becoming increasingly serious due to climate change and sustainable land management. A 29 percent increase has been recorded since 2000.
Cherish humanity
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification was agreed 30 years ago and the organization’s current executive secretary, Ibrahim Thiao, has highlighted the continued importance of reclaiming land lost to drought and desertification.
“Land restoration is primarily about nurturing humanity. The way we manage our land today will directly determine the future of life on Earth,” he said.
She spoke of her personal experience of meeting farmers, mothers and youth affected by land loss. “The cost of land degradation can be seen in every corner of their lives.”
“They are seeing rising grocery prices, unpredictable energy burdens and increasing pressure on their communities,” he said.
“Land and soil degradation are depriving poor families of nutritious food and a secure future for their children.”
Halting soil erosion and restoration
The COP16 conference provides an opportunity for world leaders from governments, international organizations, the private sector and civil society to discuss the latest research and chart a way forward for a sustainable future of land use.
Abraham Thiau said that together the world can “reverse the trend of land degradation,” but only if “we seize this decisive moment.”
UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed addressed the conference via video link. He urged COP16 delegates to “turn the tide” by playing their part and focusing on three priorities, including strengthening international cooperation.
He said it was also important to “accelerate” land recovery efforts and work towards “fundraising on a large scale”.
Financing these efforts will be challenging, and funding is unlikely to come from the public sector alone, but according to the UN Deputy Chief of Staff, “Incremental investments should total $2.6 trillion by 2030; that’s as much as the world spent on defense in the 2023 budget alone.”
A call for inclusive action
Tahaniat Naim Satti, speaking on behalf of civil society organizations participating in the conference, called for “ambitious and inclusive action at COP16” and “must institutionalize the meaningful participation of women, youth, indigenous peoples, pastors and local communities.”
“All of their insights and personal experiences are critical to effectively combating land degradation and formulating policies that promote sustainable land management and restoration,” he emphasized.
The conference runs until 13 December during which, over a 2-week period, delegates will hold some in-depth discussions and debates as they move towards these outcomes:
- Accelerating restoration of degraded land by 2030 and beyond
- Increase tolerance to drought, sand and dust storms
- Restoring soil health and increasing nature-positive food production
- Securing land rights and promoting equity for sustainable land management
- Ensuring that land, climate and biodiversity continue to provide solutions
- Open up economic opportunities for youth with land-based jobs with good wages and conditions
Some important facts: United Nations and desertification
- Three decades ago, in 1994, 196 countries and the European Union signed the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD.
- The Conference of the Parties, or COP, is the main decision-making body of the UNCCD.
- UNCCD is the global voice for land where governments, businesses and civil society come together to discuss challenges and chart a sustainable future for land.
- The 16th meeting of the COP is being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 2-13 December.