• Fabricated under the theme, “Our Land. Our Future,” COP16 has shed light on the renewal of global commitment to accelerate investment and action to restore land and boost drought resilience for the benefit of the people and the planet.

Gaveled by Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, COP16 ran from December 2 to 13, 2024, welcoming a turnout of nearly 200 countries.

The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global voice for land. It ranks among the three major UN treaties alongside climate and biodiversity.

Fabricated under the theme, “Our Land. Our Future,” COP16 has shed light on the renewal of global commitment to accelerate investment and action to restore land and boost drought resilience for the benefit of the people and the planet.

COP16 made history as the largest UN land conference to date and the inaugural UNCCD COP to be held in the Middle East and North Africa region (areas which experience the impacts of desertification, land degradation and drought). Also, the conference marked the 30th anniversary of UNCCD.

Since charity begins at home, COP16 President Abdulrahman AlFadley underscored Saudi Arabia’s devotion to engaging with all stakeholders towards land rehabilitation and restoration, saying, “We hope the outcomes of this session will lead to a significant shift that strengthens efforts to preserve land, reduce its degradation, build capacities to address drought, and contribute to the wellbeing of communities around the world.”

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  3. Leaders Gather at COP16 in Riyadh to Address Land and Drought Resilience

Bidding adieu to COP16, stakeholders pledged to complete the global drought regime at COP17 in Mongolia in 2027. This was highlighted through significant progress in laying the groundwork for land restoration and drought resilience in national policies and international cooperation, an essential strategy for food security and climate adaptation.

Momentarily, more than 12 billion US Dollars were pledged to confront desertification, land degradation and drought around the globe, especially in the most vulnerable countries.