Earth Commission’s Post

Land degradation signifies the diminishing ecological productivity of our soils, while desertification is an advanced stage where fertile land is transformed into desert-like conditions. This process is driven by soil erosion, loss of vegetation, adverse impacts of climate change, and unsustainable farming practices. This December, at CoP16 UNCCD in Riyadh, the critical conversation around combating land degradation and desertification takes center stage. While both issues pose significant environmental, economic, and social challenges, addressing them is essential for building resilient, sustainable ecosystems that can support future generations. The UNCCD is crucial in elevating this dialogue globally, and we look to the Rio Conventions for inspiration. They have set an impressive pace, demonstrating that we must listen to youth voices and support their leadership to ensure a just and equitable transition. As young people, we inherit these challenges but also bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a commitment to sustainable change. Our engagement in these discussions is not just about shaping policy but about reshaping the future we want to see. #OurlandOurlegacy #UNCCD_CoP16 WRI Africa World Resources Institute WRI Africa UNCCD Youth Caucus

🌎 Today, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the UN Convention to Combat Desertification’s (UNCCD) COP16. Government representatives, scientists, and civil society are convening to assess and adopt global efforts to combat land degradation and desertification and to strengthen resilience. Explore SDSN’s COP Resource Hub to learn more about the key issues at stake at the UNCCD COP16, our calls to action, necessary outcomes, and helpful resources: https://lnkd.in/ePh8pG_Z #COP16Riyadh

As UNCCD #COP16Riyadh continues in Saudi Arabia, the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) Global Alliance is excited to be part of this global conversation. We have eight Science-Based recommendations on Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) in Rangelands for @unccd COP Member States and other partners to achieve sustainable rangeland management. What are these recommendations? We shall be sharing them throughout COP16, highlighting actions like: • Halting the conversion of rangelands for unsustainable uses. ❌ • Increasing investments in rangeland restoration, including through the LDN Fund. [Learn more: at IYRP LDN Working Paper, March 2024 (https://lnkd.in/eEHmJ6HA)] • Empowering pastoralist communities as key stewards of these critical ecosystems. Join us tomorrow for our side event at 17:00 GMT+3. https://lnkd.in/dfinPjcc #IYRP Fiona Flintan

CIFOR-ICRAF at UNCCD COP16 The world’s drylands, although not as lush as rainforests, are crucial ecosystems supporting billions of people and unique species adapted to extreme conditions. However, desertification threatens their very existence. From 2-13 December 2024, join us in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the UNCCD 16th session of the Conference of the Parties. CIFOR-ICRAF will lead discussions on land restoration, women’s land rights, and the role of land in achieving the SDGs. Our work on soil and land restoration will be a key part of the conversation. See our full agenda: 🔗 https://bit.ly/3VKxLs7 #COP16Riyadh #Trees4Resilience

🌍 Exciting News from Desertification COP-16 in Riyadh! 🌟 Cibola Partners and enerQA are proud to announce our participation in a side event at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16Riyadh) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) held last week. The event focused on Iraq's climate investment needs. This gathering brought together global stakeholders to address critical issues such as desertification, land degradation, drought, and climate change financing—challenges that are of paramount importance to Iraq's environmental and economic future. Hosted by UNDP Iraq and Iraqi authorities, the event highlighted: - Innovative financial solutions for combating desertification in Iraq and adapting to climate change, with a success story from an experience in Mainstreaming Climate Finance through the Establishment of a Climate Change Unit within the Ministry of Finance, and sharing a case study in another country (Sudan) - The role of public-private partnerships in advancing sustainable development - Renewable energy initiatives and their potential to enhance climate resilience, such as the Role of Youth Incubators in Supporting and Responding to Climate Action (e.g. UNCCD Youth Caucus) Our participation reaffirmed our shared commitment to sustainability, climate resilience, and environmental stewardship in the Middle East. #COP16 #UNCCD #ClimateAction #Sustainability #Riyadh #Desertification

On this #EarthDay, learn how UPU accelerates #ClimateAction in the postal sector through a comprehensive postal “Green Package”🌍 The package, approved at the #UPUCongress in Riyadh last year, set forth a voluntary tiered approach to the reduction of #GreenhouseGas emissions in the post, with the collective target of 85% reduction by 2050🎯 It also established a dedicated #Climate Facility to support members in the areas of #mitigation, #adaptation, and #ClimateFinance. https://bit.ly/3T3HGZ1 📸Approval of the “Green Package” at the Riyadh Congress, Saudi Arabia, October 2023.

Why is it necessary for locals to participate in #desertification and #drought preparedness initiatives? [Namely, the importance of civil society voice]. Desertification is a major impediment to sustainable development, compounded by poverty, poor health, a lack of food security, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, forced migration, and decreased resilience to drought and climate change. We use a bottom-up strategy to exchange regional experiences from Latin America and the Caribbean through the Community of Learning and Practice platform; https://lnkd.in/etQqitZz

ARC Ltd.’s Gloria Womitso and Malvern Chirume are attending the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024. UNCCD COP16 brings together decision-makers from 197 Parties, including 196 countries and the European Union, to address critical issues of desertification, land degradation, and drought. This year’s event highlights the region’s unique challenges and global strategies under the theme, ‘Our Land. Our Future’. Womitso and Chirume will join attendees to discuss: * Restoring degraded land to enhance agricultural productivity, food security, and ecosystem health.  * Scaling up investments to mitigate the economic and social impact of drought.  * Developing innovative solutions, such as parametric insurance and partnerships with the private sector. COP16 represents a significant opportunity to support sustainable land management and develop mechanisms that reduce the impact of climate-related risks on vulnerable populations. As a leader in disaster risk financing, ARC Ltd. brings specialised knowledge to discussions on drought resilience, focusing on enhancing preparedness and financial mechanisms that empower vulnerable countries to respond effectively to climate-related risks. Coinciding with the UNCCD’s 30th anniversary, COP16 will be one of the largest UN land conferences to date. Find out more in this informal guide: https://lnkd.in/ervHg2-j #UNCCD #COP16 #DisasterRiskInsurance #FinancialResilience #FoodSecurity #Droughts #Deseritification #Degredation #OurLandOurFuture #ClimateChange #ParametricInsurance Eva Grace Kavuma Lindelwe Lesley Ndlovu Malvern C. Ange Nothando Chitate Anaïs SYMENOUH Yusuf Bodiat

According to COP16 President and KSA Minister of Environment Eng Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley, every second, an equivalent of four football fields of healthy land becomes degraded, totalling 100 million hectares every year. At the recent Road to Riyadh event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, opened by Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Arabia urged delegates to prepare to take decisive action in December, outlining a roadmap for international action and engagement and unveiling the thematic program for the COP. https://lnkd.in/dgDdbAZu

Efforts to dispose of fish waste in Yemen play a vital role in addressing climate change. They protect the marine environment, promote sustainability, and improve water quality, benefiting aquatic life, the local economy, and public health. Supporting these initiatives is essential