About 40 percent of the planet’s land has been degraded. Three billion people worldwide suffer from the effects of land degradation Climate and Environment
Three billion people worldwide suffer from the effects of land degradation and deterioration, increasing migration and increasing vulnerability in many communities, according to the chairman of a UN-backed conference on desertification, drought and land restoration.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli spoke at the opening of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, which is taking place in the Middle Eastern state’s capital, Riyadh.
The conference participants believe that this forum can be a turning point to raise global ambition and accelerate action to strengthen land resilience and combat drought through a people-centred approach.
About 40 per cent of the planet’s land is degraded, meaning its biological or economic productivity has declined. This has serious consequences for the climate, biodiversity and people’s livelihoods. Droughts, a key theme of the Riyadh conference, are becoming more frequent and intense, with their incidence increasing by 29 per cent since 2000 as a result of climate change and poor land management.
First day of the conference in Riyadh.
Caring for Humanity
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification was adopted 30 years ago. The organization’s executive secretary, Ibrahim Thiaw, stressed that restoring land lost to drought and desertification remains an important task.
“Land restoration is first and foremost a concern for humanity,” he said, adding that how humans manage land today directly determines the future of life on Earth.
Ibrahim Thiaw shared his personal experience of meeting farmers, mothers and youth who have faced the consequences of land loss. “The cost of land degradation permeates every aspect of their lives. People see it in rising food prices, unexpected additional energy costs and increased tensions in their communities. The loss of land and soil deprives poor families of nutritious food and children of a secure future.”
UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw speaks in Riyadh.
Tipping Point
The Riyadh conference provides an opportunity for global leaders from governments, international organizations, the private sector and civil society to examine new scientific research and chart a path toward a sustainable future for land use.
“The world can reverse the tide of land degradation, but only if we seize this tipping point,” Thiaw said.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, in a video message to the conference, urged delegates to work to reverse the situation by focusing on key priorities, including strengthening international cooperation. She also stressed the need to strengthen land restoration efforts and mobilize large-scale financial resources.
Funding these efforts is a massive undertaking and is unlikely to be achieved through public funds alone. According to the UN deputy chief, the total investment should reach $2.6 trillion by 2030 – the same amount the world spent on defense in 2023 alone.
Smallholder farms in northern Kenya struggle to grow crops in increasingly dry weather.
Ambitious, inclusive action
Tahanyat Naim Satti, speaking on behalf of civil society organizations participating in the conference, called for “ambitious, inclusive action.” She noted that meaningful participation of women, youth, indigenous peoples and local communities in decision-making at all levels must be institutionalized.
The Riyadh conference will last two weeks, until December 13. Intense discussions and negotiations await participants.