Riyadh hosted 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNCCD: a new stage in the fight against land degradation

The 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024. It is the largest UN conference on land issues, bringing together world leaders, scientists and experts to find solutions to combat land degradation and drought. Held under the theme “Our Land. Our Future”, COP16 was a key event to mark the 30th anniversary of the Convention and the first UNCCD session to be held in the Middle East and North Africa region, a region that is particularly affected by desertification.

The main objective of the conference was to strengthen the global commitment to land restoration and resilience to climate change. Participants discussed accelerating investments in land protection, developing strategies to combat droughts and improving the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on degraded lands. The conference once again emphasized the importance of the UNCCD as the main international instrument for the protection of land ecosystems and a sustainable future for all humanity.