UN Highlights Alarming Costs of Drought and Desertification: Call for Global Action at COP16

UN Highlights Alarming Costs of Drought and Desertification: Call for Global Action at COP16

Sub : Env

Sec : Int conventions

Why in News

The 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) is being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, amid growing concerns over the escalating costs and impacts of drought and desertification.

Key Points:

• Global losses from drought now stand at $307 billion annually, a figure far higher than earlier estimates.
• Up to 40% of the world’s land is degraded, threatening agriculture and water security.
• Droughts have increased by 29% since 2000 due to climate change and unsustainable land practices.
• Livelihoods of 1.8 billion people are at risk, with poorer nations disproportionately affected.

UNCCD COP16:

• COP16 features a Negotiation Track for formal decisions and a parallel Action Agenda for voluntary commitments across thematic areas.
• The summit, described by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as a “moonshot moment,” seeks to promote drought resilience and land restoration.
• Discussions aim to build on agreements reached at the previous summit in Ivory Coast in 2022.
• COP16 has seen its largest-ever attendance, including delegates from governments, private sectors, and civil society.
• The summit emphasizes achieving land and drought goals as a critical step toward global climate and biodiversity targets.
• Saudi Arabia launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, aiming to mobilize public and private finance to assist 80 of the most vulnerable and drought-affected countries.

About the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD):

• Adopted in 1994, it is the only legally binding international agreement connecting environmental management to sustainable land use.
• Objective: Aims to combat desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD) while promoting land degradation neutrality (LDN) and improving livelihoods globally.
• Scope: Focuses on areas vulnerable to DLDD, particularly arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid regions.
• Key Initiatives:
  • LDN: Encourages countries to maintain a balance between degraded and restored land.
  • Science-Policy Interface (SPI): Supports data-driven policymaking.
  • Global Collaboration: Engages with organizations like the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to promote capacity building and effective land management practices.

Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership:

• Announced during the UNCCD COP16 in December 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• Aims to address global drought challenges by transitioning from reactive measures to proactive preparedness.
• Initial funding of $2.15 billion from Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Development Bank, and the OPEC Fund for International Development.
• Focus on securing additional voluntary contributions from governments, financial institutions, and charities.
• Designed to assist 80 vulnerable and drought-stricken nations, particularly those classified as least developed and lower-middle-income countries.
• Strengthening drought resilience through:
  • Risk assessment and early warning systems.
  • Sustainable water management and nature-based solutions.
  • Economic resilience and business responses.
  • Drought financing and insurance mechanisms.
  • Emergency and humanitarian responses.