International leaders, policymakers, researchers, and non-governmental organizations are gathering in Riyadh for a crucial UN meeting focused on land restoration.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 2, 2024 — The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is holding its largest-ever conference in Riyadh, addressing land degradation, drought, and desertification. Government officials, policymakers, international bodies, businesses, NGOs, and stakeholders are convening in the Saudi Arabian capital for this critical conference to accelerate global land restoration and drought resilience efforts.

Taking place from December 2nd to 13th, the initial days of UNCCD COP16 will feature high-level summits, ministerial discussions, and announcements to tackle the challenges of land degradation and drought. On December 2nd, Saudi Arabia’s UNCCD Presidency will launch the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Initiative, aiming to accelerate international action on drought resilience and foster a more coordinated global response.

Boosting global drought resilience is a key focus of COP16. The high-level One Water Summit, scheduled for December 3rd in Riyadh, will address global water scarcity. Initially announced at COP28 in partnership with Saudi Arabia, this summit seeks to improve global water governance and will include participation from French President Emmanuel Macron, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and World Bank President Ajay Banga.

Simultaneously, the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) Forum (December 2–3) will bring together hundreds of policymakers, business leaders, and experts from around the world in the COP16 Green Zone. This forum will review the SGI’s energy and environmental progress, sharing best practices and future projections. The Second International Forum on Greening Technologies (December 6–8) will also be held in the Green Zone, featuring sessions exploring solutions, innovations, and lessons from global greening projects, showcasing related scientific research.

“This is a critical juncture to address land degradation, drought, and desertification,” stated Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and Advisor to the UNCCD COP16 Presidency. “These devastating global crises have long been underserved on the international stage. As hosts, we welcome global participation in Riyadh to find lasting solutions. We will deliver the largest UNCCD COP to date to mobilize multilateral action on land restoration and drought resilience,” Dr. Faqeeha added.

Saudi Arabia’s COP16 Presidency aims to strengthen the Action Agenda by encouraging governments and non-state actors to support initiatives providing lasting solutions for land degradation, desertification, and drought. As part of the COP16 Presidency, Saudi Arabia plans to collaborate with these initiative champions to enhance synergies over the next two years.

“The Action Agenda under COP16 sets out an ambitious vision and goals to harness the collective efforts of non-state actors, including businesses, farmers, regions, cities, financial institutions, investors, civil society, and indigenous people, to foster practical solutions and drive measurable progress towards the UNCCD goals,” said Nigel Topping, Ambition Loop Founder and former UN Climate Change High-Level Champion at COP26.

COP16 in Riyadh is the first UNCCD conference in the Middle East, the first to include a Green Zone, and the largest multilateral conference ever hosted by Saudi Arabia. According to the UNCCD, land degradation affects nearly 40% of the planet, impacting over 3.2 billion people. Each year, 100 million hectares of land are degraded, with drought frequency and intensity increasing by almost a third since 2000.

About COP16 Riyadh

The UNCCD COP16 conference will run from December 2–13, 2024, at Boulevard Riyadh World, Saudi Arabia. Themed “Our Land. Our Future,” this conference marks the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD and aims to secure multilateral action on key issues such as drought resilience, land tenure, and sand and dust storms.

For more information about UNCCD COP16 or to register your interest in attending the Green Zone, please visit

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