Riyadh Action Agenda at COP16: A new era of global cooperation

Editor's note: Rizwan Basir, a special commentator for CGTN, is a sociologist who works as a Climate Finance Specialist at the Climate Resourcing Coordination Center based in Islamabad, Pakistan. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

From December 2 to 13, 2024, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will host the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). This milestone event coincides with the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, an agreement born from the 1992 Earth Summit aimed at addressing land degradation and its devastating impacts.

Under the theme "Our Land. Our Future," COP16 comes at a time when the world faces escalating threats from desertification, land degradation and drought. The conference aims to turn years of discussion into concrete actions, guided by a novel dual-track approach: the Negotiation Track for binding decisions and the Action Agenda to highlight voluntary commitments.

As global crises of forced migration, food insecurity and biodiversity loss escalate, the stakes for COP16 could not be higher.

The scale of the crisis

Desertification and land degradation impact 3.2 billion people globally, according to the World Migration Report 2024. The report estimates that over 216 million people could be internally displaced by 2050 due to climate-related factors, including the loss of arable land. Droughts – which have increased by 29 percent since 2000 – are now a leading cause of forced migration, particularly in regions where farming is already precarious.

Economically, the consequences are catastrophic. Land degradation has resulted in losses amounting to $11 trillion and the need for urgent restoration is undeniable. Achieving land-degradation neutrality by 2030 will require the restoration of 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land – an ambitious target, but a necessary one to ensure global food security and ecosystem resilience.

In regions like North Africa and the Middle East, erratic rainfall and declining groundwater levels are pushing rural communities to abandon agriculture, further exacerbating urban pressures. The challenge is monumental, but instances of progress offer hope.

Progress amidst challenges

China stands out as a global leader in combating desertification through large-scale initiatives that integrate environmental restoration with sustainable development. The Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), launched in 1978, exemplifies China's commitment to combating desertification. As one of the world's largest afforestation projects, the program aims to create an ecological shield covering 42 percent of China's landmass by 2050.

Moreover, China's innovative use of agricultural waste in "checkerboarding" techniques has stabilized sand dunes, particularly in regions like Wuwei City in the Tengger Desert. This approach has transformed vulnerable desert landscapes into stable ecosystems, halting desert progression.

Between 2012 and 2022, China restored 64 million hectares of degraded land, rehabilitated 12 million mu (about 800,000 hectares) of wetlands, and improved 165 million mu of grasslands. These achievements highlight a multifaceted approach to addressing environmental challenges, combining ecological restoration with economic development.

China's leadership extends beyond its borders. Just recently, through collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, China has developed handbooks on coastal hazard mitigation and ecosystem restoration. These resources, based on cutting-edge research, provide practical guidance for restoring ecosystems worldwide, from salt marshes to sandy coasts.

On the other hand, in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region, desertification poses an existential threat, yet regional collaboration is offering a model for progress. The NENA Regional Restoration Pledge and Investment Framework, developed by the UNCCD in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia and the League of Arab States, seeks to address land degradation while creating sustainable jobs and unlocking economic opportunities.

By integrating land restoration with sustainable development goals, the framework underscores the importance of collective action. It demonstrates how regional partnerships can amplify impact, particularly in areas where individual nations may lack the resources to combat desertification independently.

COP16: An opportunity for transformation

As 197 parties convene in Riyadh, COP16 presents a pivotal opportunity to redefine the global response to desertification. Central to this effort is the Riyadh Action Agenda, which aims to scale up land restoration, enhance drought resilience, address soil health and create economic opportunities. This agenda seeks to translate high-level commitments into tangible outcomes through a novel dual-track approach introduced at COP16.

The Negotiation Track will focus on binding decisions and political declarations, ensuring a unified global direction. Meanwhile, the Action Agenda will mobilize diverse stakeholders, including governments, civil society and the private sector, to take voluntary actions that complement formal negotiations. Together, these tracks aim to address pressing priorities such as accelerating land restoration to meet 2030 targets, boosting resilience to droughts, dust storms and climate variability, and promoting soil health and sustainable agricultural practices.

The outcomes of COP16 will have far-reaching implications for global environmental governance. As the world gathers in Riyadh, the time for half-measures has passed. The global community must seize this moment to prioritize land restoration and resilience-building as cornerstones of sustainable development.

COP16 is not just an opportunity to reaffirm commitments; it is a call to action. By translating ambition into tangible results, the conference can pave the way for a future where land degradation no longer undermines human well-being and ecological balance.

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