MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Here’s what was agreed at COP16 to combat global desertification

Published

2 years ago

January 16, 2025

20,000 delegates attended COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — three times the number of the previous UNCCD COP. Image: REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra.

40% of the world’s agricultural land is already damaged and more than three-quarters of land is experiencing dryer conditions.
COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, aimed to mobilize collaboration to combat desertification.
Here’s what you need to know about what was agreed at COP16.

Against the backdrop of a deepening environmental crisis, the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) convened in Riyadh in December with a critical mission: to address the escalating threats of land degradation and drought.

With 40% of the world’s agricultural land already damaged and more than three-quarters of land experiencing dryer conditions, the stakes have never been higher. The conference emphasized the urgent need for innovation, investment and collaboration to restore land, safeguard food and water security, tackle climate change and combat biodiversity loss.

The 20,000 delegates at COP16 — three times the number of the previous UNCCD COP — carried a powerful message: restoring land is achievable, but requires scalable and equitable solutions, supported by partnerships across sectors.

Have you read?

What is desertification and why is it important to understand?

Land degradation and the cost of inaction

As emphasized in a Forum CEO Discussion Brief published for COP16, land sits at the heart of the intertwined crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Misuse and unsustainable management of land threaten the supply of critical ecosystem services, deepen food and water insecurity and exacerbate vulnerabilities in global supply chains. Coupled with water scarcity, rising temperatures and population growth, degraded landscapes now endanger the livelihoods of billions across the planet.

Both the challenges and opportunities are significant: a 2011 study found that restoring 150 million hectares of degraded land could yield as much as $85 billion in economic benefits and uplift 200 million people. Yet only 4% of global climate finance targets sectors like agriculture and forestry, even though these areas are pivotal to land restoration. The estimated need? Roughly $300 billion annually to meet 2030 sustainability goals.

During COP16, the more than 400 private sector delegates and other multistakeholder actors identified blended finance, cutting-edge tools and integrated planning frameworks as key solutions. The World Economic Forum’s white paper, Food and Water Systems in the Intelligent Age, served as a key resource, highlighting the interconnectedness of food and water systems in reversing degradation and addressing scarcity.

Have you read?

Can businesses and governments turn the tide on nature loss at COP16?

A corporate call to action

COP16 underscored the private sector’s pivotal role in reversing degradation. A key highlight was the launch of the Business 4 Land (B4L) Call to Action, which encourages companies to incorporate sustainable practices into their core operations. The World Economic Forum and UNCCD also introduced a tool — the Land Degradation Neutrality: Strategic Intelligence Map — designed to guide businesses in evaluating risks and opportunities related to ecosystems. This resource empowers corporations to align their operations with global land restoration goals, while mitigating supply chain risks and accelerating biodiversity protection.

Prominent examples of corporate leadership emerged at COP16. OCP Group, for instance, has collaborated with four million African farmers to map more than 50 million hectares of degraded land and promote regenerative agriculture. By committing to 5GW of clean energy production by 2027, the company showcased its alignment with global restoration initiatives.

A critical breakthrough at COP16 was the spotlight on innovative financing mechanisms. Philippe Zaouati, CEO of Mirova, showcased the success of the €200 million Land Degradation Neutrality Fund (LDN Fund). By leveraging blended finance — public-private investments — the LDN Fund has successfully restored degraded landscapes in Africa, Asia and Latin America. These combined funds magnify impact, demonstrating that restoration can deliver measurable environmental and economic outcomes. The momentum from this success is now fuelling the launch of SLF II, which aims to raise €300–400 million to drive biodiversity and carbon credit markets.

Nevertheless, balancing corporate ambitions with equity remains crucial. Ismahane Elouafi of CGIAR warned that excluding smallholder farmers — key providers of the world’s food— may perpetuate inequities, while Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, President, Association for Fulani Women and Indigenous Peoples of Chad emphasized the importance of empowering Indigenous Peoples and local communities to be the drivers of their own destiny. For restoration projects to succeed, mechanisms like carbon markets must address these inequalities, ensuring benefits reach the most vulnerable communities and that smallholder farmers, who are on the frontlines of degradation, are properly compensated and supported by climate innovations.

Have you read?

COP15 desertification conference: new frameworks to reverse biodiversity loss and deforestation

Innovation at the heart of land restoration

Advanced technology emerged as a cornerstone of the fight against desertification and land degradation. Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems stood out as indispensable tools for scaling restoration. Platforms like those developed by Forested have given local communities control over tracking their own environmental impact, promoting transparency and stakeholder buy-in. By doing so, these systems provide the foundation for environmental credit markets, including carbon and biodiversity credits.

This approach reverberated in discussions where urban leaders explored how nature positive cities can combat degradation, including spotlighting leading examples, such as the Durban lighthouse report. Initiatives like integrating restoration into urban planning and supporting local food systems demonstrated the role cities play as testing grounds for scalable, nature-positive solutions. Innovative funding and planning efforts can enhance urban resilience while also addressing global challenges.

Voluntary Carbon Markets (VCMs) were another focal point at COP16. A recent World Economic Forum study on Africa’s Great Green Wall illustrated how VCMs could support the African Union-led Great Green Wall initiative to transform the Sahel region by restoring 100 million hectares of degraded land, which received an additional €14.6 million in funding at COP16. VCM projects could provide green jobs and generate up to 1.8 billion tons of carbon storage, underscoring the potential of well-regulated markets to bring financial and environmental benefits.

Regenerative agriculture will play a pivotal role in land restoration, offering solutions that align with UNCCD’s goal of restoring 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030, with 250 million hectares identified for regenerative agriculture. In fact, revitalizing just 150 million hectares could generate $85 billion in economic benefits, including $30–40 billion directly benefiting smallholder farmers and enhancing food security for nearly 200 million people. Preventing topsoil loss, which could cost up to $2 trillion in Africa alone over the next 15 years, is critical; effective restoration could instead yield $1 trillion in global benefits by protecting soil, water resources and ecosystems while building resilience to climate pressures. A key outcome at COP16 was the $70 million committed to advance the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS).

Bridging the climate and nature agendas

COP16 also laid the groundwork for increased global collaboration. The Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership attracted more than $12 billion in funding for drought resilience of 80 of the world’s least developed countries. It is mobilizing nations, businesses and communities to tackle drought-prone areas with local, innovative solutions.

Another key development was the launch of the Rio Trio Initiative, which bridges efforts among the UNCCD, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Starting at New York Climate Week and culminating in the high-level opening ceremony of UNCCD COP16 Land Day, the three conventions began to align their goals of reversing land degradation, mitigating biodiversity loss and combating climate change.

The session on this collaboration highlighted the 1t.org China initiative, which strengthened trilateral partnerships between Geneva, Riyadh and Beijing. China’s scientific greening achievements, alongside Saudi Arabia’s bold Saudi Green Initiative, offer complementary strategies to advance nature restoration on a global scale.

The road ahead: Bold action, shared responsibility

COP16’s outcomes were not merely theoretical — they provided actionable takeaways. Increasing private investments to close the $2.1 trillion restoration funding gap and scaling partnerships like the Global EverGreening Alliance’s Harmonisation Approach Initiative and OCP’s carbon farming projects are urgent tasks.

But the conference also delivered a legacy in the Riyadh Action Agenda. This forward-looking framework under the COP16 presidency prioritizes innovation, equity and cross-sector collaboration. By tying sustainability goals to real-world action, the Riyadh Action Agenda offers a playbook for achieving land restoration, drought resilience and food security on a global scale.

The Rio Trio Initiative further strengthens this vision, linking the three Rio Conventions to unify efforts toward reversing environmental degradation. Together, the Riyadh Action Agenda and Rio Trio Initiative symbolize a step-change in the global approach to sustainability — a commitment to scaling systemic solutions to address the climate and nature polycrisis through innovation, partnerships and equality.

As delegates departed Riyadh, they left behind blueprints for solutions. Now, the challenge will be turning these frameworks into transformative action. The UNCCD COP16 has set the stage for a future in which land restoration and resilience-building anchor the global sustainability agenda.

Source: World Economic Forum

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Civil society groups at UNCCD COP17 are calling for urgent action on land rights, drought, and vital funding.

Published

2 days ago

August 18, 2026

witnessradio.org

By the Witness Radio team.

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia: At the 17th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), civil society organizations urged governments to turn promises into real action, tackling land degradation, drought, and the mounting dangers confronting land-dependent communities.

At a press conference in Ulaanbaatar on Monday, August 17, civil society representatives from every corner of the globe—Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Western Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe—shared their priorities and plans for the two-week Summit.

Throughout COP17, these organizations plan to actively engage with government negotiators, national focal points, and other stakeholders, bringing forward evidence and community voices to ensure their priorities shape the conference’s outcomes.

They will also champion meaningful participation for civil society, Indigenous peoples, pastoralists, women, youth, and local communities in every stage of negotiations, implementation, monitoring, and follow-up.

The Civil Society Organization (CSO) Panel, which leads civil society engagement in the UNCCD process, shared that its members have spent nearly a year collecting perspectives from all five regions and crafting 19 key messages and recommendations for COP17.

Andy Morris, the Western European representative on the CSO Panel, said their main expectation is for COP17 to become an “action COP” that moves commitments into implementation.

“Our main expectation is that COP17 moves commitments to implementation,” Morris said, adding that this action COP requires accessible and adequate finance reaching communities and local actors who can implement solutions on the ground.

The CSOs are also determined to strengthen knowledge-sharing between governments, scientists, practitioners, Indigenous peoples, local communities, and pastoralists.

Morris emphasized that Indigenous, traditional, and local knowledge deserves equal recognition with scientific knowledge. He also called for greater support for civil society and local actors to generate evidence and monitor land degradation and restoration.

“We have a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips, and we need to bridge the gap between indigenous people’s knowledge and science,” he said.

Civil society organizations have made secure and fair access to land and land tenure a top priority, especially for women, Indigenous peoples, and local communities.

They are urging robust multi-stakeholder land governance, integrated land-use planning, and sustainable water management to help territories withstand drought.

They are pressing governments to shift from reactive drought responses to proactive, locally led strategies that boost land restoration and soil health.

The CSO Panel also prioritizes bolder action on land degradation neutrality and tighter coordination across land, climate, biodiversity, water, and food security agendas.

Sopiko Babalashvili, representing Central and Eastern Europe on the CSO Panel, said civil society wants COP17 commitments to translate into action at the community level.

“It’s important to increase accessible and secure finance for locally led and community-led solutions and translate commitments into action on the ground,” Babalashvili said.

African civil society representative Ellen Otaru-Okoedion highlighted that civil society organizations have been tackling desertification, land degradation, and drought at the grassroots long before these issues reach international negotiations.

“CSOs play an integral role in addressing desertification, land degradation, and drought within communities long before these challenges reach international negotiations.” She added that civil society organizations are more than observers at COP17; they are knowledge holders, partners in sharing and implementing solutions, and key contributors to locally rooted progress. The organizations urge governments to keep COP17 inclusive and ensure civil society has a real voice in negotiations, implementation, monitoring, and follow-up.

“We are also implementation partners and contributors to locally grounded solutions,” Ellen further revealed, adding that they will continue to engage with negotiators, party officials, national focal points and different caucuses while working with civil society networks and partners across regions and other environmental conventions.

Civil society representatives also voiced concerns about the shrinking financial space for organizations working on the frontlines in communities.

They warned that relying too heavily on external project funding can undermine civil society’s independence and called for new approaches to help organizations build more sustainable funding streams.

The panel pointed to capacity building, networking, and organizational development as key ways to empower CSOs to mobilize resources and keep supporting communities.

The organizations are also pushing for closer coordination among the three major Rio Conventions on desertification, climate change, and biodiversity.

They argue that land degradation, drought, water insecurity, climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security are deeply interconnected challenges that demand coordinated solutions, not isolated efforts.

As negotiations unfold over the next two weeks, civil society groups are determined to make sure the voices of communities affected by land degradation and drought shape the decisions made at COP17.

They believe the true measure of the conference’s success will not be what is agreed on paper, but whether those commitments reach communities through funding, action, monitoring, and greater participation by those who rely on the land for their livelihoods.

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

South Africa’s top court blocks Shell oil exploration off country’s Wild Coast

Published

2 days ago

August 18, 2026

witnessradio.org

In a landmark judgment on Aug. 14, South Africa’s Constitutional Court set aside exploration rights held by oil giant Shell and Impact Africa, a South African oil and gas company. The ruling prevents the companies from exploring for fossil fuels off South Africa’s Wild Coast.

The case was brought by Wild Coast communities and environmental organizations after Shell announced plans in 2021 to conduct a 3D seismic survey off the country’s Eastern Cape province coastline. They argued that authorities had failed to meaningfully consult affected communities or consider harms to their spiritual and cultural rights and livelihoods. Authorities also failed to consider the potential harm to marine life and climate change, the plaintiffs argued.

In the judgement, Justice Jody Kollapen wrote the majority opinion and said consulting communities isn’t just a procedural requirement, but “a process which affirms human dignity by affording a seat at the table to those whose lives are impacted by decisions.”

Acknowledging the “cornerstone role that dispossession played in the apartheid regime,” the court noted that South Africa’s natural resources are highly contested and that the case is embedded in “well-documented struggles by coastal communities to protect their land, marine resources and ways of life in the face of extractive activities.”

The judges also considered last year’s International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on countries’ obligations in the context of climate change: “Decisions must be taken within a framework of heightened diligence, informed by scientific knowledge, international commitments and the foreseeable impacts of emissions on present and future generations,” Kollapen wrote.

The question of oil exploration rights in the area began in 2014, when the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy granted Impact Africa Limited the right to undertake a seismic survey to look for oil and gas reserves on the Wild Coast. Impact Africa Limited is a subsidiary of Impact Oil & Gas Limited, which in 2021 transferred a 50% stake of its exploration rights in the area to Shell.

The case has appeared before several South African courts over the past decade before reaching the Constitutional Court, the highest in the country.

Carmen Mannarino from the South African nonprofit Masifundise Development Trust, which works with communities in the area, told Mongabay that the court’s decision is a victory for fishing communities. “The court recognized that exploring for resources in light of potential future financial benefits does not compare to the constitutionally recognized rights of fishing communities,” Mannarino said.

“This is the apex court and the first time that it has dealt with issues relating to the community and environmental rights in relation to oil and gas exploitation,” Melissa Groenink, an attorney with one of the applicants, civil society organization Natural Justice, told Mongabay, adding that the ruling might influence similar cases currently in process.

Shell did not respond to Mongabay’s request for comment by the time of publication.

Banner image: Fisherpeople in Port St. Johns, Eastern Cape. Image courtesy of Aletta Harrison CC BY 4.0.

Source: news.mongabay.com

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK

Minister Nabakooba wants special land title issuance halted

Published

3 days ago

August 17, 2026

witnessradio.org

She said the continued issuance of the certificates without adequate verification was fuelling land disputes and creating opportunities for land grabbers to deprive legitimate owners of their property.

Lands minister Judith Nabakooba wants the issuance of certificates of occupancy, which act as land titles, halted for three months to allow the Government to review and streamline the process and curb double titling.

She said the continued issuance of the certificates without adequate verification was fuelling land disputes and creating opportunities for land grabbers to deprive legitimate owners of their property.

She made the remarks on August 14, 2026, during a lands staff meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala.

The minister warned lands officers against issuing special certificates for land that already has registered ownership, saying those who disregard the procedures could face arrest.

“You have slept on your duty on the issue of special certificates. When you continue issuing them, I will send the police, and they will arrest you.”

Nabakooba cited cases in Kyengera and Kabula, in Wakiso and Lyantonde districts respectively, where the titles had reportedly been issued despite existing claims and titles on the same land.

“We need to sit and have a clear guideline on how to handle that issue,” she said, adding that many of the reported cases were coming from the Buganda region.

She said the creation of special titles on already registered land was also placing pressure on ministry leadership, as affected people frequently seek intervention.

“I receive distress calls from my bosses. You are putting special titles on existing titles, which makes my work very hard,” she said.

The minister’s concerns come amid persistent complaints about land grabbing, overlapping titles and double titling, which she said undermine public confidence in the country’s land administration system.

Nabakooba urged lands officials to take responsibility for the services they provide and follow proper procedures when handling land transactions.

She also directed lands officers to clear the backlog of land transactions by December, questioning how officials who frequently absent themselves from duty would meet the deadline.

She said the ministry continues to receive complaints about officers who report to work only once a week.

“You disappear a lot. Every time you give excuses. There are people who work for only one day a week. We get a lot of complaints from the public,” she said.

The minister also criticised poor customer care, saying some officers shout at clients and create an intimidating environment that discourages people from freely presenting their land-related concerns.

She further directed officials to remove brokers operating around Ministry Zonal Offices, accusing them of misleading clients and sometimes posing as ministry officials to solicit money.

“Let’s try to get brokers out of our offices. They even start blackmailing our names, posing as officials from the ministry and taking money from people,” she said.

Nabakooba also directed staff to wear name tags and ministry shirts to help members of the public distinguish genuine ministry employees from brokers.

The technical officers were also directed to enter titles completed under the Systematic Land Adjudication and Certification programme into the land information system and ensure they are distributed to the intended beneficiaries.

The minister appealed to officials to engage contractors to provide outstanding data needed to complete the programme.

“This is a World Bank loan, and we have to pay back the money, so let’s use it properly to finish the services they were asked for,” she said.

Nabakooba also urged technical officers to accompany ministers during field visits, saying their expertise is necessary to provide technical guidance and help the Government understand challenges faced by communities.

What others said

Acting permanent secretary in the lands ministry Dr Emmanuel Mugunga urged staff to embrace teamwork, accountability and respectful treatment of colleagues and clients.

He warned that the Human Capital Management System would track staff attendance and that absenteeism would have consequences.

Housing state minister Persis Namuganza urged staff to restore public confidence in the ministry, saying some members of the public now associate lands officials with land grabbing.

Lands state minister Harriet Ntabaazi called for greater collaboration among officers and warned technical staff against treating themselves as “small gods” at their duty stations.

Ntabaazi said land grabbing, overlapping titles, double titling and family conflicts remain among the major challenges facing the lands sector.

She also cautioned officers against soliciting money from clients, saying such practices damage the ministry’s reputation.

The ministers called for stronger accountability, adherence to proper procedures and improved teamwork to restore public confidence in land administration.

Source: newvision.co.ug

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK3 days ago

Minister Nabakooba wants special land title issuance halted

MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK2 weeks ago

Communities once resettled by President Museveni in Kiryandongo now find themselves losing their land to a sugarcane investor, accusing the Uganda Land Commission of granting a leasehold behind their backs.