Other meetings & events

The World Bank Land Conference has catalyzed the global land community for over 20 years. The Conference is the premier global forum for the land sector, bringing together over 1 000 participants from governments, development partners, civil society, academia and the private sector to showcase policy-relevant research, discuss technical issues and sector good practice and inform our dialogue. The Conference also aims to encourage cross-sectoral knowledge exchange and has incubated numerous investments, initiatives, and research projects led by diverse stakeholders, including the Voluntary Guidelines, the Land Governance Assessment Framework and the Stand for Her Land Campaign. More info here.

Join us for the launch of a groundbreaking report, led by global gender expert Lorena Aguilar, showcasing 35 powerful case studies of women leading innovative drought resilience efforts in their local areas. Register here: https://unccd-int.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HiTabvUDQpSPGLfBKnvoag#/registration

Decision-makers and experts will review the progress made in the past decade and outline a path to translate drought policies into action around the world. The outcomes of the Conference will inform the negotiations at UNCCD COP16. Monday 30 September12:55 – 13:55 CETUNCCD’s Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) on Drought – Results and perspectives from five continents | UNCCD IWG on DroughtGovernance in Action: Strategies for Improved Drought Risk Management | Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, UNCCD, GWP, Bahir Dar University Ethiopia, IUCNTowards actionable information to foster drought resilience – Lessons from across scales14:00 – 15:30 CETPlenary session on drought risk covernance: The regional, national and local challengesTuesday 1 October08:30 – 10:00 CETPlenary session on the need to turn drought policies into action12:25 – 13:25 CETUNCCD and IDMP communities of learning and practice: Collaborative approaches to drought management and resilience | UNCCD, GWP, WMO15:30 – 17:00 CETPlenary session on drought risk finance17:15 – 18:15 CETThe International Drought Resilience Observatory unveiled | IDRA, UNCCD, UNU-INWEH, World Bank Group, Yale CEAGlobal Report on the Economics of Drought – Benefits of proactive investments to improve drought readiness | GIZ, UNU-INWEHWednesday 2 October12:25– 13:25 CETThe Global Drought Atlas – A perspective on drought risks and resilience | UNCCD, JRC, CIMA, IVM-VU, UNU15:00– 18:00 CETHigh-level closing session: Turning drought resilience challenges into actionAccess the full programme here.Register for the online conference as a participant or as a journalist.

A high-level side event, hosted by Saudi Arabia on the margins of the UN General Assembly, will focus on the upcoming UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh and the importance of raising global efforts to address land degradation and drought and their social, environmental and economic impacts. From 1:15pm to 2:30pm in Conference Room 2 at UN Headquarters. Watch live on UN WebTV.

 World Water Week’s 2024 theme ‘Bridging borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future’ focuses on water cooperation for peace and security. Join UNCCD and members of the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) for the following events highlighting the links between healthy lands, water security, and drought resilience: Monday 26 August 11:00-12:30 (GMT+2 hours): Water: A regional public good for peace in West AfricaLearning from decades of transboundary work in West Africa, the session will bring national, regional and international viewpoints on the role of water as catalyst for peace, resilient livelihoods, and development. The region counts 28 transboundary river basins covering 71% of its area, making water cooperation key for the future. With a focus on West Africa, the trend and projections of drought and desertification and the role of various actors to address drought proactively, across sectors and scales will be addressed. Tuesday 27 August 16:00-17:30 (GMT+2 hours): A Hydro-Extreme Serious Game: Managing Disasters and Conflicts.The Hydro Extreme Game highlights the complexity of taking consensual decisions towards integrated disaster management. Players will attempt to come up with the best mix of water management solutions to manage both droughts and floods based on tools of the UNCCD Drought Toolbox, Associated Programme of Flood Management (APFM), Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) and the IWRM Toolbox. Wednesday 28 August 08:00-09:00 (GMT+2 hours): Early Warning, Local Action: Synergies, Strategies for Climate Shocks. Rising climate shocks demand action. Across diverse regions, the session will analyze warning systems, actions taken, and how local adaptations fit specific contexts. Findings show that integrated approaches significantly outperform separate interventions. Furthermore, empowering communities through locally led adaptation ensures relevant and sustainable solutions.11:00-12:15 (GMT+2 hours), 7A Posthuset, Room 202 : Nature for Resilient Food, Land, and Water.15:00-17:30 (GMT+2 hours): Presentations on the upcoming Drought Resilience +10 Conference (30 September – 2 October. Geneva, Switzerland) with WMO, UNCCD, and GWP representatives Thursday 29 August 11:40-12:40 (GMT+2 hours): Live studio talk show: Elevating Drought resilience beyond borders and sectors.This session examines cross border collaborative approaches to addressing drought proactively at all levels. Notably, by bringing together early warning, prevention, and response, and by building drought resilience. The discussion will be informed by joint activities of the convening organizations including UNCCD, United Nations University and The Nature Conservancy. Check the full programme and the details on the sessions above here.