Business4Land Forum

As the world grapples with the urgent challenges of land degradation, desertification and drought, the Business for Land Initiative mobilizes private sector action. At the Business for Land Forum at UNCCD COP16, global business leaders, policymakers and experts convened to discuss sustainable land solutions and resilience-building.

Key objectives:

• Showcase leadership: Highlight private sector commitments and best practices for sustainable land use 
• Mobilize finance: Encourage private and philanthropic investments in land restoration and transition from harmful to sustainable practices
• Foster collaboration: Strengthen public-private partnerships and advocate for policies enabling sustainable land and water management

Forum themes:

1. Business operations and value-chain transformation:
   Businesses are encouraged to integrate sustainability into their core strategies by addressing their impact on land, soil and water. ESG refers to how companies manage environmental impact, social responsibility and governance practices, ensuring measurable targets and transparent reporting
2. Finance for land restoration:
   Mobilize resources for land restoration while avoiding investments that exacerbate degradation, supported by the Business for Land Initiative. Philanthropy and community-led projects play a vital role in scaling efforts.
3. Advocacy and collaboration:
   Build alliances between businesses, governments and civil society to amplify collective efforts and advocate for enabling policies.

By leveraging the Business for Land Initiative and collective action, the forum will support the UNCCD’s goal to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality, restore 1.5 billion hectares by 2030 and strengthen global resilience.