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As the UNCCD high-level meeting in Central Asia draws near, we welcome you to this discussion on why global and regional gatherings are an essential part of the UNCCD process. The twenty-first session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 21) in Samarkand is set to serve as a vital marker in the Convention’s ongoing efforts to accelerate progress on land restoration and drought resilience.   By bringing together experts, leaders and delegates from 196 nations and the European Union, the meeting sets a major arena for the exchange of cutting-edge insights. This pooling of global expertise not only fosters productive solutions but also facilitates joint decision-making, ensuring a coordinated approach to pressing environmental challenges.   CRIC21 will focus on strategic objectives ranging from sustainable land management and drought resilience to  secure and equal land rights for women. The event will also provide a platform to discuss emergent crises exacerbated by climate change, such as sand and dust storms and wildfires.   Taking place at the halfway point between the biannual Confrences of the Parties (COP) to UNCCD, the insights coming out of CRIC21 will aid in defining the next steps for all stakeholders, providing a clear and focused roadmap to UNCCD COP16, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2024. 

Nuevos datos de la ONU advierten de que las tierras se están degradando más rápido de lo que podemos restaurarlas.  La degradación de tierras se acelera en África, Asia y América Latina El progreso mundial para poner fin a la pérdida de tierras se examinará el mes que viene Uzbekistán Bonn, 24 de octubre de 2023 - La Convención de las Naciones Unidas de Lucha contra la Desertificación (CNULD) anuncia el lanzamiento de su primer Panel de Datos, elaborado en base los informes nacionales de 126 países, y que muestra el avance galopante de la degradación de tierras en todas las regiones.  Entre 2015 y 2019, el mundo perdió al menos 100 millones de hectáreas de tierras sanas y productivas cada año, lo que equivale a dos veces el tamaño de Groenlandia. Estas estadísticas subrayan la necesidad de actuar con urgencia, dado que la creciente degradación de tierras sigue desestabilizando mercados, comunidades y ecosistemas de todo el mundo. El lanzamiento del Panel de Datos de la CNULD se produce en un momento clave, ya que los líderes y expertos mundiales se reunirán en Samarcanda (Uzbekistán) del 13 al 17 de noviembre de 2023 para la 21ª reunión del Comité de Examen de la Aplicación de la Convención de la CNULD (CRIC 21). Los delegados examinarán el progreso global hacia la neutralidad de la degradación de tierras (NDT) y tratarán cuestiones acuciantes como la mejora de la resiliencia a la sequía, la promoción de los derechos de las mujeres sobre la tierra y el combate contra las tormentas de arena y polvo. El Secretario Ejecutivo de la CNULD, Ibrahim Thiaw, ha declarado: "el primer Panel de Datos de la CNULD revela la rápida pérdida de tierras sanas y productivas en todo el mundo, con graves consecuencias para miles de millones de personas. Al mismo tiempo, estamos viendo algunos datos esperanzadores en países que están enfrentado de forma eficaz la desertificación, la degradación de tierras y la sequía. Cuando nos reunamos en Uzbekistán el mes que viene para examinar los avances globales hacia el fin de la pérdida de tierras, el mensaje será claro: las disparidades regionales en materia de degradación de tierras exigen una atención inmediata." Disparidades regionales El Panel de Datos de la CNULD refleja una realidad alarmante alrededor del planeta y revela disparidades significativas en lo que se refiere a la proporción de tierras degradadas en cada región. Las regiones de Asia oriental y central, y América Latina y el Caribe son las que experimentan una degradación más grave, que afecta al menos al 20 por ciento de su superficie total. Asimismo, el ritmo de degradación de tierras en África subsahariana, Asia occidental y meridional, y América Latina y el Caribe, supera la media mundial.  En África subsahariana y en América Latina y el Caribe, 163 millones de hectáreas y 108 millones de hectáreas, respectivamente, han sucumbido a la degradación de tierras desde 2015. Avances en la restauración de tierras  A pesar del preocupante panorama mundial, hay ejemplos de países que están abordando de forma eficaz la desertificación, la degradación de tierras y la sequía.  En África subsahariana, Botsuana ha reducido la proporción de tierras degradadas, pasando a suponer del 36 por ciento al 17 por ciento de su territorio. El país se ha comprometido a alcanzar la neutralidad de degradación de tierras en una extensión total de 45,3 millones de hectáreas, incluyendo tanto medidas para evitar una mayor degradación como intervenciones de restauración en lugares críticos. Botsuana también ha declarado que 1,42 millones de hectáreas han sido rehabilitadas mediante actividades de remediación.  En la República Dominicana, la proporción de tierras degradadas cayó del 49 por ciento al 31 por ciento entre 2015 y 2019, y el país está trabajando para restaurar 240.000 hectáreas en la cuenca del río Yaque del Norte y en áreas de producción de cacao en la provincia de San Francisco de Macorís. Aunque Uzbekistán registró la mayor proporción de tierras degradadas (26,1 por ciento) en la región de Asia Central, también experimentó la mayor disminución (del 30 por ciento al 26 por ciento) con relación a 2015. En este país, un total de 3 millones de hectáreas de tierra se han degradado debido a la desecación del Mar de Aral. Entre 2018 y 2022, Uzbekistán plantó saxaúl en un área de 1,6 millones de hectáreas para eliminar las emisiones de sal y polvo del fondo desecado del mar de Aral.  Las metas de neutralidad en la degradación de tierras se pueden alcanzar Aunque las tendencias de degradación de tierras varían según la región, los datos de la CLD advierten de que, si siguen las tendencias actuales, el mundo necesitará restaurar 1.500 millones de hectáreas de tierras degradadas para 2030 para alcanzar las metas de neutralidad en la degradación de tierras (NDT) consagradas en los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS). Barron Orr, científico jefe de la CNULD, ha declarado: "Aunque las tendencias mundiales van en la dirección equivocada, todavía es posible alcanzar e incluso superar los objetivos de neutralidad en las degradación de tierras. Esto puede lograrse deteniendo el avance de la degradación y, al mismo tiempo, redoblando los esfuerzos en los compromisos existentes para restaurar mil millones de hectáreas de tierra para 2030 con la financiación y las acciones adecuadas." Hoy en día, 109 países han establecido objetivos voluntarios de NDT para 2030 y otros 21 están en proceso de hacerlo. Entre 2016 y 2019, se destinaron unos 5.000 millones de dólares de fondos bilaterales y multilaterales a nivel mundial para combatir la desertificación, la degradación de tierras y la sequía. Ello ayudó a 124 países a poner en marcha una amplia gama de proyectos para lograr la neutralidad en la degradación de tierras y abordar los desafíos planteados por la desertificación, la degradación de tierras y la sequía. Nota para los editores Para entrevistas y consultas relacionadas con los medios de comunicación, póngase en contacto con press@unccd.int y/o con unccd@portland-communications.com Puede acceder al Panel de Datos de la CNULD aquí: https://data.unccd.int Para cualquier consulta sobre datos y metodología, escriba a reporting@unccd.int Los datos se recopilan de forma global,  agregada y tal como figuran en los informes nacionales para 2022 que 126 Partes enviaron a la CNULD. Por lo tanto, los datos presentan una estimación parcial de los avances a nivel mundial y regional, en términos de la situación y las tendencias de estos indicadores/parámetros, ya que no todas las Partes han comunicado todos los indicadores. La información presentada no debe interpretarse en modo alguno como una evaluación global o regional exhaustiva de la situación y las tendencias de los indicadores/medidas. Redes sociales: @unccd Para más información sobre la 21ª reunión del Comité de Examen de la Aplicación de la Convención (CRIC21): https://www.unccd.int/cric21 Acerca de la CNULD   La Convención de las Naciones Unidas de Lucha contra la Desertificación (CNULD) es la voz de la tierra y la visión global para su futuro. Unimos a gobiernos, científicos, responsables políticos, sector privado y comunidades en torno a una visión compartida y una acción global para restaurar y gestionar las tierras del mundo con vistas a la sostenibilidad de la humanidad y del planeta. Mucho más que un tratado internacional firmado por 197 partes, la CNULD es un compromiso multilateral para mitigar los impactos actuales de la degradación de tierras y avanzar en la gestión de tierras del mañana con el fin de proporcionar alimentos, agua, vivienda y oportunidades económicas a todas las personas de una manera equitativa e inclusiva.

Excellency, Abdulrahman Al Fadhley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the KSA Excellency Salam Al Malik, Director General of ISESCO, Excellency Hussein Brahim Taha, SG of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Excellencies, Ministers Esteemed delegates, and honored guests Ladies and gentlemen, As-Salaamu aleykum As we gather today in the beautiful city of Jeddah, I wish to express our profound appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for graciously hosting this gathering today. My appreciation extends to ICESCO, the linchpin behind our convening today. Now more than ever before, as we witness the catastrophic effects of environmental changes, redefining our relationships with nature is of critical importance. Allow me to bring to your attention the Centrality of sustainable land management to green transformation. Land is not merely the terrain beneath our feet. Land has always been the cradle of our civilizations. Land provides us with the essential food we eat. Land clothes us; land provides us with the water we drink and the clean air we breathe. It nurtures our ecosystems, supports our economies, and sustains our cultures. The health of our lands is therefore the cornerstone upon food security. Land degradation and drought amplify competition over access to land and water.  Conflicts between farmers and pastoralists are exploding all over. Consider this: any land degradation anywhere in the world, is a depreciation of our global economy and an erosion of human wellbeing. Any efforts to « green the economy » are therefore doomed to fail, unless we prioritize investments in this crucial natural capital. We know this well: nature provides 30% of the solutions to climate change. Sadly, nature-based solutions only receive 3% of the climate funding. Sadly, investments on land restoration and drought mitigation are shockingly insufficient.   This should change, and this group of countries has to power to bring positive change. Arguably, countries of the Islamic World have more power to bring positive change to the Planet than any other similar group. The Islamic World, perhaps more than other groups, needs to control its narrative on climate and environmental change. Unleashing that power can be truly transformative and bring positive change to the world. Coming back specifically to land loss, the challenge is huge.  According to the UNCCD’s Global Land Outlook report, up to 40 % of the global land has been degraded. If the current trend continues, by 2050, we will further degrade an area the size of South America. The good news is the solution is literally in our hands: it’s called Land Restoration. By restoring degraded land, we improve food security and, even more importantly, food sovereignty. Whether in Arid Lands, in grasslands or in more humid ecosystems, we have one billion hectares of land that can be put back to health by 2030. Healing one billion hectares of ailing land and putting it back to the global economy is a smart and wise investment.   One good example of such powerful change is the critical role played by Saudi Arabia during its G20 Presidency, when it led G20 Leaders to adopt the Global Land Restoration Initiative. The ambitious G20 Global Land Initiative, housed within the UNCCD, has set an audacious goal: halve land degradation in the world by 2040. This initiative is global in scope and is committed to working with all countries, including those of the Islamic World and with the ICESCO. We are also very pleased with the Middle East Green Initiative, which has received substantive financial support from Saudi Arabia and aims at restoring 200 million hectares of degraded land. We are confident that building on Islamic Civilization and its great principles of solidarity, more countries will support large-scale land restoration as well Drought Mitigation in the world. Indeed, islamic civilizations were visionaries in fields like sustainable agriculture, water conservation, and harmonious land practices. It's a heritage—a treasure of knowledge- that can be drawn upon. Yet, as we honor our past, we must confront silent killers that are chocking our economies, namely land degradation and drought.  As we build our futures, we must ensure that our progress is in harmony with nature. To achieve this, we need to combine ancestral wisdom with contemporary innovation. Weaving together Islamic principles of stewardship and reverence for nature with cutting-edge land management techniques, we can chart a course towards a green transformation. Allow me, before I conclude, to say a word about the Road to UNCCD COP16. Saudi Arabia’s role as the host of the upcoming UNCCD COP 16 is a testament of commitments to addressing these global challenges. Climate COP 27 in Sharm Es-Sheikh and COP28 in Dubai, while Morocco just hosted the WB/IMF annual assemblies …there is no mistake. There is a clear indication of Islamic Countries strong commitment to multilateralism. UNCCD COP16 in December 2024, in Riyadh, presents a unique platform for countries of this group to demonstrate their leadership in combating desertification, land degradation, and drought. We can make the next UNCCD 16th COP the moon-shoot moment for land restoration and drought resilience, for people, for the planet and for prosperity. Shukran!

By Zohra (20) from Sudan via UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office I've got a story that needs to be heard. Imagine waking up to the realities of climate change daily. That's our life here. Imagine the heaviest rain you've ever seen. Now imagine it wreaking havoc on your home, your community. That was our June last year. 161,000 of us were affected; unfortunately, most were my fellow sisters and friends. And beyond the immediate threats like food insecurity, more lurked in the shadows, like increased malnutrition.  Flooding isn't new to us, but this... it was something we hadn’t seen for decades. Over 15,000 homes were washed away. But it’s not just about bricks and mortar. For many girls, this disaster meant a pause in education, and sadly, a heightened risk of early marriages and facing violence at home. For our friends relying on farming, particularly in places like Al-Manqal, the floods hit them hard. Picture this: 2,900 acres of farmland underwater. That’s like someone swiping away your entire year's allowance! And, ugh, the power outages that followed? Let’s just say candlelit dinners lost their charm real fast. Regions like Kassala Sennar, North Darfur, South Kordofan, and the White Nile were the epicentres of this disaster. Already wrestling with past conflicts, climate change just turned up the heat on their challenges. And approximately 6,500 children don’t have a school to return to. We need to act, like, yesterday. Clean water supplies are a must to kick out water-borne diseases. And we need to get some educational supplies for the flood-hit zones. It's a race against time and every little help matters. It’s a tug-of-war between increasing conflicts, massive displacements, and an ever-growing fight for resources. Climate change is just fanning the flames. But together, we can make a difference. Let's stop this cycle before it spirals out of control.

UNCCD has an unwavering commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, based on decisions taken by our Parties. This commitment is expressed in our Gender Action Plan, in implementation since 2014. At our COP15 held in Abidjan in 2022, a Gender Road Map to accelerate implementation of our Gender Action Plan was also approved, to ensure that we pick up the pace towards transformative change. We have established a Gender Caucus comprised of country champions, selected UN agencies and CSO partners, to provide expert guidance on how to focus our strategies on gender issues in drought, land degradation and desertification. The Gender Caucus is convened at each CRIC and UNCCD COP. Established at COP14, the Gender Caucus has proven to be an effective platform to advance gender related conversations within the Convention. A strong Gender Caucus can contribute more meaningfully to the work of the Parties and help to effectively accelerate implementation of the Gender Action Plan. In its official statement from its 19th session, the Committee for the Review of Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 19/5) noted that “the Gender Caucus proved to be an excellent tool to increase gender-aware action among delegates and should be continued.” The principal objective of the multi-stakeholder Gender Caucus is to provide support to strengthen the gender responsiveness of the policy and programme agenda and initiatives of the UNCCD as outlined in the approved Gender Action Plan. Support the acceleration of the implementation of the UNCCD Gender Action Plan (GAP) at the international and country level for all Annexes. Assist in identification of bottlenecks to GAP implementation at the international, country and local level Serve as a platform for exchange of gender expertise, information, training and tools among UNCCD stakeholders interested in gender issues and the UNCCD Secretariat During CRIC21 – to be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in November 2023 – two sessions of the Gender Caucus will be held. All Parties are cordially invited and encouraged to attend these sessions: Gender Caucus session 1: 14 November, 13:00 to 15:00, location TBD Opening words by UNCCD Executive Secretary or Deputy Executive Secretary Overview of Gender Action Plan and Gender Road Map Review and discussion of CRIC Recommendations to optimize gender phrasing Gender Caucus session 2: 16 November, 13:00 to 15:00 hours Panel led by FAO: “How can we utilize local knowledge and women's empowerment to create more drought-resilient dryland forests and silvopastoral ecosystems?” Final review and discussion of CRIC recommendations

Bonn/Samarkand, 10 October 2023 – Today the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) entered into a landmark agreement with the government of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Host Country Agreement marks the culminating chapter in the preparations for the upcoming 21st session of the UNCCD Committee on the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC21), to be held from 13-17 November 2023 in Samarkand.  For the first time since its inception, UNCCD is convening one of its most important meetings in the heart of Central Asia. The highly anticipated CRIC21 will serve as a global platform for cutting-edge insights into land degradation and drought while assessing the progress the countries are making in restoring productive land.  Welcoming the UNCCD delegation to the historic crossroads of culture and civilization in the city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan's Minister of Ecology, Aziz Abdukhakimov emphasized the upcoming UN conference's role in bolstering global partnerships and environmental innovation. Among the inspiring examples of the successful project in land restoration he shared is the ongoing tree-planting efforts on 2 million hectares to combat the Aral Sea environmental crisis.  UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw noted that CRIC21 meets at a time of increasing environmental turbulence: cataclysmic heatwaves in Europe and North America, devastating droughts in the Horn of Africa, torrential monsoons and cyclones across Asia. The significance of land degradation as both a contributor to and a consequence of these phenomena cannot be overstated.  Recent UN data paints a sobering picture, demonstrating that 420 million hectares of fertile and productive land between have been degraded between 2015 and 2019 – an area exceeding the combined landscapes of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.  CRIC21 – a global symposium of delegates from 196 nations and the European Union, leaders of the civil society, academia, and international organizations – will delve into progress on the Convention's strategic objectives. These range from sustainable land management and drought resilience to ensuring fair land rights for women and tackling the sand and dust storms and wildfires exacerbated by the climate change and environmental degradation.  The UNCCD secretariat wishes to express its sincere gratitude to the Republic of Uzbekistan for graciously assuming the role of the host for this pivotal event. Like an intricate carpet weaved by expert hands unfurls to reveal its detailed patterns, CRIC21 will roll out at the Silk Road Samarkand Congress Centre in Uzbekistan this November.