High-Level dialogue on desertification, land degradation and drought

10 June 2021
Story
Desertification
Drought

Countries assess the progress made in the fight against DLDD and map the way forward

What: The President of the General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, convened a high-level meeting with the support of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to assess the progress made in fighting land degradation, and map the way forward on global efforts to revive and restore healthy land. The meeting will be attended by world leaders, ministers and government representatives, agricultural industry leaders, representatives from United Nations institutions, international organizations and civil society groups as well as members of the general public.

Land is the foundation of our societies and is a cornerstone to global food security and environmental health, zero hunger, poverty eradication and affordable energy. It underpins the success of the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Dialogue convened in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 74/220 and 75/218 put land restoration at the center of the entire SDG agenda and for climate, biodiversity and disaster risk reduction, along the path to the CBD COP15, UNFCCC COP26, UNCCD COP15, and the 2021 Food Systems Summit.

Why: Globally, one fifth of earth’s land area – more than 2 billion hectares – is degraded, including more than half of all agricultural land. Unless we change how we manage soil, over 90% could become degraded by 2050. Land degradation negatively impacts one fifth of the planet’s land area and the livelihoods of 3.2 billion people, 40% of the global population. It accelerates climate change and biodiversity loss, and contributes to droughts, wildfires, involuntary migration and the emergence of zoonotic infectious diseases. But 1 billion hectares can be restored over the next 10 years to reverse course, and power COVID-19 recoveries and provide livelihoods at a time when hundreds of millions of jobs are at risk.

Outcome: The Dialogue focused the international community’s attention on land issues and generate political will for implementing land solutions within COVID-19 adaptation and recovery strategies. It will encourage all Member States to adopt and implement Land Degradation Neutrality targets and National Drought Plans. It will also encourage Member States, the private sector and all stakeholders to partner for land action, and to support the Land Degradation Neutrality Fund and other funding mechanisms to scale up land restoration by all sectors of society. It will enable participants to share experiences and best practices, cutting-edge technologies and innovative business models that advance green, resilient and inclusive recovery strategies.

Speakers:

H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the UN General Assembly
H.E. Mr. Munir Akram, President of ECOSOC
Ms. Amina Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General
H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, UNCCD COP14 President.
Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, Undersecretary-General and Executive-Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification
Ms. Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Coordinator of the Association of Peul Women and Autochthonous Peoples of Chad
Mr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organisation
Ms. Inger Anderson, Under Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Environment Programme
Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator, UN Development Programme
Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, UN Convention on Biological Diversity