Other meetings & events

The UNCCD Secretariat is organizing a series of regional online consultations with Local Communities to gather input on the Draft Terms of Reference (ToR) for the establishment of a Local Communities Caucus under the UNCCD, in accordance with Decision 5/COP.16.-Local communities play a critical role in combating desertification, land degradation and drought, contributing valuable knowledge and practices that support sustainable land management and the achievement of Land Degradation Neutrality. Strengthening their meaningful and inclusive participation in UNCCD processes is essential to advancing the objectives of the Convention.At COP16, Parties requested the UNCCD Secretariat to support the development of ToR for the creation of a Caucus for Indigenous Peoples and a Caucus for Local Communities, ensuring that these mechanisms reflect the representativeness, priorities and perspectives of these groups.The consultations aim to strengthen the participation of local communities in the UNCCD and to ensure that the ToR reflect the perspectives and priorities of local communities and that representatives are identified through their own procedures and governance structures.The consultations aim to:Discuss what meaningful engagement of Local Communities within the UNCCD should look likeGather feedback on key elements of the Draft Terms of Reference for the Local Communities CaucusConsultation schedule18 March 2026 | 10:00–11:30 CETInterpretation: English/French/Arabic'RussianRegistration18 March 2026 | 15:00–16:30 CETInterpretation: English/Spanish/PortugueseRegistration19 March 2026 | 08:00–09:30 CETInterpretation: English/Russian/ArabicRegistrationRepresentatives of local communities and relevant stakeholders are invited to participate.Please fill the following pre-consultation survey before the webinar to help us:Understand what meaningful local communities engagement looks like in the context of the UNCCDCollect input on what elements should be in the Local Communities Caucus Terms of Reference (ToR)Identify LC organizations to invite to the consultationAccess the survey in: English | French | Russian | Portuguese | Spanish 

The UNCCD is convening a series of regional online consultations with Indigenous Peoples to review and discuss the Draft Terms of Reference for the establishment of an Indigenous Peoples Caucus, as per Decision 5/COP16. Indigenous Peoples represent approximately 476–500 million people worldwide. While comprising just over six per cent of the global population, they safeguard around 80 per cent of the planet’s remaining biodiversity and manage at least one quarter of the world’s land surface. Their knowledge systems, governance structures and stewardship practices are essential to combating DLDD, strengthening climate resilience, and conserving biodiversity. International recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights is grounded in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP, 2007), which affirms their rights to self-determination, lands, territories and natural resources, culture and effective participation in decision-making processes that affect them. Within the framework of the UNCCD, Parties have consistently acknowledged the vital role of Indigenous Peoples and their traditional knowledge in advancing sustainable land management. In this context, COP16 Decision 5 requests the secretariat to support the development of relevant Terms of Reference for the creation of an Indigenous Peoples Caucus, ensuring an approach that guarantees representativeness and reflects the unique perspectives and priorities of Indigenous Peoples. The consultation will be used to gather the inputs from the Indigenous Peoples to strengthen their effective and inclusive participation of Indigenous Peoples in UNCCD processes and decision-making.These consultations aim to: Present the Draft Terms of ReferenceGather feedback from Indigenous representatives on how they could participate in the meetings and processes of the UNCCDEnsure inclusivity, representativeness and alignment with Convention principlesStrengthen collective ownership of the future Caucus structure 3 March 2026 | 10:00 CET | online Interpretation: English, French, Arabic, Russian Register here  3 March 2026  | 15:00 CET | online  Interpretation: English, Spanish, Portuguese  Register here 4 March 2026  | 08:00 CET | online  Interpretation: English, Arabic, Russian Register here  

As part of the intersessional work and in preparation for the next Conference of the Parties (COP17), at SBI-6 Parties will start negotiations on crucial aspects related to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), such as resource mobilization and the financial mechanism, capacity building, implementation of the Gender Plan of Action and cooperation and synergies with other conventions and organizations others. Delegates will also consider an update on national biodiversity strategies and action plans, national targets and national reporting for the implementation of the KMGBF which is an important input to the global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF taking place this year. 

The 62nd edition of the Munich Security Conference, as the leading forum for international security policy, will once again enable high-level debates on the key foreign and security policy challenges of our time. Topics addressed at the MSC 2026 will include European security and defense, the future of the transatlantic relationship, the revitalization of multilateralism, competing visions of the global order, regional conflicts and the security implications of technological advances. It will offer a unique momentum to deepen strategic discussions and strengthen the cooperation needed to tackle today’s most pressing global challenges. More info.

Rangelands sustain biodiversity, rural livelihoods and climate resilience across vast landscapes. Yet they face growing pressures from land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change. The UNCCD COP16 decision (Decision 29/COP.16) calls on countries to scale up policies and investments to conserve, restore and sustainably manage rangelands in alignment with Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets and other global goals.The regional sessions focus on Africa, LAC, Asia and the Arab region, bringing bring together UNCCD national focal points, government representatives, pastoralists, CSOs and key stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share experiences and identify joint priorities for implementing the UNCCD COP16 decision on rangelands.The dialogues will provide an opportunity to: Advance integrated rangeland management and share best practicesBuild a global Coalition of Rangeland StatesSupport UNCCD COP16 goals on rangeland restoration and sustainable livestock systemsStrengthen networks and align with climate, biodiversity and land strategiesMobilize coordinated global action for sustainable rangelands and pastoralism