The UNCCD participated the Structured Expert Dialogue of the UNFCCC second Periodic Review to help identify gaps and opportunities in the efforts to keep global warming in check below 1.5 degrees. Together with representatives of CBD and WHO they outlined the linkages between the work of their agencies and climate change, illustrating the major challenges and potential solutions, while a representative of the GEF described their approach to supporting countries in addressing many of these challenges.

The UNCCD described the potential for Land Degradation Neutrality to deliver multiple benefits while ensuring no further land degradation in net terms. The secretariat experts also outlined pathways to boost nature-positive production systems and catalyze global efforts to turn restoration commitments in to action on the ground. The UNCCD team introduced the ongoing work of PBL in developing a restoration scenario which will be published as part of the 2nd Edition of the Global Land Outlook.

Global total of country restoration commitments: ›765 million –1 billion hectares›115 countries
The IPBES Global Assessment (2019) and the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land (2019) report that as much as 75%of the land area is very significantly altered.This is typically for agriculture and urban expansion (i.e., conversions to farmland and settlements)
Countries report that 1 in 5 hectares are now degraded
More than 60% of the world’s irrigated croplands located near urban areas•Urban expansion will consume 1.8-2.4% of global croplands by 2030•Africa and Asia to experience 80% of the global cropland loss due to urban area expansion•Slum settlements often located in areas of high environmental risk ; while worsening env. conditions in rural areas can increase unplanned peri-urban development