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Close to 20 million hectares of land restored back to health by the Great Green Wall countries since 2007. Annual restoration of 8.2 million hectares and USD4.3 billion may be needed to achieve the planned 100 million hectares by 2030. GGW ministers meeting virtually today to agree on next steps.  The Great Green Wall Implementation Status and Way Ahead to 2030 report, the first comprehensive status report of the Great Green Wall (GGW) was also released at a virtual Ministerial meeting held Monday, 7 September 2020 to review achievements and agree on the next steps.   The report states that close to 20 million hectares of land was restored, over 350,000 jobs were created and around USD90 million in revenues was generated from 2007 to 2018 through the GGW activities. The restored area will sequester over 300 MtCO2 out to 2030, which would represent roughly 30% of the envisioned target for the GGW. The report also states that to reach the target restoration of 100 million hectares of land by 2030, the GGW countries need to restore, on average, 8.2 million hectares of land every year at an annual financial investment of USD4.3 billion. The initiative would also aim to create 10 million jobs by that date. On the socio-economic front, the USD 90 million generated, for instance, helped to reduce rural poverty and create close to 120 000 jobs in farm-related activities, including adding value to local products. Over 220,000 people received training on sustainable production of agro-pastoral and non-timber products, benefitting the shift more responsible consumption and production. According to the report, 4% of the intervention zone demarcated specifically under the GGW was restored. The additional 16% comes from regions restored in other locations in these countries.  The GGW initiative was conceived in 2007 in response to widespread land degradation and extreme poverty linked to recurrent and severe droughts in the Sahel. Sahel is located on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, stretching from the Atlantic Coast of West Africa to the Red Sea in the East. The response designed – the Great Green Wall Initiative – was to restore degraded lands across a 15 km wide and nearly 8,000 km long area covering around 153 million hectares of the Sahel. This is the intervention zone demarcated specifically under the GGW. The Initiative is led by the African Union and is broadly conceived as a means to transform the lives of millions of people living on the frontline of climate change by creating a mosaic of green and productive landscapes across Africa. The GGW is already helping households to support more livestock, grow more food and have better access to water. It is also creating better environmental conditions globally.  “Financing income-generating activities linked to the land, typically the main asset the poorest people have, is perhaps, the most cost-effective way to pursue peace, security, development and good health. What’s more, the achievements reported here are from the Sahel where soils are not very rich. This suggests restoring land has the potential to transform lives worldwide and to mitigate the global environmental threats we face today,” says Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. “The GGW is yielding immediate benefits for the local communities and long-term ecosystem benefits at the international level. It shows that when countries dare to dream, work together and make the right choices, we can prosper and live in harmony with nature. And where innovative ideas emerge, positive, dramatic change that benefits both the local and international communities will happen,” he added. The key challenges the countries faced include financing, raising awareness about the initiative globally, scaling up the projects, coordinating fundraising and improving the governance, institutions and monitoring mechanisms. Data for The Great Green Wall Implementation Status and Way Ahead to 2030 was gathered by the national GGW agencies in the eleven countries, under the leadership of the Pan African Agency for the Great Green Wall. Donors, technical and financial partners as well as non-governmental organizations provided additional data and information.   For more information about the report and ministerial event, contact: Camila Nordheim-Larsen, cnordheim@unccd.int To schedule interviews email kjimenez@unccd.int, copying press@unccd.int. All other media inquiries, contact: wwischnewski@unccd.int.

Close to 20 million ha of land have already been restored as part of the the Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative, according to the report released on 7 September at a virtual meeting of environmental ministers from Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti with international organizations and development agencies.

Media Advisory in English | en français Le rapport « Great Green Wall: Implementation Status and Way Ahead to 2030 » (« Grande Muraille Verte : état d’avancement et marche à suivre à l’orée 2030 »), première évaluation exhaustive de l’état d’avancement de l’Initiative de la Grande Muraille Verte (GMV) pour le Sahara et le Sahel, sera rendu public le lundi 7 septembre 2020 lors d’une conférence ministérielle virtuelle organisée afin de s’accorder sur les prochaines étapes. Cette présentation du rapport sera suivie par une conférence de presse organisée par le Secrétariat de la Convention des Nations Unies sur la lutte contre la désertification (CNULCD) durant laquelle les pays présenteront leurs programmes d’activités à venir. Une préinscription est obligatoire à cette conférence de presse exclusivement réservée aux médias. Elle se fera en anglais et en français et les documents sous embargo seront transmis uniquement aux journalistes préinscrits. Date :    Lundi, 7 septembre 2020 à 15h40 – 16h40 UTC)      Lieu :     Webinaire en ligne. Inscription à l’adresse suivante :  https://unccd-int.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SzvhA-1cSyenzqb_KmRtHQ Avec :  Mme Amina Mohammed  Vice-Secrétaire générale des Nations unies, (Représentant l'ONU)      Mme Marieme Bekaye  Ministre de l'environnement et du développement durable, Mauritanie      Prof. Fekadu Beyene (à confirmer) Ministre de l'environnement, des forêts et de la pêche, Éthiopie      M. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar (à confirmer) Ministre de l'environnement, Nigeria      M. Baaba Maal  Ambassadeur de la Convention des Nations unies sur la lutte contre la désertification (UNCCD Land Ambassador)  (Représentant la société civile)      Modérateur :    Mme Wagaki Wischnewski Responsable de l'information publique et des médias Convention des Nations Unies sur la Lutte contre la Désertification      Contexte Le rapport « Great Green Wall: Implementation Status and Way Ahead to 2030 » (« Grande Muraille Verte : état d’avancement et marche à suivre à l’orée 2030 ») donne un aperçu des progrès accomplis par les pays dans la création d’un corridor écologique de 15 kilomètres de large et de 8 000 kilomètres de long, traversant l’Afrique du Sénégal à Djibouti. Ce rapport sera rendu public le lundi, 7 septembre 2020 lors d’une Conférence ministérielle virtuelle des États membres de l’Agence Panafricaine de la Grande Muraille Verte afin de discuter des perspectives et actions à venir. Les Ministres présenterons durant la conférence de presse leurs plans sur la marche à suivre.  La Grande Muraille Verte (GMV) pour le Sahara et le Sahel traduit la volonté des chefs d’État et de gouvernement des États sahélo-sahariens de s’engager et de s’unir pour répondre aux enjeux que constituent les changements climatiques, la dégradation des terres et la perte de biodiversité. L’Initiative de la GMV a été créée en 2005 à Ouagadougou, au Burkina Faso, lors du sommet de la Communauté des États sahélo-sahariens (CEN-SAD). L’Union africaine l’a approuvée en 2007.  Notes à l’intention des rédacteurs Un dossier de presse sera mis à la disposition des journalistes préinscrits. Il contiendra les produits ci-dessous, en anglais ou/et en français : 1)    Communiqué de presse sous embargo (disponible 31 août 2020) 2)    Sommaire sous embargo (disponible 31 août 2020) 3)    Questions Fréquemment Posées (disponible 31 août 2020) 4)    Fiche d’information (disponible 31 août 2020) 5)    Photos à haute résolution (disponible 4 septembre 2020, Credit © Makewaves) 6)    Images de films à haute résolution (disponible 4 septembre 2020, voir les termes d’usage du paquet Credit © Makewaves) 7)    Biographies des panelistes (disponible 7 septembre 2020) 8)    Déclaration Ministérielle (disponible 7 septembre) 9)    Copie du rapport complet sous embargo (disponible 7 septembre) Pour les informations destinées aux médias, veuillez contacter : ou   À propos de la Grande Muraille Verte, veuillez contacter : À propos de la Grande Muraille Verte Initiative menée par les pays africains pour transformer la vie de 100 millions de personnes parmi les plus pauvres au monde en plantant un corridor de 8 000 kilomètres d’arbres et de plantes afin de restaurer les terres, de produire de la nourriture, de créer des emplois et de promouvoir la paix. À propos de la Convention des Nations Unies sur la lutte contre la désertification La Convention des Nations Unies sur la lutte contre la désertification (CNULCD) est un accord international relatif à la bonne gestion des terres. Grâce à la mise en place de partenariats, les 197 parties à la Convention ont établi des systèmes solides permettant de gérer rapidement et efficacement la dégradation des terres et les situations de sécheresse. Une bonne gestion des terres reposant sur des politiques éclairées et des données scientifiques aide à intégrer et accélérer la réalisation des objectifs de développement durable, à renforcer la résilience face aux changements climatiques et à prévenir l’appauvrissement de la biodiversité. Les terres jouent également un rôle clé dans les phases de prévention, de préparation, d’intervention et de relèvement face à la pandémie de COVID-19, en pérennisant les moyens de subsistance ruraux et en créant des emplois verts, en favorisant la résilience des communautés et en assurant le maintien des services rendus par les écosystèmes.  

MEDIA ADVISORY | AVIS AUX MÉDIAS The Great Green Wall Implementation Status and Way Ahead to 2030, the first comprehensive assessment of the status of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and Sahel Initiative (GGW) will be released on Monday, 7 September 2020 at a virtual ministerial meeting. In preparation for the event, and the press conference to be held immediately after the launch, the UNCCD secretariat is hosting a press briefing. The briefing will be conducted in English and French. Pre-registration is required. Embargoed documentation will be shared only with pre-registered journalists. When:   Monday, 31 August 2020 at 15:00hrs Central European Time (13:00hrs UTC/GMT) Where: Virtual Webinar: Register here. Who:      Prof. Abdoulaye Dia (TBC)     Executive Secretary     Pan African Agency of the Great Green Wall Project     Mr. Louis Perroy      Partner     Climatekos (report author)          Ms. Inna Moja      Lead Actor, Great Green Wall Film, UNCCD Land Ambassador     Musician          Fernando Meirelles (TBC)     Producer     Great Green Wall      Moderator: Ms. Louise Baker  Managing Director  Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification     Background The Great Green Wall Implementation Status and Way Ahead to 2030 provides an overview of the progress made by countries to create a 15km wide and 8,000 km long green corridor stretching across Africa from Senegal to Djibouti. The report, prepared by an independent firm, Climatekos, will be released on Monday, 7 September 2020 at a virtual Ministerial meeting of the Member States of the Pan-African Agency of the Great Green Wall. Technical and financial partners will also participate. A virtual press conference with ministers to the share outcomes of the plans on the way forward will take place immediately following the ministerial meeting.  The Great Green Wall for the Sahara and Sahel (GGW) reflects the will and commitment of the Heads of State and Government of the Sahelo-Saharan States to unite their efforts to tackle the challenges of climate change, land degradation, and loss of biodiversity. GGW was created in 2005 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso during the Cen-Sad Summit. The African Union endorsed it in 2007.  Notes to Editors Registered journalists will have access to the two publications below in English or French. 1) Embargoed press release 2) Embargoed copy of the background note A pre-registration link will be circulated later for the virtual press conference to be held with the ministers on Monday, 7 September, for the report launch.  For media information, contact: wwischnewski@unccd.int or kjimenez@unccd.int About the Great Green Wall, contact: cnordheim@unccd.int About the Great Green Wall An African-led initiative to transform the lives of 100 million of the poorest people on Earth by growing an 8,000 km corridor of trees and plants that will restore land, produce food, create jobs and promote peace.  About the UNCCD The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is an international agreement on good land stewardship. Through partnerships, the Convention’s 197 Parties set up robust systems to manage land degradation and drought promptly and effectively. Good land stewardship based on a sound policy and science helps integrate and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, builds resilience to climate change and prevents biodiversity loss. Land also plays a key role in the prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, securing rural livelihoods and creating green jobs, supporting community resilience and maintaining the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services.  

On 7 September, UNCCD will launch a new report "The Great Green Wall: Implementation Status and Way Ahead to 2030" to take stock of the progress and advance the implementation of the ambitious project in the Sahel-Saharan region.

The Russian Federation has joined the Northeast Asia Network for DLDD (DLDD-NEAN) as of 13 July 2020. DLDD-NEAN, an official reporting entity, is a sub-regional cooperation platform for the implementation of the UNCCD in Northeast Asia. The network was launched at the UNCCD COP10 in Changwon, with Mongolia, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Korea as founding members. All members of DLDD-NEAN welcome Russia as the new member of the network. Russia’s participation in the network will contribute to reinforcing regional cooperation including combating desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD), sand and dust storms (SDS), achieving land degradation neutrality (LDN) in the region and boosting joint activities within the network. This affiliation will also facilitate further interregional cooperation and partnerships, strengething ties between regional annexes and the Convention. Since its inception, the network has served as a platform for promoting regional cooperation, focusing especially on knowledge and information sharing, technical cooperation, and a joint forestry project. The network holds an annual Steering Committee meeting and forum as main operational process.  The network is seeking membership expansion to further strengthen regional cooperation to address DLDD and SDS issues in the region and share best practices with the international community.