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How Communities of Learning and Practice are speeding action in the face of a new drought era

This week at COP30 in Belém, Brazil – birthplace of the three Rio Conventions – land, climate and nature took center stage as governments and partners looked at how action on all three can move forward together for stronger impact and lasting results. A lineup of high-level events on ecosystem restoration, climate resilience and sustainable agriculture confirmed UNCCD as a key player in advancing Rio synergies, placing land at the cornerstone of humanity’s response to the triple planetary crisis. Synergies in the spotlight Participants stressed that climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation are not separate challenges, but different symptoms of a single planetary crisis that needs to be tackled in an integrated way. By linking their mandates, the Rio Conventions aim to turn shared challenges into new opportunities and deliver solutions that benefit people, economies and ecosystems alike. UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell emphasized this shared direction, noting: “Climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation are one interconnected crisis – and integrated action delivers the fastest, most durable results. New national climate and adaptation plans reflect this. They include biodiversity, ecosystems and nature-based solutions. Throughout this COP, the message has been clear: the Paris Agreement is working – but we must make it work faster, fairer, and at far greater scale.” UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary Andrea Meza, CBD Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell at the COP30 venueThe Rio Conventions Presidencies, Parties and partners underlined how more coherent land and sea use planning, better aligned finance and shared monitoring systems can reduce duplication and increase impact on the ground. A joint statement by the Rio Convention Presidencies issued at Belém marks a key moment in aligning Rio Presidency initiatives on land restoration, sustainable resource management and ecosystem resilience. Land at the center At the high-level roundtable “Bridging Action Agenda from COP16 to COP30: Strengthening synergies across land, climate and nature”, the UNCCD COP16 and COP17 Presidencies warned that efforts to address climate change and biodiversity loss will fall short if land continues to be treated in isolation. The UNCCD COP16 Presidency highlighted the Riyadh Action Agenda as a practical attempt to bring land, the ocean and the atmosphere together in national planning and finance. Looking ahead to UNCCD COP17, Mongolia underscored that pathways to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation are indivisible and must be embedded in national policies and plans. From Rio to Belém At the joint Rio Conventions’ side event “From Rio to Belém: Synergistic action for ecosystem restoration and climate resilience”, COP Presidencies, government, private sector and civil society leaders illustrated how this agenda is being translated into practice. UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary Andrea Meza stressed that this is not about choosing between individual priorities, noting: “We are talking about a new development pathway that could operate within the planetary boundaries, and generating a model that can guarantee that we live in a prosperous society while at the same time protecting our most valuable asset — the living Earth.” UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary Andrea MezaReflecting on the outcomes of COP30, CBD Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker highlighted the joint resolve of the three conventions, noting: “At COP30 the Presidencies and Secretariats of the Rio Conventions joined forces to promote integrated action on climate, biodiversity and land. Synergies are the only way forward. The world needs to take bold steps for progress across the Rio Conventions’ interlinked objectives.” Finance for farmland Finance for land-based action was another prominent theme. COP30 saw the ministerial launch of the Resilient Agriculture Investment for net-Zero land degradation (RAIZ) accelerator, a Brazil-led initiative to mobilize public and private finance for restoring degraded farmland at scale. With over one billion hectares of farmland degraded worldwide, speakers stressed the urgency of investing in soil health, productivity and resilience. RAIZ offers a pathway to align climate action, food security and biodiversity protection, with countries in the lead and finance flowing to where it matters most. Building on Brazil’s experience in blending public and private capital for restoration through initiatives such as Green Way and EcoInvest, the accelerator will support governments to map degraded landscapes, identify investable solutions and design co-investment vehicles that de risk private finance and lower the cost of capital for farmers and rural communities. Hindou Oumaru Ibrahim, President and Coordinator, Association of Indigenous Women and Peoples of ChadSynergies from the ground up Peer learning on concrete national approaches to linking NDC targets on land degradation and desertification was the focus of an event organized by Türkiye in the margins of COP30. Brazil shared a three- pillar approach of aligning planning tools across sectors, mobilizing integrated financing and advancing nature based solutions with strong community involvement, while Panama shared plans to streamline work under multiple conventions through joint reporting mechanisms and its Nature Pledge – a roadmap that unifies national efforts to tackle land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change.  Azerbaijan emphasized science based, integrated work on water management, forest restoration and land rehabilitation, Colombia showed how outcomes from the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework are being implemented through community-driven projects that advance biodiversity, climate resilience and sustainable land use together and Mongolia presented priorities on desertification, land degradation, water–land interactions and nature based infrastructural solutions. Dialogues at Belém also brought to the forefront the importance of human rights-based approaches, Indigenous Peoples’ leadership and inclusive engagement with vulnerable communities, civil society and the private sector in maximizing synergies among multilateral environmental agreements. H.E .Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister of the Environment, Water and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, COP16 PresidencyNext stops on the journey The COP30 outcomes help anchor land at the heart of the Rio Conventions’ action agendas. The next stop will be UNCCD CRIC23 in Panama this December, where Parties will review progress on land-based solutions ahead of UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia in 2026. 2026 will be the next “Triple COP” year, and an opportunity for all three Rio conventions to align national commitments, showcase joint solutions and build the political momentum needed to turn Rio synergies into coordinated action on the ground. We invite you to visit rioconventions.org to learn more about current initiatives, integrated approaches and case studies on land, climate and nature synergies. 

A national effort to re-green a war-torn landscape is now part of the world's documentary heritage—and a living model for land restoration efforts supported by the UNCCD and embodied in the Changwon Initiative.When Korea emerged from the devastation of war, its mountains stood bare and lifeless. Yet in one of the most remarkable environmental transformations of the 20th century, the country mobilized a generation to bring back its forests—tree by tree, hillside by hillside.In April 2025, UNESCO added the Korea Reforestation Archives to its Memory of the World Register — recognizing them as a vital record of environmental recovery and a source of global inspiration. This milestone comes as countries urgently seek effective solutions to fight desertification and climate change — often with the support of the Changwon Initiative, Korea’s global contribution to land restoration.A story rooted in restoration, governance and communityThe archives document more than 9,600 items chronicling Korea’s ambitious reforestation journey, which began with the First 10-Year National Forest Plan (1973–1978). What made Korea’s approach unique wasn’t only its scale, but its foundation in sound public policy and broad civic participation.Through erosion control, rural engagement and the restoration of degraded land, forest volume surged from 5.6㎥/ha in the 1960s to 165㎥/ha in 2020—making Korea one of the few countries to achieve true national-scale forest recovery.This legacy of bold, coordinated and inclusive land restoration would later serve as the inspiration for the Changwon Initiative, launched in 2011 by the Korea Forest Service and the UNCCD to share Korea’s model with the world.From national success to global support: The Changwon InitiativeThe principles and practices of Korea’s forest recovery are now channeled into the Changwon Initiative, which helps countries design and implement land restoration strategies aligned with the UNCCD’s Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) goals. Through technical assistance, capacity-building and policy alignment, the Initiative has supported restoration efforts in over a dozen countries—helping others plant the seeds of sustainability that once transformed Korea’s barren hills into thriving forests.As former UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw noted:"Korea’s reforestation legacy is not just history—it is a roadmap. It shows what can be achieved when policy, science and local communities come together to heal the land."This roadmap continues to guide the Changwon Initiative’s work—translating Korea’s past experience into present-day solutions for countries facing land degradation, drought and environmental fragility.A model for a crisis-prone eorldIn early 2025, as wildfires once again swept across parts of South Korea, the resilience of restored ecosystems was put to the test. Such events highlight a key lesson: restoration must be ongoing, adaptive and inclusive.The timing of UNESCO’s recognition — just months after UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, where global attention turned to land restoration, resilience and partnerships — underscores the continued relevance of Korea’s experience.A natural ally for the Peace Forest InitiativeThe Korea Reforestation Archives also serve as a guiding resource for the Peace Forest Initiative (PFI), a joint programme by the UNCCD and the Korea Forest Service. Like the Changwon Initiative, PFI builds on Korea’s legacy by promoting cooperation and peacebuilding through shared environmental action in fragile and conflict-affected areas.Korea’s historical experience—restoring not only ecosystems but also national morale and rural economies—offers practical and inspirational support for both initiatives. Whether in divided regions or degraded landscapes, the model forged in Korea proves that land restoration can be a unifying force.Looking aheadAs the world prepares for COP17 in Mongolia in 2026, Korea’s archived journey stands as both a benchmark and a toolkit. The Changwon Initiative ensures that this legacy remains dynamic — no longer confined to history books, but alive in the forests and fields of countries striving for environmental recovery today.Korea’s forest story is now part of the world’s story — and it continues to grow, one restored landscape at a time, wherever countries choose to reclaim their land and their future.

In a world where tensions often flare over shrinking resources, the Peace Forest Initiative (PFI) offers a quiet revolution. Launched by the UNCCD in 2019, the initiative brings together countries — sometimes even former adversaries—to restore degraded land and rebuild trust through nature.This isn’t about top-down diplomacy. It’s about neighbors planting trees side by side, transforming contested borders into corridors of collaboration. The logic is powerful: when land thrives, so do the communities that depend on it. Healthy soil, clean water and green landscapes can help stabilize economies, improve food security and reduce the risk of displacement or violence.From vision to action: The role of the Changwon InitiativeWhile the Peace Forest Initiative officially launched in 2019, its foundation was laid out much earlier — in 2011 — through the Changwon Initiative, a visionary programme led by the UNCCD and the Korea Forest Service (KFS). Between 2018 and 2020, Changwon provided critical start-up support, from technical expertise to catalytic funding, helping translate the PFI concept into action. Since then, the Korea Forest Service has continued to fund and expand the initiative, enabling it to grow its reach and ambition.Restoring land, rebuilding trustAt its core, the Peace Forest Initiative turns contested land into common ground. In regions fractured by conflict, shared reforestation projects are rewriting narratives—replacing suspicion with collaboration. Here, planting a tree isn’t just ecology; it’s diplomacy.In places once marked by mistrust, shared reforestation is opening doors to cooperation — helping communities see one another not as threats, but as partners.This approach is gaining traction. Countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Indonesia, Timor-Leste and several in Central Asia are exploring ways to join the initiative. Their interest sends a powerful message: even in regions touched by instability or division, land restoration can become a tool for healing.Central Asia’s dust storm diplomacyIn March 2024, the Peace Forest Initiative brought together all five Central Asian nations — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — for a landmark workshop in Tashkent. The stakes were high: sand and dust storms choke the Ferghana Valley, water scarcity threatens high mountain regions and climate stress is intensifying across borders.But the Tashkent meeting was more than technical — it was political. For the first time, these countries agreed to share transboundary data on environmental risks, a breakthrough after years of mutual caution. They also outlined joint strategies to align their efforts with the Rio Conventions on land, climate and biodiversity, and pledged to prioritize regional cooperation at UNCCD COP16.“This wasn’t just about trees,” said one delegate. “It was about building a common language for peace.” The message was clear: in a region once marked by mistrust, restoring land is becoming a path toward restoring relationships.Greening borders and shaping policyBeyond the local impact, the Peace Forest Initiative is helping shift how global institutions think about land. Land restoration is no longer just about conservation or carbon — it’s increasingly seen as a pathway to peace. As a result, international organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are beginning to integrate land restoration into their peacebuilding agendas.The PFI has also influenced policymaking more broadly. A roadmap has been developed to help other countries design and implement their own peace-driven restoration efforts. And the goals of the initiative are now aligned with key global commitments such as Land Degradation Neutrality and Sustainable Development Goal 16, which promotes peace, justiceand strong institutions.A model for the futureWith strong backing from the Korea Forest Service and the strategic vision provided by the Changwon Initiative, the Peace Forest Initiative is poised to grow. Its next chapter includes expanding into transboundary regions affected by desertification and resource stress, deepening partnerships with local communities to ensure long-term impact and developing new financing models to attract private sector investment.A legacy rooted in hopeIn an era defined by environmental stress and geopolitical uncertainty, the Peace Forest Initiative offers something rare: a solution that is both tangible and transformative. By restoring the land, we restore the conditions for peace. And in that shared soil of effort and purpose, trust can grow.As more countries step forward to take part, the PFI reminds us that peace does not have to be negotiated in conference rooms alone. Sometimes, it begins with the quiet act of planting a tree — together.

International negotiations on land degradation and drought are becoming increasingly complex — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Yet many of the people expected to speak on behalf of their countries in these spaces often find themselves underprepared.

On March 26, 2010, a massive dust storm rose from the exposed bed of the South Aral Sea and swept across southern Kazakhstan. Within hours, skies darkened, visibility collapsed and toxic dust blanketed towns and farmland. The storm carried more than just sand and silt—it spread salt, pesticides and heavy metals, the legacy of decades of environmental mismanagement. It disrupted transport, damaged crops and strained hospitals with respiratory cases—highlighting how land degradation can trigger public health emergencies and economic instability.This wasn’t an isolated event. Over the past two decades, sand and dust storms (SDS) in Kazakhstan have grown more frequent and intense, particularly across the Aral Sea Basin and the country’s southern and central regions. What were once seasonal disturbances are now recognized as chronic climate and land-use threats.Sand and dust storms—vast natural phenomena capable of transporting fine particles across borders and continents—pose grave risks to public health, agriculture, infrastructure and national development. They aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, damage crops and livestock and interrupt transport and trade. In Kazakhstan, these storms are primarily driven by land degradation, unsustainable farming, deforestation and climate change—a combination that continues to erode natural resilience.While SDS play a role in global ecological systems—such as fertilizing distant ecosystems like the Amazon—their local impact in Kazakhstan is urgent and deeply disruptive.The Changwon Initiative: Building resilience from the ground upIn response to the growing SDS threat, Kazakhstan turned to partnerships that combined local action with global expertise. One of the most influential has been the Changwon Initiative, launched under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) as a key driver of global dryland restoration efforts.Between 2015 and 2017, the Changwon Initiative—through the Greening Drylands Partnership—helped Kazakhstan lay essential groundwork for SDS preparedness. Though originally aimed at enhancing drought resilience, the project quickly evolved to address overlapping environmental risks. In the Makhtaral and Shardara districts, the initiative strengthened early warning systems, raised awareness among farmers and herders and supported climate risk assessments. Over 140 sustainable land management practices were identified and promoted, including the restoration of 64 hectares of degraded dryland. These measures didn’t just address symptoms—they helped local communities build long-term resilience to future storms.Advancing forecasting and preparednessBuilding on earlier progress, Kazakhstan has significantly expanded its SDS forecasting and preparedness systems. In collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization’s Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS), the country now uses integrated regional and global forecasting models that provide SDS predictions every three hours, with up to 72 hours of lead time.Improved forecasting helps farmers protect crops, health agencies prepare for respiratory surges and officials respond with faster, data-driven decisions. Kazakhstan’s active participation in the SDS-WAS Asia Regional Centre has also enhanced regional cooperation, particularly with China, Mongolia, Japan and Korea, through data exchange and collaborative research.From reactive to proactive: A shift in national strategyPerhaps the most transformative outcome has been the shift in national mindset—from reacting to each storm to anticipating and managing risk. SDS are now integrated into broader climate adaptation and sustainable land use policies and early warnings are reaching more rural communities.Farmers, local officials and frontline workers are increasingly adopting practical mitigation strategies—from planting vegetation that stabilizes soil, to modifying planting schedules based on storm forecasts.The Changwon Initiative’s contribution goes beyond project outcomes: it has helped embed environmental risk reduction into Kazakhstan’s long-term development planning.A Scalable example for the regionKazakhstan’s efforts show what’s possible when scientific forecasting, policy innovation and local action work in concert. While climate change and land degradation continue to fuel SDS across Central Asia, Kazakhstan is charting a course toward resilience. What began with emergency response—like that triggered by the 2010 dust storm—has evolved into a national model for proactive environmental management. With ongoing backing — including from the Changwon Initiative — Kazakhstan’s approach offers a practical, scalable model for other dryland countries. It shows that early warning, land restoration and local engagement are not only feasible but essential to safeguarding lives, livelihoods and development in vulnerable landscapes.