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Côte d’Ivoire hosts first major conference in 2022 to tackle the interconnected challenges of land degradation, climate change and biodiversity loss  The fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 9 to 20 May 2022. Heads of State, ministers and delegates from 196 countries are expected to attend this major event on the future of land management, alongside private sector, civil society, women and youth leaders.  Journalists and media organizations worldwide are invited to attend the Conference to cover the meeting and participate in all events organized for the media. Online Registration | UNCCD  is now open for media wishing to participate in person or virtually.   The COP15 theme, ‘Land. Life. Legacy: From scarcity to prosperity', is a call to action to ensure land, which is the lifeline on this planet, continues to benefit present and future generations.   The Conference will focus on the restoration of one billion hectares of degraded land between now and 2030 and tackling the growing impacts of droughts, sand and dust storms, and wildfires. COP15 will also take action on key policies that can enable action on restoration, particularly land rights, gender equality and the role of youth in future land stewardship.   In addition to formal negotiations, COP15 will include a high-level segment on 9-10 May. UNCCD COP15 will be the first of the three Rio Conventions meetings to be held in 2022, with Biodiversity COP15 and Climate change COP27 convening later this year in Kunming, China and Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, respectively.  The Convention unites governments, scientists, policymakers, the private sector and communities around a shared vision to restore and manage the world’s land. The last Conference of the Parties took place in New Delhi, India, in 2019. It was preceded by COP13, which took place in Ordos, China.   Journalists are required to submit the following documentation to be considered for participation.  Duly filled online application form  An electronic passport photograph  Official press card or a company photo identity card   Letter of assignment to cover the event  On request, the secretariat will provide accredited foreign journalists with a Note Verbale to secure visas from the Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire closest to them.   Detailed information on COP15, including the provisional agenda, is available here: cop15.   For more information and to register, contact: Wagaki Wischnewski, press@unccd.int  About the UNCCD  The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner. 

The UNCCD is partnering with GLOBHE on the use of innovative technology to better assess tree populations along the Great Green Wall GLOBHE is a drone service company that provides earth observations for a sustainable future, deploying drones through local operators to collect high-resolution data, which helps  organizations and researchers to plan and action at the right place, at the right scale and at the right time. The joint project with UNCCD will focus on combining macro satellite data with high-resolution micro data from drones to accelerate the verification of tree species in Northern Ghana, supporting the implementation of the Great Green Wall, an African-led movement to restore 100 million hectares of currently degraded land, sequester 250 million tons of carbon and create 10 million green jobs by 2030. Baobab is the icon of the African landscape, revered as the tree of life that provides essential shelter, produces nutrient-dense fruits and stores water from the rainy season for the dry season. They can live up to 3,000 years, growing to 50 meters in circumference and reach up to 30 meters high.  We, at GLOBHE, are proud to be part of this unprecedented initiative with the UNCCD and its partners. By improving the understanding of tree populations, stakeholders will be in a position to accelerate the development of sustainable business models that directly benefit local communities. We love these types of initiatives that put drone technology to good use for both the people and the planet  –  Arnaud Henneville-Wedholm, Head of Sales & Business Development at GLOBHE  image (c) MakeWaves Media

To our mothers, sisters and daughters – we honor your life-giving force, we salute your contribution to bringing about a more sustainable world, and above all we are inspired by your resilience in the face of tremendous adversity. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by desertification, land degradation and drought. This is not because they find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Rather it is a result of traditions, customs, or religious practices that have not yet evolved to recognize and respect their legitimate human rights. As we face an unparalleled confluence of natural and human-induced crises, cultures and societies can no longer afford to disrespect or disregard women and girls’ role as primary caregivers and as educators as well as their contribution to household health and income, food and water security, and sustainable development. This recognition is important as we strive towards a more equitable and just society. However, it is not enough. On this International Women’s Day 2022, I am calling on governments and communities to welcome women and girls as equal partners and harness their knowledge and talent to address the existential challenges of today. An important first step is their full and meaningful participation in decision making and investments that will determine the quality of life on land for our children. Inclusive land restoration begins with reforming legal, regulatory, customary, and administrative frameworks to be gender responsive. Inclusive land restoration also means upholding women’s legitimate rights to access and control land resources – soil, water, and biodiversity. This opens doors to credit and finance, markets and networks, and training and extension services that improve family and community health and shared economic prosperity. On this Day, I reiterate my call to governments and communities to empower women and girls and recognize their legitimate human rights, including their right to own and manage land. This will lead the way for a prosperous, equitable, and sustainable future for them, and for all.

To shine the light on the critical role of women across the world in supporting sustainable land management (SLM) and the UNCCD implementation, we invite interviews, stories, pictures and videos from women of all backgrounds and ages, whose work as farmers, activists, politicians and scientists is related to SLM. The site http://www.womenandunccd.org presents the stories collected to date and your can submit yours there as well. We look forward to your submissions!  

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s Report on Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability released earlier this week paints an alarming picture for the future of people and the planet over the next 20 years — the space of a single generation.

UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw announced today the appointment of Andrea Meza Murillo of Costa Rica as the next Deputy Executive Secretary of UNCCD.  Ms. Meza Murillo currently serves as Minister of Energy and Environment for the Government of Costa Rica. She brings over 20 years of expertise in sustainable development, having worked in more than 15 Latin American countries to formulate public policies, participate in international negotiations, and execute climate, conservation and restoration projects. Previously, she has served as Director of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica, as Director of the Office of Studies in Mesoamerica, Projects and Planning and as Director of the Program for Conservation of Private Lands, Center for Environmental Law and Natural Resources. She is a lawyer with a specialization in local development. Ms. Meza Murillo has a notable history supporting the work of UNCCD, especially around the Desertification and Drought Day 2021 hosted by Costa Rica, rallying up global ambition to restore degrading lands. A champion for young people as guardians of land and its sustainable future, she also participated in a recent UNCCD webinar on land-based opportunities for youth.  Ms. Meza Murillo will succeed Ms. Tina Birmpili of Greece, to whom the Executive Secretary expressed his sincere gratitude for her dedicated service to the secretariat and wished her success in her new role as the Chief Officer of the Secretariat of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of Montreal Protocol.   Contact For more information contact: Xenya Scanlon xscanlon@unccd.int For media inquiries contact: Wagaki Wischnewski press@unccd.int   About UNCCD The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the only legally binding international agreement on land issues. The Convention promotes good land stewardship. Its 197 Parties aim, through partnerships, to implement the Convention and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The end goal is to protect our land, from over-use and drought, so it can continue to provide us all with food, water and energy. By sustainably managing land and striving to achieve land degradation neutrality, now and in the future, we will reduce the impact of climate change, avoid conflict over natural resources and help communities to thrive.