Other meetings & events

Join us on Sunday, 6 April from 16:30 to 18:00 for the high-level roundtable "Legislating for Land" on the margins of the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly. We will address he role of parliamentarians in promoting secure tenure rights and equitable access to land. During the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union taking place from 5-9 April in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is convening a high-level roundtable "Legislating for Land" to strengthen parliamentary engagement in its governing processes and advancing the implementation of the Convention—the sole legally binding treaty on land signed by 196 countries and the European Union. As one of the three Rio Conventions alongside climate and biodiversity, UNCCD focuses on promoting sustainable land management, building drought resilience, enhancing soil health, and advancing secure land tenure rights and equitable access to land. Parliamentarians play a crucial role in shaping land policies, ensuring equitable access, and fostering sustainable land management. Their influence extends across:Legislation: Drafting, debating and passing laws that impact land use, environmental conservation and sustainable agricultureBudgeting: Allocating financial resources for initiatives addressing desertification, land degradation and drought resilienceAdvocacy: Raising awareness and mobilizing political and public support for policies that enhance soil health, sustainable urban planning and climate adaptationThe session aims to initiate international engagement with members of the International Parliamentary Union ahead of UNCCD COP17 to be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in 2026. This will be an opportunity to inform parliamentarians about opportunities for greater involvement in global negotiations on land and drought issues, as well as potential areas for action and advocacy at the national and regional levels.Featured speakersMs. Tanzila Narbayeva, Chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan (TBC)Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of UNCCD (video message)Dr. Tulia Ackson, President of the IPUMs. Inna Modja, UNCCD Goodwill Ambassador PanelistsMs. Neema Lugangira, Member of the National Assembly of TanzaniaMr. Juma Zacharia, Member of the National Legislative Assembly of South Sudan of South SudanMr. António Pedro Roque da Visitação Oliveira, Member of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal and Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean Moderated by Xenya Scanlon, Head of Communications, External Relations and Partnerships at UNCCD The UNCCD Secretariat is looking forward to welcoming you to this event!

Mark your calendars for this upcoming event at the 2025 Regional Forum for Sustainable Development, featuring our Goodwill Ambassador Inna Modja. The UN Alliance For Sustainable Fashion will bring together women entrepreneurs in fashion from different regions and countries to discuss how their solutions and innovations drive positive change while addressing social and environmental issues, particularly in marginalized and rural communities. The event, co-organized by Ethical Fashion Initiative, IILO, UNIDO, UN Partnerships Office, Sustainable Fashion Alliance, International Trade Centre, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and UNCCD, will also feature the Ethical Fashion Initiative pop-up store.Join us from 13:15 to 14:45 CET at Palais des Nations in Geneva or online via Teams. Register here to attend in person: https://indico.un.org/event/1016381 or sign up to join online.

This webinar showcases community-led watershed management interventions across South Asia, highlighting innovative practices, measurable outcomes and key lessons. It aims to inspire stakeholders to scale up these practices while strengthening collaboration among communities, government institutions and development organizations.Organizers: UNCCD, GWP, IWMI, WOTR and ADPC Date: 25 March, 2025  Time: 9:00-10:00 CET / 13:30-14:30 IST Zoom Registration: https://gwp-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/8PS6jwDoRD697_bN8rBOtQ Background South Asia faces mounting challenges from water scarcity, land degradation and the impacts of climate change, which severely threaten agricultural productivity, food security and livelihoods. Watershed management, driven by community participation, has emerged as a sustainable and effective approach to address these interconnected issues. By adopting locally adapted water storage and infiltration techniques such as stone bunds and bench terraces, communities have not only enhanced their resilience to drought but also reduced soil erosion, improved agricultural productivity, and bolstered rural livelihoods. About the webinarThree case studies will be presented, followed by an interactive Q&A session:  Water Resources Planning in Balochistan, Pakistan for Drought Mitigation, Dr Niladri Gupta, ADPC Soil and Water Conservation Management in India, Mr Sandip Jadhav, Watershed Organisation Trust Multi-sectoral nexus approach, fostering local-scale adaptation, Dr Giriraj Amarnath, IWMI Target audience This webinar is designed for government officials, development practitioners, researchers, community leaders, and representatives from civil society organisations working in water resource management, agriculture and climate resilience. 

Join us for a two-part webinar series on the World Drought Atlas, where experts will present key findings and insights into the evolving challenges of drought worldwide. This webinar series is co-organised by CIMA, IVM-Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, UNU, GWP, and UNCCD. Webinar 1: Understanding drought impacts and adaptationThis session will explore how drought affects critical sectors, including water supply, agriculture, hydropower, inland navigation, and ecosystems. Experts will discuss cascading risks across systems and present conceptual frameworks for adaptation, emphasising the need for a forward-looking approach to drought management. Date and time: 20 March 2025, 14:00-15:00 CETZoom registration linkSpeakers: essa Maurer (moderator), Lauro Rossi (CIMA), TBD (IVM), Davide Cotti and Edward Sparkes (UNU), Daniel Tsegai (UNCCD)  These webinars provide valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers engaged in drought management and climate resilience. 

Join us at 10:00 am CET for the next webinar of the Resilience Hub Bonn Virtual Forum, hosted by ICLEI, UNCCD, Center for Development Research (ZEF) and the gender@internationalBonn network. Leading up to International Women’s Day, this discussion will explore the outcomes of the recent UNCCD COP16 through an urban and gender lens. Expert facilitator Tina Beuchelt will be joined by UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary Andrea Meza, the UNCCD Land Hero Rokiatou Traoré and a mayor from the Global South to discuss implementing the COP decisions through urban-rural solutions for land, climate and gender equality. Register here. We look forward to your participation!