News & stories

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.

Healthy land is an integral part of planetary well-being, which supports and sustains societies and ecosystems. Loss of healthy land threatens our health, security and prosperity, driving the interconnected crises of desertification, drought, biodiversity collapse and climate change. Land restoration offers a effective and efficient nature-based solution to address the world’s biggest challenges and achieve Sustainable Development Goals. The Changwon Initiative, launched at UNCCD COP10 in Changwon, the Republic of Korea, aims to assist countries in linking policy and action to protect and restore degraded lands. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Initiative, UNCCD and the Korea Forest Service are launching a global virtual choir competition to promote land and forest restoration. The application deadline is 17 April 2022. Winners will be announced at the anniversary ceremony of the Initiative in the sidelines of UNCCD COP15 in May 2022 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, and will receive cash and other prizes. Learn more: How to apply UNCCD COP15