News & stories

  Protecting and restoring nature can help drive a green recovery and prevent future pandemics. Investing in nature-based solutions, specifically land restoration, will allow us to build forward better, greener, healthier, stronger, and more sustainably. COVID-19 has revealed how vulnerable our societies and economies are to global, systemic risk. Its root causes - land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change – are interlinked. Furthermore, they are planetary crises in themselves. The pandemic, rooted as it is in exploitation of the environment, has been a devastating but timely wake-up call. It has shown that if we continue to abuse nature, waves of crises will cascade across our economies and societies. On the other hand, it has also shown that we can respond decisively when political will, collective action and sustained investment are aligned. Today, more than ever, societies are ready for change; there is broad consensus that it is not only desirable but possible to build forward better, towards sustainable development anchored in multilateralism and global solidarity. Land restoration is an essential component of any building-forward strategy. In preparation for the UN PGA High-level event on desertification, land degradation and drought, the UNCCD secretariat prepared a brief that presents land-centered solutions for green recovery post COVID-19. Read more: High-level dialogue on desertification, land degradation and drought Role of land in COVID response  

On June 20, 1996 the German government handed over Haus Carstanjen as an office building to the United Nations, a day now celebrated as the birth of Bonn as a UN city. The UNCCD Secretariat moved to Bonn in 1999. Today, Bonn is seen and appreciated worldwide as a genuine UN city with international staff of almost 1 000 and the UN campus hosting 24 different agencies. Sustainable development has become a clear trademark for the UN entities in Bonn supported by Bonn’s environment with numerous international and national governmental and non-governmental organizations, a number of important scientific and academic institutions and the city itself. All of these institutions strive to operate in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way – a unique cluster of excellence. The fact that Bonn also was the capital of Germany for almost 50 years plays an important role, especially in a city of such cozy dimensions. Here, following the Rhineland tradition, people are hospitable, cosmopolitan and knows how to welcome other cultures and lifestyles. That’s why wherever you come from, once you're in Bonn, you feel at home. Adapted from UNRIC news  Read more: UNBonn 25th anniversary UNCCD history 

UNCCD secretariat regrets to inform that we are postponing the third webinar on land-based jobs for youth originally scheduled for Thursday 6 May 2021. Asia is hard hit by the current wave of COVID-19 infections, he region this webinar aims to support. But keeping the focus on everyone’s health condition and situation is our priority. We apologize for any inconvenience. We will email you as soon as possible to confirm the date of the next webinar. Tentatively we are planning for either 16 July 2021 or 12 August 2021. Please take note of those dates. We will stay in touch and let you know when the next podcasts is accessible. In case you have questions that you would like to submit to the panel before the webinar, you can send it to us on a video of not more than 1 minute, on horizontal format and to be sent to press@unccd.int latest Tuesday, 15 June 2021. If you participated in the other two webinars, we would like to ask for testimonials from you if you found the webinars beneficial. For example, you can do so by sending us a text of about 400 words on:  Which region/country you are from Which webinar (s) you participated in  What do you find to be most beneficial  What the webinars mean for people like you  If you would allow us to share this testimonial with your name and age. We remain available for any inquiries you may have on the webinars and we continue to vie for job creation for the youth. Sincerely yours,  UNCCD secretariat 

The UNCCD secretariat is deeply saddened by the news that Mr. Philbert Brown, UNCCD National Focal Point (NFP) for Jamaica for many years, passed away on 1 May 2021. His contributions to the convention over the years touched every aspect of the UNCCD process and included serving as a Chair of the CRIC, Chair of the CST, President of the COW, Vice President of the COP, Closing President of the COP in Geneva and Jamaica’s UNCCD NFP for 20 years. Mr. Brown was one of the major negotiators in the UNCCD process and a dedicated supporter of the implementation process at the regional and sub-region levels. He also helped develop several National Action Plans for countries in the Caribbean sub-region and was honored by the Jamaican government for his representation of the country within the UNCCD process, and for his contribution to the process at the global, regional, sub-regional and national levels. He will be remembered fondly by many as an inspirational colleague and a mentor who successfully built positive and productive relationships between various Annexes of the Convention. Photo: IISD/ENB

There is growing evidence of regreening in the Sahel. It is widespread. It cuts across the entire area, and it’s dynamic. In fact, almost all of West Africa is experiencing this regreening that is considered the ultimate weapon in the fight against global warming. Sahelians also growing valuable trees that act as natural air conditioners, provide food and ertilize the land in the Sahel in ways that could be making a difference to resilience that is far better than elsewhere in the world.

This young climate advocate studied agronomy and forestry and is leading the movement Art 4 Climate Zambia that cleans up plastic litter and makes it into art. Together with other activists, David collects and sorts litter to make animal sculptures. He also teaches how to repair broken objects instead of throwing them away. He plans to expand this concept and build greenhouses out of litter, exploring the structural color theory. For Desertification and Drought Day 2021, David will lead a tree-planting project in Zambia's capital Lusaka with environmental societies in universities, school groups and the media.  Facebook: @davey.chapoloko  Twitter: @DavidChapoloko  Instagram: @davidchapoloko/