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Update to the nomination process for regional representatives to the IWG FSFDuring the recent meeting of the COP Bureau held on 26 June 2025 in Bonn, Germany, Bureau members decided to grant a 7-day extension for Regional Chairs to submit their nominations of regional representatives to the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Future Strategic Framework (IWG FSF).This decision follows interventions by three Bureau members who requested such an extension.As per the approved Terms of Reference for the IWG FSF, each Regional Chair is to nominate three regional representatives from their respective region. This will result in a total of 15 regional representatives, out of the 20 members that constitute the IWG FSF.In place of the original deadline of 27 June 2025, Regional Chairs are kindly requested to submit their nominations no later than 4 July 2025 following the COP Bureau decision, if they have not done so yet. This notification serves as an update to the previous message published 13 May 2025.Thank you for your continued cooperation. The sixteenth session of the UNCCD Conference of the Parties (COP 16) decided in decision 4/COP.16 to establish through the Bureau of the COP an Intergovernmental Working Group on the Future Strategic Framework of the Convention (IWG FSF), within the scope and mandate of the Convention. In line with this decision, the Bureau of the COP endorsed during its meeting held 28 April 2025, the Terms of Reference of this group and entrusted the secretariat in consultation with the CRIC and CST Bureaux to ensure that the nomination process be completed by the end of June 2025. This notification is to inform all Parties to the UNCCD of the nomination process related to the IWG FSF, as presented below, and the need for the nomination of three members within each regional group. Interested Parties may communicate their desire to participate in the IWG FSF to the chair of their regional group, copy to the respective UNCCD liaison officer (contact information is contained in the attachment) by Monday 16 June 2025. In line with the TOR attached to this notification, the respective chairs are then called upon to select the final three IWG members from their regional group on the basis of the criteria listed in the TOR i.e. adhering to the request to ensure gender balance and have the policy, scientific and technical aspects of the Convention reflected as part of the expertise provided to the IWG from each region. Their submission should be sent to the secretariat no later than 27 June 2025. Upon receiving the names and contact details of the selected representatives from each regional group chair, the secretariat will contact the IWG members and post their names on the IWG FSF webpage. IWG members will then also be briefed on the next steps and timeline of the work of the IWG FSF. Please note that the IWG FSF will work in English only (documents and meetings). In line with the TOR of the IWG FSF as attached to this notification, IWG FSF will be composed as follows: Three representatives from each regional group (Three representatives from each the Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe, Western European and Other Countries group)One representative from civil society organizationsOne representative from international organizationsThree independent expertsPlease also note that this notification only deals with the nomination process of the regional representatives while the members from the civil society organizations, international organizations and the independent experts will be selected inter alia through an open call that will be published on the UNCCD website. Unless otherwise agreed by the IWG FSF, and depending on the availability of resources, the group will have three in-person meetings: one at the beginning of its work, another one immediately after the intersessional CRIC session, and one at the end for finalizing its report. The first meeting is tentatively planned to take place during the third quarter of 2025. Since the TOR specifies that membership of the IWG is done on the basis of UN regional groups, a list of membership of individual countries that belong to each group can be obtained through the website of the United Nations for ease of reference. Please also find attached the TOR as approved by the COP Bureau on 28 April 2025. In order to facilitate the nomination process, the regional chairs of the corresponding Convention’s implementation annexes, as listed below, will be requested to forward the final list of nominated members to the secretariat. Where we do not have an annex that corresponds with the composition of the UN regional group, the respective COP Bureau members/representatives, as listed below, will be approached, for providing the same service. 

Following a key decision at COP16 in Riyadh in December 2024, the process to shape the future direction of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is now officially underway. The COP Bureau has approved the Terms of Reference for the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Future Strategic Framework (IWG-FSF), paving the way for nominations. The IWG-FSF will lead the development of a post-2030 strategy for the Convention. Its mandate includes identifying key elements, including possible goals and targets, for the future strategic framework, and conducting a thorough analysis of the current indicators used in national reporting.  Building on the milestones of the 2018–2030 Strategic Framework, the IWG-FSF will also consider lessons from its midterm evaluation, insights from the IWG on Drought and broader UN indicators, such as the Sustainable Development Goals. Each regional annex will nominate three representatives. In addition, the group will include five technical experts: one each from civil society and international organizations and three independent experts. The deadline to nominate civil society representatives is 26 May 2025The deadline to nominate independent science experts is 13 June 2025The deadline to nominate regional representatives is 4 July 2025 Final appointments will be made within two months of the Terms of Reference approval. The approved Terms of Reference will be shared with Parties through the UNCCD national focal points and science and technology correspondents. The IWG-FSF is expected to deliver an interim progress report at the 23rd session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 23) in December 2025.  

Each year, the fashion industry produces over 60 million tonnes of clothing, making it a major contributor to global pollution and climate change—and deeply intertwined with the land it relies on. From fibre production to garment disposal, its impact on land, water and biodiversity is undeniable. Yet few realize that the very fibres in our clothing have profound effects on the land they come from. Over 40 per cent of textiles come from cotton and cellulosic fibres—crops that require intensive land and chemical use.Without intervention, the fashion industry is projected to use 35 per cent more land by 2030—an area equivalent to 115 million hectares—roughly the size of Ethiopia—highlighting the urgent need for sustainable land management practices.Beyond the connection between fashion and land, issues of land tenure and gender are crucial to driving meaningful change. Of the approximately 300 million people employed in fashion, women make up over 65 per cent of the industry’s workforce, particularly in the production stages. In rural areas, they play a vital role in growing, harvesting and processing the natural fibres that fuel the sector. Yet despite their contributions, only one in five landowners is a woman. Without secure land rights, women are often excluded from key decisions on how land is used and managed. Research shows, however, that when women do own the land they work on, they are more likely to invest in sustainable practices—helping to combat land degradation and adapt to climate challenges."Women comprise nearly half of the world’s agricultural workforce, producing 60–80 per cent of the food grown in developing countries, so are poised to lead on sustainable land management practices while keeping their families and communities fed. Despite their vital role, it is alarming to note that fewer than one in five landowners is female. Without land rights, women are not fully engaged in decisions on land use and management. However, studies show that when women own the land they work on, this encourages their dedication to land stewardship to fight land degradation and cope with climate shocks.” — UNCCD Her Land publicationIndigenous peoples, local communities and smallholder farmers are also disproportionately affected by land-use changes driven by fashion supply chains. These communities often lose access to ancestral lands and livelihoods to make way for cash crops and grazing pastures. As climate impacts and social inequalities deepen, a new narrative is emerging—one where gender equality, sustainable land management and circular production patterns intersect.Women-led initiatives are already at the forefront of this shift—advocating for responsible fibre production, promoting sustainable alternatives, improving labour conditions and empowering women, especially in rural and marginalized communities.One such initiative is Tujikuze—a women-led Kenyan enterprise focused on sustainable, circular fashion. By using locally sourced, biodegradable materials and empowering young women through training and employment, Tujikuze exemplifies how fashion can serve both people and the planet. Their model promotes community resilience, environmental stewardship and economic opportunity—showing that ethical fashion is not only possible but already in motion.Tujikuze was among the inspiring examples shared at the recent event “Women leading change: Shaping a sustainable future in fashion,”  held on the margins of the Regional Forum for Sustainable Development. Organized by the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion, UNECE, ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative, ILO, UNIDO, UNCCD and the UN Office for Partnerships, the event brought together global advocates and entrepreneurs to spotlight the transformative role of women in shaping a more equitable and sustainable fashion sector—and to highlight the industry’s deep connection to the land and natural resources.One central message was underscored: land degradation, gender injustice and unsustainable fashion are interconnected. A people-centered, land-conscious and gender-equal approach is essential to reversing the industry’s harm. Fashion can no longer be separated from the land that sustains it.To heal our relationship with nature, we must redesign our wardrobes from the ground up.

Bona, 7 de abril de 2025 – Acelerar os esforços para restaurar 1,5 mil milhões de hectares de terras degradadas em todo o mundo e impulsionar uma economia de restauração da terra avaliada em biliões de dólares será o foco do Dia da Desertificação e Seca deste ano, a ser celebrado a 17 de junho. O tema do Dia da Desertificação e Seca 2025, “Restaurar a Terra. Criar Oportunidades”, destaca os múltiplos benefícios associados à restauração da terra. Ibrahim Thiaw, Secretário Executivo da Convenção das Nações Unidas para o Combate à Desertificação (UNCCD), afirmou: "A degradação da terra e a seca são fatores de disrupção da economia, da estabilidade, da produção alimentar, da disponibilidade de água e da qualidade de vida. Estes fenómenos agravam as alterações climáticas, a perda de biodiversidade, a pobreza, a migração forçada e os conflitos pelo acesso a terras férteis e a recursos hídricos. A restauração da terra representa uma oportunidade única para reverter estas tendências alarmantes. Uma terra restaurada é uma terra de infinitas oportunidades. É tempo de as criar agora.” Uma terra saudável sustenta economias prósperas, sendo que mais de metade do PIB global depende da natureza. No entanto, este capital natural está a ser esgotado a um ritmo alarmante—cerca de 1 milhão de km² de terras produtivas e saudáveis, uma área equivalente ao tamanho do Egito, degradam-se a cada ano. À medida que a Década das Nações Unidas para a Restauração dos Ecossistemas (2021-2030) atinge o seu ponto intermédio, é essencial acelerar os esforços para transformar a degradação da terra em restauração em grande escala. Se as tendências atuais persistirem, será necessário restaurar 1,5 mil milhões de hectares de terra até 2030 para alcançar um mundo neutro em termos de degradação da terra. Até hoje, um milhão de hectares de terras degradadas foram destinados para restauração através de compromissos voluntários, como a Iniciativa Global de Restauração da Terra do G20, coordenada pela UNCCD. Devolver vida à terra gera inúmeros benefícios para as pessoas e para o meio ambiente. Cada dólar investido na recuperação de terras degradadas pode gerar entre 7 e 30 dólares em retornos económicos. No entanto, apesar do sólido argumento económico, este processo não está a ocorrer à escala e velocidade necessárias. De acordo com a mais recente avaliação das necessidades financeiras do Mecanismo Global da UNCCD, o mundo precisa de 1 bilhão de dólares por dia para combater a desertificação, a degradação da terra e a seca entre 2025 e 2030. Atualmente, os investimentos em restauração da terra e resiliência à seca situam-se em 66 mil milhões de dólares anuais, com o setor privado a contribuir com apenas 6% desse montante. "Precisamos de aumentar a ambição e os investimentos por parte dos governos e do setor privado. Apesar de os benefícios da restauração superarem amplamente os custos, são necessários investimentos iniciais de grande magnitude. Precisamos de desbloquear novas fontes de financiamento, criar empregos dignos no setor da terra e acelerar a inovação, ao mesmo tempo que aproveitamos os conhecimentos tradicionais", concluiu o Secretário Executivo da UNCCD, Ibrahim Thiaw. Sobre o Dia da Desertificação e à Seca Declarado oficialmente pela Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas em 1994 (A/RES/49/115), o Dia da Desertificação e à Seca, celebrado anualmente a 17 de junho, é uma ocasião única para destacar soluções práticas para combater a desertificação, a degradação da terra e a seca. Todos os anos, um país é escolhido para acolher as celebrações globais. O tema do Dia da Desertificação e à Seca 2025, é “Restaurar a Terra. Criar Oportunidades”, destacando os inúmeros benefícios associados à restauração da terra. Além do evento global principal, países e comunidades em todo o mundo organizam atividades para assinalar a data. As celebrações globais anteriores do Dia da Desertificação e à Seca tiveram lugar na Alemanha (2024), nos EUA (2023), em Espanha (2022), na Costa Rica (2021), na República da Coreia (2020), na Turquia (2019), no Equador (2018), no Burkina Faso (2017) e na China (2016).. Para mais informações, contacte: Gabinete de Imprensa da UNCCD press@unccd.int | www.unccd.int Sobre a UNCCD A Convenção das Nações Unidas para o Combate à Desertificação (UNCCD) é a principal referência global para a gestão sustentável da terra. Reúne governos, cientistas, decisores políticos, setor privado e comunidades em torno de uma visão partilhada e de ações concretas para restaurar e gerir as terras do planeta, garantindo um futuro sustentável para a humanidade e para o meio ambiente. Mais do que um tratado internacional assinado por 197 Partes, a UNCCD representa um compromisso multilateral para mitigar os impactos da degradação da terra e promover a sua restauração, assegurando alimentos, água, abrigo e oportunidades económicas para todos, de forma equitativa e inclusiva.  

In Morocco’s rural communities, women are on the front lines of a growing crisis. As desertification advances, their daily lives become harder, fields produce less, water becomes scarcer and work grows more distant.

On the outskirts of Jimma, Ethiopia, a modest tree nursery is thriving against all odds. Here, vibrant green seedlings have sprouted from soil once rendered barren by relentless droughts. Hussein, a local farmer, walks among rows of avocado, banana and papaya seedlings, each symbolizing a new beginning for his family. “These trees are an important source of hope and pride for us,” he says, his voice a mix of pride and relief. This land has endured severe droughts for decades, with erratic rainfall extending the dry season and turning the soil to dust. But in Jimma, an agroforestry project offers a beacon of stability rooted in the soil.The path to Jimma’s environmental rejuvenation commenced with a thorough evaluation of its degraded soil, which had suffered from years of intensive agriculture and persistent droughts. This initiative, the Greening Drylands Partnership, bolstered by the Changwon Initiative, launched by the Republic of Korea during the UNCCD COP10 in 2011, aiming to support the global target of a land degradation-neutral world. Financial backing was provided by the Korea Forest Service through the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). They conducted extensive soil sampling throughout the region to assess nutrient and moisture levels and thus the resilience of the soil. Encouragingly, despite its depletion, Jimma’s soil showed potential; with proper care, it was capable of supporting new life.Hussein was one of the first to volunteer, intrigued by the idea that trees could provide benefits beyond his seasonal crops. At first, he didn’t believe trees could survive in this kind of soil, he admits. “We had always relied on corn and tomatoes, but when the drought came, they just dried up.” Today, he stands in the middle of his orchard, surveying the lush canopy that now protects his land. His fruit trees, once tiny saplings, have grown sturdy, their roots reaching deep into the earth. Where corn and peppers once struggled, avocado and banana trees thrive, providing a steady income he’d never imagined. In the past four months alone, he has earned about 72,000 Ethiopian Birr (about $1,300) from fruit sales. For Hussein, the change is more than financial. Hussein is not alone in this transformation. His neighbor, Mohammed, and women’s collectives have also joined the agroforestry project, moving from annual crops to a permanent orchard. They have seen a steady income and now employ other villagers to help with the harvest, extending the project’s impact beyond his land.Jimma’s agroforestry success is part of a larger movement. Across Ethiopia, the Green Legacy Initiative, a national reforestation campaign launched in 2019, has inspired communities to plant trees and protect natural resources. The program has surpassed its initial goal of planting 20 billion trees, setting the country on a path to reverse decades of environmental degradation. The Greening Drylands Partnership, with its direct economic benefits, demonstrates the potential to combine reforestation with income generation, giving struggling farmers a reason to protect their land.In Jimma, agroforestry is gaining traction as a movement, guided by farmers like Hussein, who recognize the importance of selecting the right seeds, planted with care, to ensure resilience.Ethiopia’s droughts persist. Each year, as temperatures rise and rains fail, the country faces increasing pressure to adapt. However, the farmers of Jimma have demonstrated that adaptation is not a matter of surrender. Through agroforestry, they have found a way to thrive in conditions that once seemed impossible. They are actively engaged in reshaping their future, planting trees with a sense of urgency and dedication, as if their very survival depends on it.The roots of resilience are spreading, offering a roadmap for other drought-prone regions in the Horn of Africa and beyond. It serves as a reminder that sometimes the most powerful solution is already present and waiting within our communities.