Other meetings & events

As the he United Nations Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms unfolds, the issue of SDS and human health is certain to gain prominence on the agenda of the seventy-eighth session of the World Health Assembly.  Every year, an estimated 2 billion tonnes of sand and dust, an amount equal in weight to 350 Great Pyramids of Giza, enter the atmosphere. Crossing borders silently and impacting millions globally, sand and dust storms are the 'underappreciated' extreme weather events, yet they profoundly affect the environment and the lives of hundreds of millions worldwide, across all continents.

The World Bank Land Conference has catalyzed the global land community for over 20 years. The Conference is the premier global forum for the land sector, bringing together over 1 000 participants from governments, development partners, civil society, academia and the private sector to showcase policy-relevant research, discuss technical issues and sector good practice and inform our dialogue. The Conference also aims to encourage cross-sectoral knowledge exchange and has incubated numerous investments, initiatives, and research projects led by diverse stakeholders, including the Voluntary Guidelines, the Land Governance Assessment Framework and the Stand for Her Land Campaign. More info here.

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.