Press releases

Two billion tons of sand and dust, equal in weight to 350 Great Pyramids of Giza, enter the atmosphere every year; UNCCD experts attribute over 25% of the problem to human activities Wreaks havoc from Northern and Central Asia to sub-Saharan Africa; Health impacts poorly understood Sand and dust storms are an underappreciated problem now “dramatically” more frequent in some places worldwide, with at least 25% of the phenomenon attributed to human activities, according to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Accompanied by policy recommendations, the warning comes as a five-day meeting takes place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan to take stock of global progress in the Convention’s implementation.  The UNCCD is one of three Conventions originated at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The other two address climate change (UNFCCC) and biodiversity (UN CBD). The meeting, 13-17 November (https://www.unccd.int/cric21), includes a high-level session on 15 November hosted by the Government of Uzbekistan on ways to address the impacts of sand and dust storms on global agriculture, industry, transportation, water and air quality, and human health. Says Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD’s Executive Secretary: “The sight of rolling dark clouds of sand and dust engulfing everything in their path and turning day into night is one of nature’s most intimidating spectacles.  It is a costly phenomenon that wreaks havoc everywhere from Northern and Central Asia to sub-Saharan Africa.” “Sand and dust storms present a formidable challenge to achieving sustainable development. However, just as sand and dust storms are exacerbated by human activities, they can also be reduced through human actions,” adds Thiaw. While sand and dust storms (SDS) are a regionally common and seasonal natural phenomenon, the problem is exacerbated by poor land and water management, droughts, and climate change, according to UNCCD experts. And fluctuations in their intensity, magnitude, or duration “can make SDS unpredictable and dangerous.” With impacts far beyond the source regions, an estimated 2 billion tons of sand and dust now enters the atmosphere every year, an amount equal in weight to 350 Great Pyramids of Giza.  In some areas, desert dust doubled in the last century. “Sand and dust storms (SDS) have become increasingly frequent and severe having substantial transboundary impacts, affecting various aspects of the environment, climate, health, agriculture, livelihoods and the socioeconomic well-being of individuals.  The accumulation of impacts from sand and dust storms can be significant,” says Feras Ziadat, Technical Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), Chair of the UN Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms. “In source areas, they damage crops, affect livestock, and strip topsoil. In depositional areas atmospheric dust, especially in combination with local industrial pollution, can cause or worsen human health problems such as respiratory diseases. Communications, power generation, transport, and supply chains can also be disrupted by low visibility and dust-induced mechanical failures. The United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms, currently chaired by FAO, was created in 2019 to lead global efforts to tackle SDS.” In their Sand and Dust Storms Compendium and accompanying SDS Toolbox (https://www.unccd.int/land-and-life/sand-and-dust-storms/toolbox), UNCCD, FAO and partners offer guidance on approaches and methodologies for collecting and assessing SDS data, monitoring and early warning, impact mitigation and preparedness, and source mapping and anthropogenic source mitigation at sub-national, national, regional and global levels. The SDS discussion forms part of the agenda of this year’s meeting in Uzbekistan of the UNCCD’s Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 21) and global progress in delivering the Convention’s strategic objectives. It marks the first time since its establishment that UNCCD has convened one of its most significant meetings in Central Asia. The meeting comes at a critical juncture, as recent statistics published via UNCCD’s new data dashboard (https://data.unccd.int/) shows the world now losing nearly 1 million square kilometers of healthy and productive land every year – some 4.2 million square kilometers between 2015-2019, or roughly the combined area of five Central Asian nations: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. During the meeting (at 18:00 local time / 13:00 GMT, Tuesday 14 November) UNCCD and FAO experts will launch three reports: Sand and dust storms. A guide to mitigation, adaptation, policy and risk management measures in agriculture Contingency planning process for catalysing investments and actions to enhance resilience against sand and dust storms in agriculture in the Islamic Republic of Iran and Preparing for sand and dust storm contingency planning with herding communities: a case study on Mongolia Other items on the CRIC 21 agenda include promoting sustainable land management, ensuring fair land rights for women, and tackling droughts and wildfires exacerbated by climate change and environmental degradation. * * * * * Background: Sand and dust storms Sand and dust storms (SDS) are known by many local names: the sirocco, haboob, yellow dust, white storms, or the harmattan. While SDS can fertilize both land and marine ecosystems, they also present a range of hazards to human health, livelihoods and the environment. SDS events typically originate in low-latitude drylands and sub-humid areas where vegetation cover is sparse or absent. They can also occur in other environments, including agricultural and high-latitude areas in humid regions, when specific wind and atmospheric conditions coincide. SDS events can have substantial transboundary impacts, over thousands of kilometers. Unified and coherent global and regional policy responses are needed, especially to address source mitigation, early warning systems, and monitoring. SDS often have significant economic impacts: for example, they cost the oil sector in Kuwait an estimated US$ 190 million annually, while a single SDS event in 2009 resulted in damage estimated at US$ 229 - 243 million in Australia. The major global sources of mineral dust are in the northern hemisphere across North Africa, the Middle East and East Asia. In the southern hemisphere, Australia, South America and Southern Africa are the main dust sources. More than 80% of Central Asia is covered by deserts and steppes which, coupled with climate change and lasting droughts, represent a major natural source of sand and dust storms. The dried-up Aral Sea is a major source of SDS, emitting more than 100 million tons of dust and poisonous salts every year, impacting the health not just of the people living in the vicinity, but far beyond and generating annual losses of US$ 44 million.  Recognition of SDS as a disaster risk appears to be high in North-East Asia, parts of West Asia and North America but less prominent elsewhere. Low recognition of SDS as a disaster risk is likely due to the lack (in many cases) of significant immediate direct human fatalities or injuries from individual SDS events, and limited consolidated documentation on their long-term health, economic or other impacts. SDS and health SDS can be life-threatening for individuals with adverse health conditions. Fine dust particles are carried to high tropospheric levels (up to a few kilometres high) where winds can transport them over long distances. The health implications of SDS have been under increased investigation for decades, with most studies conducted in East Asia, Europe and the Middle East. There has been a lack of studies in West Africa. A particular focus of this research has been SDS modification of air pollution. The cause-and-effect between sand and dust in the atmosphere and health outcomes remains unclear and requires more extensive study.  What can be said is that at-risk members of a population, especially those with pre-existing cardiopulmonary issues, including childhood asthma, may have a higher mortality or morbidity rate during a dust storm. SDS can also impose major costs on the agricultural sector through crop destruction or reduced yield, animal death or lower yields of milk or meat, and damage to infrastructure. For annual crops, losses are due to burial of seedlings or crops under sand deposits, loss of plant tissue and reduced photosynthetic activity as a result of sandblasting. This can lead to complete crop loss in a region or reduced yield. There may also be a longer-term effect on some perennial crops due to tree or crop damage (such as lucerne/alfalfa crowns being damaged). On a positive note, SDS dust can contain soil nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as organic carbon. Some places benefit from this nutrient deposition on land, and mineral and nutrient deposition on water, particularly ocean bodies. When deposited, these can provide nutrients to downwind crop or pasture areas.  These limited benefits, however, are far outweighed by the harms done. Globally, the main large dust sources are dried lakes; local sources include glacial outwash plains, volcanic ash zones and recently plowed fields. The multi-faceted, cross-sectoral and transnational impacts of SDS directly affect 11 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals yet global recognition of SDS as a hazard is generally low due in part to the complexity and seasonally cumulative impact of SDS, coupled with limited data. Insufficient information and impact assessments hinder effective decision-making and planning to effectively address SDS sources and impacts.   UNCCD helps governments create policies to promote the scaling-up of sustainable land management practices and to find and use the latest science to develop and implement effective mitigation policies. Working with The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia, UNCCD assists countries vulnerable to drought and sand and dust storms in Central Asia to develop and implement risk reduction strategies at national and regional level. UNCCD encourages countries to adopt a comprehensive risk reduction strategy with monitoring and early warning systems to improve preparedness and resilience to these environmental disasters. Among the measures most needed are A multi-sectoral approach bolstered by information-sharing, short- and long-term interventions, engaging multiple stakeholders, and raising awareness of SDS. Land restoration, using soil and water management practices to protect soils and increase vegetative cover, which have been shown to significantly reduce the extent and vulnerability of source areas, and reduce the intensity of typical SDS events. Early warning and monitoring, building on up-to-date risk knowledge, and forecasting, with all stakeholders (including at-risk populations) participating to ensure that warnings are provided in a timely and targeted manner Impact mitigation, through preparedness to reduce vulnerability, increase resilience, and enables a timely, effective response to SDS events * * * * * About The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is an international agreement on good land stewardship. It helps people, communities and countries create wealth, grow economies and secure enough food, clean water and energy by ensuring land users an enabling environment for sustainable land management. Through partnerships, the Convention’s 197 parties set up robust systems to manage drought promptly and effectively. Good land stewardship based on sound policy and science helps integrate and accelerate achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, builds resilience to climate change and prevents biodiversity loss. The UNCCD Secretariat led the creation of the SDS Compendium document in collaboration with the UNCCD Science-Policy Interface (SPI), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN Women, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and external experts and partners.

New UN data warns land is degrading faster than we can restore it Healthy land the size of Central Asia degraded since 2015 around the world UNCCD meets in Uzbekistan to review global progress towards ending land loss Samarkand, 13 November 2023 – At the opening of its first-ever meeting held in Central Asia, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) unveils new data showing land degradation rapidly advancing in the region and around the world. Between 2015 and 2019, the world lost at least 100 million hectares of healthy and productive land each year. This adds up to 420 million hectares, or 4.2 million square kilometres, slightly over the combined area of five Central Asian nations: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. These statistics underscore the need for urgent action, as escalating land degradation continues to destabilize markets, communities, and ecosystems around the globe. According to the latest UN data, over 20 per cent of the total land area in Central Asia is degraded, equivalent to roughly 80 million hectares, an area almost four times the size of Kyrgyzstan. This affects an estimated 30 per cent of the region’s combined population. The UNCCD Data Dashboard launch comes at a critical juncture as world leaders and experts are gathering in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 13-17 November 2023 for the 21st session of the UNCCD Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 21). For the first time, an open Data Dashboard compiles national reporting figures from 126 countries, allowing users to explore the trends in their own regions and countries. UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said: “The first-ever UNCCD Data Dashboard offers an eye-opening insight into rapid loss of healthy and productive land around the world, with dire consequences for billions of people. At the same time, we are seeing some ‘brightspots’—countries effectively tackling desertification, land degradation and drought. As we gather in Uzbekistan this week to review global progress towards ending land loss, the message is clear: land degradation demands immediate attention.” Land restoration ‘brightspots’ Despite a bleak global picture, there are examples of countries effectively tackling desertification, land degradation and drought. While Uzbekistan reported the highest proportion of degraded land in the Central Asia region, it also saw the largest decrease – from 30 per cent to 26 per cent – compared to 2015. A total of 3 million hectares of land in Uzbekistan have been degraded due to the drying of the Aral Sea. Between 2018-2022, Uzbekistan carried out saxaul planting on an area of 1.6 million ha to eliminate salt and dust emissions from the drained bottom of the Aral Sea. Kazakhstan increased irrigated lands by 40 per cent, expanding the total irrigated area to 2 million hectares. In Kyrgyzstan, some 120,000 hectares of pastures and forests are now under sustainable land management, including a pasture rotation system. Turkmenistan committed to restoring 160,000 hectares under its national ‘greening the desert’ initiative by 2025. Land Degradation Neutrality goal still within reach Although land degradation varies by region, UNCCD data warns that if current trends persist a staggering 1.5 billion hectares of land will need to be restored globally by 2030 to reach targets enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Barron Orr, UNCCD Chief Scientist, said: “Although global trends are going in the wrong direction, it is still possible to not only meet but exceed land degradation neutrality goals. This can be done by stopping further degradation while accelerating efforts on existing commitments to restore one billion hectares of land by 2030 with funding and action hand-in-hand.” Around the world, approximately USD$ 5 billion in bilateral and multilateral funding flowed into global efforts to combat desertification, land degradation and drought between 2016 and 2019. This helped 124 nations roll out a wide range of projects aimed at addressing these challenges. All Central Asian nations have joined the LDN target-setting programme under UNCCD, bringing the total number of participating countries to 131. Half of the LDN targets set by countries in Central Asia have already been achieved, with projects to deliver on the rest of the commitments currently underway. Notes to editors For interviews and enquires please contact: press@unccd.int and/or unccd@portland-communications.com To access the UNCCD’s Data Dashboard please click here: https://data.unccd.int/ For any enquires on data and methodology, please write to reporting@unccd.int. The data related to land degradation (i.e. SDG indicator 15.3.1) is compiled in global and aggregate form from 115 country reports and 52 country-estimates drawn from global data sources.  For other indicators, the data is compiled in global and aggregate form "as received" from 126 Parties in their 2022 UNCCD national reports. Therefore, the facts present a partial estimate of progress at the global and regional level, in terms of the status and trends in these indicators/metrics, as not all Parties have reported all indicators. The information presented should in no way be interpreted as a comprehensive global or regional assessment of status and trends in the indicators/metrics. More information about the 21st session of the UNCCD Committee on the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC21): https://www.unccd.int/cric21 Accredited media representatives are invited to attend and report on CRIC21 and associated events. Field visits where journalists can see land restoration and drought resilience projects will take place immediately prior to CRIC21. Online registration for media representatives is available at the following link: www.unccd.int/cric-21-online-registration. About UNCCD The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner.

Abidjan, Beijing, Cairo, November 3, 2023  – For the first time ever, the Presidents of the last Conference of Parties (COP) of each of the three Rio Conventions have decided to join forces. With three weeks to go before the opening of COP28 in Dubai, the Presidents: Underlined the urgency of the situation and the inextricable links between climate change, desertification and loss of biodiversity; Called for a coordinated approach both at international and national levels to tackle these issues in a holistic way; Pleaded for more cooperation between the three COPs and their secretariats; And asked for urgent, concrete, measures to protect the world population, environment, lands and biodiversity to ensure a sustainable future for new generations. They did so in a historic joint declaration released today, signed by: Alain-Richard Donwahi, former Minister of Water and Forestry of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and President of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification’s COP15 (UNCCD) Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt and President of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s COP27 (UNFCCC) Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China and President of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP15 (CBD) At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio in 1992, the international community decided to create three different conventions to fight climate change, halt desertification and prevent loss of biodiversity. However, as these three phenomena accelerate, the interconnections between them amplify, creating a vicious circle. Breaking this vicious circle requires a holistic vision and a coordinated approach. With this common declaration, the three Presidents hope to open a new chapter in the fight against climate change, desertification and biodiversity loss, one of coordinated efforts to face the urgency. About UNCCD’s COP15 The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) brings together leaders from the Convention's signatory countries, the private sector, NGOs and civil society. It aims to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought, promote sustainable land management, rehabilitate and restore degraded lands and ecosystems, mobilize financial resources, develop technologies to support affected countries, and strengthen international cooperation and partnerships to address these phenomena. Like the COP on biodiversity, the COP on desertification meets every two years. Its last major meeting was held in May 2022 in Abidjan. From the previous summit until the next held in Riyadh for December 2024, the COP on Desertification has been chaired by the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, represented by Alain-Richard Donwahi. Media contacts: Emilie Villemin +33 6 81 11 68 06  COP15Desertification(at)apcoworldwide.com

联合国最新数据警示，土地退化速度快于恢复速度 非洲、亚洲和拉丁美洲的土地退化在加速 下月将在乌兹别克斯坦审查全球遏制土地退化的进展情况 2023年10月24日，波恩--《联合国防治荒漠化公约》（UNCCD）宣布首次推出 "数据仪表盘"（Data Dashboard），汇集了126个国家的国家报告数据， 揭示了全球所有区域的退化土地都在以惊人的速度扩展。 从 2015 年到 2019 年，全球每年至少丧失 1 亿公顷健康的高产土地，相当于格陵兰岛面积的两倍。这些数据突出了采取紧急行动的必要性，因为不断升级的土地退化将继续破坏全球市场、社区和生态系统的稳定性。 《联合国防治荒漠化公约》数据仪表盘的发布正值关键时刻，世界各国领导人和专家将于 2023 年 11 月 13 日至 17 日齐聚乌兹别克斯坦撒马尔罕，参加《联合国防治荒漠化公约》履约审查委员会第 21 届会议（CRIC 21）。与会代表将审议全球在实现土地退化零增长（LDN）方面取得的进展，并探讨加强抗旱能力、促进妇女的土地权利以及防治沙尘暴等紧迫问题。 《联合国防治荒漠化公约》执行秘书易卜拉欣.蒂奥 指出"首次发布的《联合国防治荒漠化公约》‘数据仪表盘’为我们提供了更宽广的视野，让我们了解到世界各地健康和富饶的土地正在迅速丧失，给数十亿人带来了严重后果。同时，我们也看到了'亮点'—一些国家正在有效地解决荒漠化、土地退化和干旱问题。当我们下个月齐聚乌兹别克斯坦审查全球在遏制土地退化方面取得的进展时，信息是明确的：需要立即关注土地退化问题。 区域差异 《联合国防治荒漠化公约》数据仪表盘反映了全球范围内令人担忧的现实，并揭示了各区域退化土地比例的显著差异。 东亚、中亚以及拉丁美洲和加勒比地区的退化最为严重，至少占其土地总面积的 20%。 与此同时，撒哈拉以南非洲、西亚和南亚以及拉丁美洲和加勒比地区的土地退化速度高于全球平均水平。 值得注意的是，2015年以来，撒哈拉以南非洲以及拉丁美洲和加勒比地区分别有1.63亿公顷和1.08亿公顷的土地退化。 土地恢复“亮点” 尽管全球形势不容乐观，但仍有一些国家有效地解决了荒漠化、土地退化和干旱问题。 在撒哈拉以南非洲，博茨瓦纳将土地退化面积从 36%减少到了 17%。该国已承诺使 4 530 万公顷的土地不再出现退化，其中既包括避免进一步退化的措施，也包括在选定的土地退化热点地区采取恢复措施。博茨瓦纳还报告了 142 万公顷的 "亮点 "地区，即通过开展适当补救活动而得到恢复的地区。 在多米尼加共和国，退化土地的比例在2015年至2019年期间从49%降至31%，目前正在努力恢复北雅克河流域和圣弗朗西斯科德马科里斯省可可生产区的24万公顷土地。 虽然乌兹别克斯坦报告的退化土地比例（26.1%）在中亚地区最高，但与2015年相比，其降幅也最大，从30%降至26%。由于咸海干涸，乌兹别克斯坦共有 300 万公顷土地退化。2018年至2022年期间，乌兹别克斯坦在160万公顷的土地上进行了沙棘种植，以消除咸海干涸底部的盐分和灰尘排放。 土地退化零增长目标依然可期 尽管不同地区的土地退化趋势各不相同，但《联合国防治荒漠化公约》的数据警告说，如果目前的趋势持续下去，到2030年，全球将需要恢复15亿公顷的退化土地，才能实现可持续发展目标（SDGs）中的土地退化零增长目标。 《联合国防治荒漠化公约》首席科学家巴伦-奥尔说："尽管全球趋势正朝着错误的方向发展，但我们仍然有可能不仅实现而且超越土地退化零增长的目标。要做到这一点，就必须遏制进一步的退化，同时加快履行现有承诺，在资金和行动并举的情况下，到2030年恢复10亿公顷土地。 109 个国家已经制定了到2030年实现土地退化零增长的自愿目标，另有21个国家正在制定这一目标。在2016 年至2019 年期间，约50亿美元的双边和多边资金已投入全球防治荒漠化、土地退化和干旱的努力。这些资金帮助124个国家推出了一系列项目，旨在实现土地退化零增长，应对荒漠化、土地退化和干旱带来的挑战。 编辑须知 采访和查询请联系： press@unccd.int  和/或 unccd@portland-communications.com  要访问《联合国防治荒漠化公约》数据仪表盘，请单击此处： https://data.unccd.int/   有关数据和方法的任何问题，请致函 reporting@unccd.int 。 这些数据是根据126 个缔约方在其 2022 年《联合国防治荒漠化公约》国家报告中 "提供的 "数据进行全球汇总和集合而成。由于并非所有缔约方都报告了所有指标，本数据反应的事实仅指根据这些已报告的指标/衡量标准的现状和趋势，对全球和区域一级进展情况的部分估计。该数据所提供的信息不应被解释为对所有指标/衡量标准的状况和趋势的全球或地区的综合评估。 有关《防治荒漠化公约》履约审查委员会第 21 届会议（CRIC21）的更多信息见： https://www.unccd.int/cric21  邀请经认可的媒体代表出席并报道审评委第二十一届会议及相关活动。在CRIC21召开前夕，将组织记者实地考察土地恢复和抗旱项目。 媒体代表可通过以下链接进行在线注册： www.unccd.int/cric-21-online-registration 。 关于《联合国防治荒漠化公约》 《联合国防治荒漠化公约》（UNCCD）是全球土地的愿景和代言人。我们将各国政府、科学家、决策者、私营部门和社区团结在一个共同愿景和全球行动周围，为人类和地球的可持续发展恢复和管理世界土地。《防治荒漠化公约》不仅仅是一项由 197 个缔约方签署的国际条约，它还是一项多边承诺，旨在减轻当今土地退化的影响，促进未来的土地管理，从而以公平和包容的方式为所有人提供食物、水、住房和经济机会。

Acknowledging that severe drought affects Africa more than any other continent, leaders at the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi have put forward a common vision for drought resilience in the run up to the next climate and desertification summits — UNFCCC COP28 in November 2023 and UNCCD COP16 in December 2024. The objective is to reduce the costs of future droughts for societies and economies through strategic investments in sustainable land and water management.

联合国将于2023年11月13日至17日在乌兹别克斯坦撒马尔罕召开会议，应对土地迅速退化和干旱加剧问题。  波恩/撒马尔罕，2023年9月13日--《联合国防治荒漠化公约》（UNCCD）自成立以来首次在中亚召开正式会议。公约执行情况审查委员会第二十一届会议（CRIC 21）将揭示全球土地退化和干旱的最新趋势，并审查各国在土地恢复方面的进展情况。  这次会议的召开正当全球极端天气事件增多的关键时刻，欧洲和北美洲发生历史性的热浪和野火，非洲之角遭遇反复雨季歉收，亚洲出现了毁灭性的洪水、季风和气旋。土地退化助长了这些气候变化和灾害，同时土地退化也因其而加剧。  《联合国防治荒漠化公约》执行秘书易卜拉欣-蒂奥说： "我们正处于维系陆地生命的关键时刻。我们在世界各地目睹的干旱、野火和热浪是气候和自然危机不断加深和相互关联的表现，而土地则是这两种危机的核心。自2015 年以来，全球已丧失约 400 万平方公里的健康和高产土地，其面积约相当于中亚区域面积的总和。我们必须紧急遏制进一步的土地退化并恢复至少 10 亿公顷的土地，以实现到 2030 年的全球土地目标"。  本次会议将于 2023 年 11 月 13 日至 17 日在乌兹别克斯坦撒马尔罕的丝绸之路撒马尔罕会议中心举行。11 月 15 日将举办关于沙尘暴的高级别活动。乌兹别克斯坦及周边国家和地区是沙尘暴多发区，近年来，沙尘暴发生频率和严重程度更不断加剧。此外，《联合国防治荒漠化公约》性别核心小组将于 11 月 14 日召集国际专家讨论妇女的土地权利，这是全球土地恢复和抗旱努力取得成功的先决条件。  根据联合国的最新数据，2015年至2019年期间，每年至少有1亿公顷健康的生产性土地退化，影响全球的粮食和水安全，直接威胁13亿人的生活。  四年退化土地总和达 4.2 亿公顷，或 420 万平方公里，略高于中亚五国： 哈萨克斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦、塔吉克斯坦、土库曼斯坦和乌兹别克斯坦的总面积。如果目前的趋势继续，到 2030 年，需要恢复总面积为15 亿公顷的土地，才能实现土地退化零增长。或者，阻止任何新的土地退化发生，加快兑现现有承诺，恢复 10 亿公顷的土地，也可以超越土地退化零增长目标。  CRIC 21将审查《公约》战略目标的实施进展情况，这些目标包括促进可持续土地管理、建设干旱恢复力、支持妇女在可持续农业中发挥领导作用，以及解决因土地退化和气候变化而造成的被迫移民问题。会议将汇集来自《联合国防治荒漠化公约》196 个缔约国和欧盟的代表，以及民间社会、学术界和国际组织的代表。  编辑须知

Innovative finance imperative to unlock the social, economic, environmental, and risk-reduction benefits of drought preparedness  Bonn/Stockholm, 22 August 2023 – Preparing for droughts, instead of waiting until they strike, saves lives and livelihoods. Building drought resilience comes with an array of social and environmental co-benefits, and the economic returns are between 2 and 10 times bigger than the initial investment, according to new analysis by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).  The policy brief ‘Investing in resilience: Innovative finance for drought preparedness’, demonstrates that enhancing resilience is one of the most cost-effective actions countries can take, and is typically far less expensive than interventions focused on responding to the impacts of droughts. But innovative financing mechanisms such as insurance schemes, risk pools, and government issued bonds are essential to fund the necessary long-term investments.  The Spanish Deputy Prime Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, H.E. Teresa Ribera, said: “As we know too well in Mediterranean countries, drought can devastate vital economic sectors such as agriculture and tourism. Our planet reached the hottest month on record in July: a reminder that investing in early warning systems and better land and water management is not a choice, but an existential imperative.”    The Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry of Kenya, H.E Soipan Tuya, noted: “With the Africa Climate Summit just days away, the need to invest in drought resilience becomes both urgent and clearer. By building our preparedness to drought, we also pave the way for a resilient tomorrow that echoes our commitment to combat climate challenges and chart a course toward prosperity for Africa and the world.”   Mobilizing investments in drought resilience is a key pillar of the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA), a growing coalition of more than 30 countries and 20 institutions driving drought resilience in the face of climate change that is hosted by UNCCD.   Benefits beyond mitigating risk  Investing in drought resilience comes with a triple dividend: it helps avoid future losses; reduces risk, boosting productivity and innovation; and can improve human health, rural livelihoods, soil and water quality and climate change adaptation, among other benefits. For example, improving early warning systems and weather forecasts could save 23,000 lives and up to USD2 billion in developing countries every year.   According to the brief, sound economic evidence is essential for decision- and policy-making. An investment of USD 1.8 trillion in resilience and adaptation, focused on five priority areas from 2020 to 2030, could generate USD 7.1 trillion in total net benefits. Also, for every USD 1 spent in building resilience there could be up to USD 3 in benefits from reduced need for humanitarian aid and avoided losses.  Innovative finance solutions  Despite all multiple benefits, the costs of drought to societies and economies are often underestimated and investments in drought resilience are insufficient. Over the past decade, for instance, the official development assistance linked to disasters reached USD 141 billion, but only 5 per cent was allocated to preparedness.   The public sector will continue to be a major source of finance for drought resilience, meaning that governments must both make a more effective use of existing resources and increase available funding through innovative finance options.   The policy brief encourages governments to incorporate drought preparedness into existing financing plans, and to leverage a mix of financial strategies such as national disaster funds, credit lines, social protection programmes and weather-indexed insurances.   Policies, regulations and environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards can make it easier for private actors to invest in adaptation and resilience while staying competitive, and blended finance arrangements can draw on public resources to de-risk private investment.  UNCCD’s Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said: “Droughts are one of the world’s costliest and deadliest natural hazards, and they are hitting harder and faster because of climate change. Decision-makers must urgently leverage innovative financing mechanisms to boost resilience and deliver new economic opportunities for their countries, communities and companies.”  Notes to editors  Access the policy brief and its recommendations for governments, development partners, financial institutions and businesses here.  For media related inquires please contact the UNCCD Press Office: press@unccd.int  About UNCCD   The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner.  About IDRA  IDRA is the first global coalition creating political momentum and mobilizing financial and technical resources for a drought-resilient future. As a growing platform of more than 30 countries and 20 institutions, IDRA draws on the collective strengths of its members to advance policies, actions, and capacity-building for drought preparedness, acknowledging we are only as resilient to drought and climate change as our land is. The work of IDRA is aligned with, and supportive of, the mandate of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which hosts the IDRA Secretariat. 

24 July 2023 – HEALV3RSE,a groundbreaking new game promoting real-world action for the planet, launches today on Metaverse.   HEALV3RSE, which brings together the worlds of gaming and sustainability, invites players to become the heroes our planet desperately needs. It takes players on an epic journey through captivating realms, each representing a vital element of our planet's wellbeing. From the fiery depths of the Fire Kingdom to the enchanting expanses of the Oceanic Realm, players will face challenges, solve puzzles, and embark on missions to heal the planet. As the players advance through the game, they discover facts about drylands and the challenges of desertification, making educated choices to restore these unique and vulnerable ecosystems by planting trees.  What sets HEALV3RSE apart is the unique integration of player avatars actually performing healing actions within the game, such as planting trees, conducting ocean cleanups, or installing solar panels. This interactive feature, which the creators call ‘Play to Heal’, brings a sense of empowerment to the gameplay experience.  The Game, which launches with an accompanying digital Avatar collection, was created by Code Green in support of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). It was developed in partnership with The Sandbox and , designed in collaboration with Interactive Studio.  "HEALV3RSE's innovative approach is a game-changer. By merging gaming with sustainability, it amplifies the urgency of combating land loss and inspires action. This aligns with UNCCD's goals and proves that everyone can contribute to the health of our planet in their own unique ways," - said Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary.  "We are thrilled to present HEALV3RSE to the world," said Inna Modja, Code Green’s CEO and UNCCD Goodwill Ambassador. "Our goal is to inspire players to take action and make a positive impact on the planet. Through immersive gameplay and the captivating artworks, we aim to ignite a global movement of healers who understand the urgency of healing our Earth."  The Sandbox said: ‘’The Sandbox is proud to announce its partnership with Code Green, a Web3 non-profit foundation supporting social, climate, and gender justice causes. Code Green’s origins go back to the worldʼs largest land restoration movement — Africa's Great Green Wall. ‘’  A portion of the proceeds from the digital avatar collection will be used to deliver free inspiration sessions with experts, activists and artists for anyone who wants to learn more about desertification, climate action and web3 technology.   Those who support the new HEALV3RSE by purchasing special avatars will be also generating funds for one of the projects along the Great Green Wall — a game-changing African-led initiative to restore the continent’s degraded landscapes and transform millions of lives in the Sahel.    HEALV3RSE is available to access via The Sandbox metaverse.  Trailer for HEALV3RSE in The Sandbox  For more information press@unccd.int About the UN Convention to Combat Desertification  The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner.  Goodwill Ambassadors inspire the public and decision-makers to take practical actions and drive policies to achieve the Convention’s mission to promote sustainable land stewardship. They also help advance efforts to reduce poverty and promote gender equality, especially among climate-vulnerable, land-dependent populations  About Code Green  Code Green is a mission-driven web3 organization, harnessing the power of art and blockchain technology to spark a healing revolution for the planet.   Inna Modja, CEO of Code Green, is a Malian actress, singer and environmental activist, and Goodwill Ambassador for the UNCCD. www.codegreen.earth @codegreen_nft  About The Sandbox  The Sandbox is a leading decentralized gaming platform where players can create, own, and monetize virtual worlds and gaming experiences.   About Interactive Studio  Interactive Studio offers comprehensive support to help brands establish themselves in the ever-changing world of Web3 and gaming.  

United Nations General Assembly event to mark Desertification and Drought Day brings together leaders to advance gender equality and land restoration goals.New York, 17 June 2023 – Women leaders from around the world took centre stage at the United Nations General Assembly calling for women’s land rights at a music-filled event to mark Desertification and Drought Day.Speakers from countries as diverse as Canada to Chad, Iceland to Lesotho, shared their experiences and explained how droughts, land degradation and desertification are disproportionately impacting the women and girls in their communities.United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said: “We depend on land for our survival. Yet, we treat it like dirt.” He blamed unsustainable farming for eroding soil 100 times faster than natural processes can restore them and said 40% of land is now degraded.Speaking passionately about the generations of farmers in his family, Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, said: “The data could not be clearer. When women farmers have access to own land, they grow more and so do their children and nations. Together, these positive shifts in women’s empowerment have a ripple effect on income, and children’s welfare.”United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed said: “On this Desertification and Drought Day, our message is simple: we must finally recognize and value women as owners, managers of our lands and of our resources, and we must invest in the fight against climate change. Women make up the majority of rural farmers, but less than 15% of agricultural landholders are women, and their right to inherit property continues to be denied under customary and traditional laws in over 100 countries.”UNCCD Goodwill Ambassador, Malian artist and singer Inna Modja, was joined onstage by her daughter Valentina Conti, aged three, to read out a powerful call to action, urging world leaders to remove the legal barriers that prevent women owning and inheriting land. Together with fellow UNCCD Goodwill Ambassadors, Senegalese musician and singer Baaba Maal and Indian producer and singer Ricky Kej, Ms Modja performed a new song ‘Her Land’.Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, an Indigenous leader from Chad, delivered a stark warning: “Despite our innovation, despite the determination of the women of my community to preserve ecosystems to block the desert, despite our collective efforts to save and share water, our land is dying.” She said women are calling on CEOs, ministers, presidents, and philanthropists to “stop pledging and start putting cash on the table to help us win the most important battle of our life”.Less than a third of all UN Member States have ever had a female Head of State or Government. Several of them participated in the high-level event in New York in person or virtually.Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland and UNCCD Land Ambassador, said: “Achieving land degradation neutrality requires everyone’s efforts. And women and girls are half of the world’s population. Empowering women and girls is one of the most impactful things that we can do to achieve environmental sustainability and the health of the land.”The first-ever female Prime Minister of Namibia, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, spoke about what Namibia is doing to go above and beyond on women’s land rights. And there were also video messages from the Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Vice-President of Spain Teresa Riberа Rodríguez.Sonia Guajajara, Brazil’s first-ever Minister of Indigenous Peoples, delivered an impassioned plea in support of Indigenous women leaders in her country. Jennifer Littlejohn, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, represented the United States, highlighting its government’s commitment to gender equity and equality.The event was jointly organized by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), UN-Women, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, UN Human Rights and the UN Development Programme to mark the annual Desertification and Drought Day, which falls on June 17th.UN-Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous said: “For many people around the world, land represents power and identity. Women’s control over land is therefore fundamental to the achievement of gender equality and also the economic independence of women… We must break down barriers to women’s rights to land.”UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said: “Investing in women's equal access to land is not just an act of justice. It is an investment in our future, a commitment to the prosperity of our planet. It is an affirmation that we value not only the land beneath our feet, but the hands that work on it.”Other speakers advocating for women’s land rights were: Alain-Richard Donwahi, President of UNCCD’s 15th Conference of the Parties, Côte d’Ivoire, Kehkashan Basu, a climate activist and UN Human Rights Champion based in Canada; Rex Molapo, Co-Founder of Conservation Music Lesotho; and Solange Bandiaky-Badji, Coordinator of the Rights and Resources Initiative.ENDSNotes to editorsFor interviews or media enquiries, please email unccd@portland-communications.comFor hi-res photos of the event please visit: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KjnA5jC1apDJEldPWGuujPsAWnhLINo-?usp=sharingTo watch a recording of the event please visit: https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1i/k1ix8i8j1z‘Her Land. Her Rights’ policy brief is available here: https://www.unccd.int/resources/brief/her-land-her-rights-advancing-gender-equality-restore-land-and-build-resilienceHer Land Call to Action is available here.About UNCCDThe United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner.Photo: UNDP/Tom Pietrasik 

Bonn/New York, 16 June 2023 – Women facing worsening droughts, raging wildfires and other climate change impacts will deliver an urgent message to the international community at the United Nations in New York, calling for better land rights for women and girls everywhere.  Drought, land degradation and desertification – all of which are becoming more frequent – are impacting women and girls first and worst, world leaders will hear at an event in the United Nations General Assembly on 16th June to mark Desertification and Drought Day.  The theme of this year’s global observance, led by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), is ‘Her Land. Her Rights.’  Women make up around half of agricultural workers in developing countries and produce 60-80 per cent of food grown in these regions yet own less than one-fifth of all land worldwide. When land degrades and water and other resources become scarce, women and girls are exposed to poverty, hunger, displacement and violence.  Among the leaders and gender equality champions advocating for women’s full land rights will be the Prime Ministers of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir and of Namibia Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, and the Vice-President of the Government of Spain Teresa Ribero Rodríguez. They will be joined by Finland’s first female President Tarja Halonen, UNCCD Goodwill Ambassadors and musicians Baaba Maal, Inna Modja and Ricky Kej, as well as indigenous and youth activists from countries as diverse as Canada and Chad.   In a shared call to action, they will show there is a solution: women. They will say that when legal barriers to women owning and inheriting land are removed, women are able to make decisions on how to manage land, and both soil health and agricultural yields improve. Women are also more likely to invest in their family’s nutrition, health and education which benefits the whole of society.  UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said: “Investing in women's equal access to land is not just an act of justice. It is an investment in our future, a commitment to the prosperity of our planet. It is an affirmation that we value not only the land beneath our feet, but the hands that work it.”   To coincide with the event, UNCCD is launching a new analysis, which shows:  Despite comprising nearly half the world's agricultural workforce and producing up to 80 per cent of food in developing countries, women’s rights to inherit their husband’s property continue to be denied in over 100 countries.  Discriminatory practices related to land tenure, credit access, equal pay and decision-making often impede their active participation in sustaining land health. Today, less than one-in-five landholders worldwide are women.  If women had equal rights to land, agricultural production in the poorest regions would increase by up to 4 per cent and malnourishment would decline by 12–17 per cent, resulting in 150m fewer hungry people globally.   Countries with more women parliamentarians prioritize women and girls’ role in land protection and are more likely to ratify relevant treaties and set aside land for conservation. Meanwhile, only 12 per cent of the 881 national environment-related ministries run by elected officials are led by women.   The event will continue to build on UNCCD’s ‘Her Land. Her Rights.’ campaign, which was launched on International Women’s Day in March 2023.    Organized jointly by the UNCCD with UN Women, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Human Rights Office, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the high-level event “Her Land. Her Rights: Advancing Gender Equality and Land Restoration Goals” will include debates and discussions on a woman’s role in sustainable land management.    A digital photo exhibition entitled ‘Her Land’ created and curated by Inna Modja will offer an immersive experience of the daily realities facing women and girls living on the frontlines of desertification, land degradation and drought. She will also be joined by fellow Goodwill Ambassadors Baaba Maal and Ricky Kej in a live musical performance.   In addition to New York, other events to mark Desertification and Drought Day – which officially falls every year on June 17th – will take place in all parts of the world, including China, Fiji, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Serbia, Türkiye, and Vietnam.  ENDS  Notes to editors  For interviews and enquires please contact: unccd@portland-communications.com or press@unccd.int About UNCCD  The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner.