International Drought Resilience Alliance
No country is immune to drought and its impacts on food, water, and energy security, forced migration and natural resource conflicts. Europe, the western United States, Chile, Australia, and the Horn of Africa have all suffered extreme droughts in recent years. These unprecedented droughts have far-reaching impacts on agriculture, energy, transportation, tourism, and human health.
From 1998 to 2017, drought generated economic losses of about US$124 billion across the world, not to mention the cost in human suffering and lives.
Drought frequency, severity, and duration are projected to increase in the short term due to climate change, which is expected to cause to a large displacement of people from affected areas in the long run.
The overwhelming evidence points to the need to shift from crises management to drought preparedness and adaptation measures that significantly reduce vulnerability and exposure at all levels. World leaders recognize the need for a global collaborative platform, with political engagement at the highest level and a network of implementing partners to support countries and communities considering their different circumstances.
Responding to these needs, the International Drought Resilience Alliance was first announced by Spain at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2022 to be officially launched at the UNFCCC COP27 in November 2022. The alliance is jointly convened by President of Senegal Macky Sall and President of the Government of Spain Pedro Sánchez. Interested members of the Alliance see the urgent need to pivot from emergency response to increasing drought resilience through a more coordinated and effective response.
When: 02 - 13 December 2024
Where: Riyadh
The next UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – the largest-ever meeting of UNCCD’s 197 Parties, the first to be held in the Middle East region and the largest multilateral conference ever hosted by Saudi Arabia. Happening in the year that also marks the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD. COP16 is set to become a landmark event for accelerating action on land restoration, drought resilience and green transition. More info: https://www.unccd.int/cop16
When: Monday, 09 December 2024
The Science-Policy Interface Day at COP 16 is a dedicated event for fostering dialogue among scientists, policymakers and practitioners on addressing desertification, land degradation and drought. This year’s focus is on historical and future aridity trends and sustainable land use systems.The event will explore two critical dimensions: adapting to aridification and scaling up systems approaches to land use and management. Drawing from recent scientific assessments, the SPI will present findings on aridity trends and their role in climate adaptation, along with strategies for addressing land degradation through sustainable land use systems.Panel discussions and interactive sessions will provide a platform for sharing knowledge, case studies, and practical solutions. Participants will discuss how to scale up effective practices and integrate science into policy, with a focus on fostering collaboration and aligning efforts under the three Rio conventions. Audience engagement will be central, ensuring diverse perspectives contribute to enhancing land resilience to aridity.
