COP16 media advisory: 3 December 2024

UNCCD COP16:
Advancing global action on land restoration and drought resilience

Journalists are invited to attend Day 2 of COP16, where high-level dialogues, report launches and press events will focus on tackling the pressing challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought. The day will see the launch of key reports and ministerial dialogues on innovative financing solutions, nature-based strategies and collaborative approaches to ensure land resilience and improve livelihoods.

Key Events

• Ministerial Dialogue on Finance: “Unlocking public and private finance for land restoration and drought resilience

When:  10:00-13:00
Where:  Main Committee Room

The ministerial dialogue addresses the critical need for increased investments to combat land degradation, desertification, and drought, which cost the global economy 10 trillion USD annually. Public finance supports long-term restoration projects, while private finance introduces innovative tools like green bonds and impact investing.

• Ministerial Dialogue: Impacts of Land Degradation and Drought on Forced Migration, Security and Prosperity

When:  14:00-16:30
Where:  MET-11

The ministerial dialogue will examine how sustainable land management (SLM) and drought resilience can address the interconnected challenges of land degradation, forced migration, and conflict. With 3.2 billion people globally affected by land degradation and over 120 million forcibly displaced, these issues undermine stability, security and livelihoods.

Key Reports

• Investing in Land’s Future: Financial Needs Assessment for UNCCD Report

When: Tuesday, 3 December 2024, 08:45–09:45
Where: MET-33

The report highlights that the world needs US$1 billion a day - the equivalent of the annual amount wasted on polluting subsidies - to reverse land degradation, restore ecosystems and build drought resilience, and underlines the urgent need to scale up financial commitments and promote innovative solutions to bridge the funding gap.

• Economics of Drought: Investing in nature-based solutions for drought resilience Report 

When: Tuesday, 3 December 2024, 10:00–10:30
Where: MET-05

This report highlights the underestimated economic costs of drought, which go beyond immediate damage to impact critical sectors such as energy, health and the wider economy. By investing in sustainable land and water management, the report highlights how nature-based solutions not only mitigate the multi-billion dollar costs of man-made drought, but also deliver far-reaching economic, social and environmental benefits.

Other Press Events

• Daily Press Conference: Media Briefing on Drought and Finance

When: Tuesday, 3 December 2024, 12:30–14:30
Where: MET-17

Speakers:

• Andrea Meza Murillo, UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary

• Pablo Muñoz, Program Officer Global Mechanism

Key speakers will discuss the highlights of the Investing in Land’s Future: Financial needs assessment for UNCCD report as well as the Economics of Drought: Investing in nature-based solutions for drought resilience report. This briefing will provide an opportunity for journalists to engage directly with experts and understand the broader implications of these findings for global land restoration efforts.

To follow live: https://webtv.un.org/en/schedule

Media Accreditation

All journalists must be accredited to attend. Accreditation can be completed through the Online Registration System (ORS). Additional information, including the full agenda and session details, is available on the COP16 website.

For inquiries, contact press [at] unccd.int (press[at]unccd[dot]int)

Key resources 

• Press releases and other media materials from COP16 updated daily: XXX
• UNCCD COP16 Trello Board, including branding guidelines and key messages
• UNCCD COP16 website
• Host country website 
• COP16 conference app available in the Apple app store and Google Play
• UN WebTV – live broadcast of key plenary sessions with live interpretation in all six UN languages.
• Press and media kit
• Social media kit
• Photo assets – Flickr and Earth Negotiation Bulletin 
• Future Key COP16 Events for Media 
• 3 December: Launch of the Investing in Land’s Future: Financial needs assessment for UNCCD Report
• 3 December: Launch of the Economics of Drought: Investing in nature-based solutions for drought resilience Report
• 3 December: Ministerial dialogues on Finance and Migration
• 4 December New Nature of Business Book Launch
• 4 December Fashion for Land
• 6 December: Launch of the Primer on Urban-Rural Linkages and Land
• 9 December: Launch of the Global Aridity Trends Report