UNCCD presents ways to tackle key environmental challenges at GEF sixth assembly

27 June 2018
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Da Nang, Viet Nam – The sixth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) gathered on 27 June, 2018 to identify key environmental challenges, formulate effective solutions, evaluate the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms and propose inter-regional and interdisciplinary projects to address the underlying causes of environmental degradation.

As part of discussions on food, land use and partnerships for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs), Mr. Juan Carlos Mendoza, the Managing Director of the Global Mechanism of UNCCD, introduced programming directions prepared by the UNCCD secretariat to identify linkages between land and biodiversity, and land and climate change. Mr. Mendoza invited decision makers to pool resources for the implementation of the Rio Conventions by developing comprehensive and transformative projects that address biodiversity loss and land degradation, as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Highlighting specific initiatives that address global issues, Mr. Mendoza spoke of the Land Degradation Neutrality Fund (LDN Fund) – an impact investment fund for enabling sustainable business activities that address land degradation. Mr. Mendoza emphasized that achieving LDN and managing land sustainably is the best bet to safeguard natural resources for present and future generations. Speaking of the 118 UNCCD country parties that have already set LDN targets, Mr. Mendoza encouraged the GEF to become an integral part of their journey through stronger support to the land degradation focal area as the accelerator for implementing the 2030 Agenda.