UNITED NATIONS

JOURNAL

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
Sixteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16)
2–13 December 2024
UNCCD
Monday, 9 December 2024
Content last updated on: 17 Sep 2026 17:01 CEST

Programme of Meetings and Agenda

Conference of the Parties

10:00–13:00
Plenary Hall

Open Dialogue Session

COP 7th meeting

Inclusion of activities of civil society organizations within the official programme of work of the Conference of the Parties

Committee of the Whole

15:00–18:00
Plenary Hall

COW 4th Meeting

Procedural matters (item 7)

(b) Participation and involvement of the private sector in meetings and processes of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the business engagement strategy

 

2018–2030 Strategic Framework of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (item 2)

(b) Review of progress in the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification communication plan (ICCD/COP(16)/3, ICCD/COP(16)/22)

 

Promotion and strengthening relationships with other relevant conventions and international organizations, institutions and agencies (item 3) (ICCD/COP(16)/4, ICCD/COP(16)/22)

 

(a) Participation and involvement of civil society organizations in meetings and processes of the UNCCD (item 7) (ICCD/COP(16)/12, ICCD/COP(16)/22)

 

(c) Programme of work for the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties
ICCD/COP(16)/22 (item 7)

 

Introduction and discussion

 

Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention

15:00–18:00
Main Committee

CRIC 4th Meeting

Effective implementation of the Convention at national, subregional and regional levels (continued) (item 2)

(d) Development and promotion of activities for targeted capacity-building to further the implementation of the Convention (ICCD/CRIC(22)/6, ICCD/CRIC(22)/7–ICCD/COP(16)/CST/8 and ICCD/CRIC(22)/8)

 

Introduction and discussion

 

 

 

 

 

Contact groups

10:00–15:00
MET-12

COW Contact Group on Other Matter

(closed meeting)
14:00–18:00
MET-16

COW Contact Group on Budget

(closed meeting)
18:00–22:00
MET-12

COW Contact Group on Other Matters

(closed meeting)
18:00–22:00
MET-13

Joint CRIC-CST Contact Group

(closed meeting)

Action agenda

10:00–13:00
MET-33

Interactive dialogue: From Degradation to Restoration: The Power and Impact of Land Governance in Communities across the Globe

Presentations and panel discussion.

 

13:00–15:00
MET-33

High-level interactive dialogue: Healing our land through science and Earth Intelligence

Healing our land through science and Earth Intelligence 

Land is fundamental for addressing multiple global challenges, including combating degradation and drought, halting biodiversity loss, as well as mitigating and adapting to climate change. Despite special reports by the IPCC and IPBES on the connection between land, climate and biodiversity, there is still a lack of recognition that halting land degradation is crucial to maintain a space for solutions to these interlinked challenges. This high-level interactive dialogue aims to elaborate a way forward to scale up science and data on healing our land, linking land stewardship and restoration with climate and biodiversity goals, and aspirations for improved human well-being. It does so by involving stakeholders from diverse fields, including science and academia, data providers and users of Earth Observation, governments, civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations, as well as the United Nations. It consists of a session on science gaps, a session on data gaps and a concluding session on launching an Action Agenda to scale up science and Earth Intelligence to address the global environmental crises.

Other meetings

The designations employed do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
08:00–09:00
MET-32

KSA Negotiation Team

(closed meeting)
08:15–10:00
MET-30

EU Coordination Meeting

(closed meeting)
08:30–10:00
MET-09

Annex I: Meeting of the Regional Implementation Annex for Africa

(closed meeting)
08:30–10:00
MET-26

Annex V: Meeting of the Regional Implementation Annex for Central and Eastern Europe

(closed meeting)
08:30–09:00
MET-22

Indigenous Peoples Caucus

(closed meeting)
08:45–10:00
MET-10

Annex II: Meeting of the Regional Implementation Annex for Asia

(closed meeting)
09:00–10:00
MET-29

Annex III: Meeting of the Regional Implementation Annex for Latin America and the Caribbean

(closed meeting)
09:00–10:00
MET-22

CSO Consultations

09:00–11:00
MET-24

Restoring Landscapes: A Global Atlas for Ecosystem Resilience and Land Degradation Solutions

(closed meeting)
09:00–12:45
MET-11

SPI Science Day

14:00–15:00
MET-21

COP16 Bureau Meeting

(closed meeting)
15:30–17:30
MET-11

SPI Science Day

17:00–18:00
MET-32

Group of Arab States coordination meeting

(closed meeting)

Side events

The information below is reproduced as received and does not imply any opinion or endorsement by the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
09:00–10:30
MET-02

135 - United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources Resource Nexus Approach to Managing Mined and Drought-Affected Lands

09:00–10:30
MET-05

149 - Agropolis International/ French Scientific Committee on Desertification (CSFD) Supporting data-driven approaches for monitoring and reporting on land degradation and desertification: a way to enhance Science-Policy dialogue in the framework of the R

09:00–10:30
MET-07

160 - Ministry of Environment of Panama Strengthening Regional Cooperation to achieve LDN in Transboundary Water Catchments in Central America

09:00–10:30
MET-04

291 - WOCAT, Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern A true participatory monitoring tool measuring progress towards all aspects related to sustainable land rehabilitation

09:00–10:30
MET-06

362 - CARI Anticipating, managing and rebuilding: strategies for supporting territories facing increasing crises?

09:00–11:30
MET-24

389 - Restoring Landscapes: A Global Atlas for Ecosystem Resilience and Land Degradation Solutions

09:00–10:30
MET-03

70 - CGIAR Agricultural innovations and technologies for the integration of the three Rio conventions (biodiversity, climate, and desertification) at landscape scales

11:00–12:30
MET-22

115 - Arab Gulf Program for Development “AGFUND” A High-level Dialogue Session on Research in Combating Desertification and Land Degradation

11:00–12:30
MET-01

123 - Natural Capitalism Solutions Regenerative Agriculture and Nature-based, Science-backed Innovation: Empowering Farmers as Stewards

11:00–12:30
MET-06

145 - King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) – In collaboration with the UNDP Interactive Live Review: Advancing Land Restoration through Scientific Literacy - A Collaboration by KAUST, UNDP & Frontiers for Young Minds

11:00–12:30
MET-07

355 - World Food Programme Filling the communication “blind spot” on land degradation and restoration by illustrating solutions reversing desertification at scale and building new narratives for transformative action and public support

11:00–12:30
MET-05

371 - Academy of forestry and Grassland Monitoring and Planning, Forestry and Grassland Administration Monitoring and Assessment of Desertification and Sand and Dust Storm in China

11:00–12:30
MET-04

71 - Stockholm University and Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE)/ Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology Science in action: Pathways to sustainable and just future in the semi-arid regions of Brazil, Senegal and Spain

11:00–12:30
MET-08

72 - Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, South Africa Monitoring and reporting of the LDN targets – case studies for the SADC region

13:00–14:30
MET-04

102 - UNESCO Office for the Gulf States and Yemen Groundwater Management and resilience

13:00–14:30
MET-03

137 - IRD Designing soil health indicators to evaluate sustainability of land use systems and achieve LDN

13:00–14:30
MET-07

14 - European Commission Joint Research Center The World Drought Atlas – a perspective on drought risks and resilience

13:00–14:30
MET-01

211 - General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion, Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change of the Republic of Türkiye Sustainable Land Management: A Public, Private, and Civil Society Perspective

13:00–14:30
MET-08

257 - Ministry of Forest, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India 'Transforming Pathways: Achieving Land Degradation Neutrality through Sustainable Land Management practices involving local communities, women and youths in India’

13:00–14:30
MET-05

266 - World Health Organization (WHO) Safe wastewater re-use in agriculture: regulatory and technological innovation for safe and sustainable water management amid scarcity

13:00–14:30
MET-06

49 - African Union Commission - Great Green Wall Initiative The Sustainable Partnerships for African Research and Knowledge on Great Green Wall (SPARK_GGW)

15:30–17:00
MET-01

1 - China National Sand Control and Desert Industry Society(CNSC) Scientific and Technological Innovation in Combating Desertification Supports Green and Sustainable Development

15:30–17:00
MET-04

142 - School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University Solar PV empowers land and people: Integrated solutions for ecological restoration

15:30–17:00
MET-05

143 - King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) – In collaboration with the UNDP Panel Discussion: The Role of Start-ups in reducing and reversing desertification, land degradation and drought

15:30–17:00
MET-06

188 - Academy of forestry and Grassland Monitoring and Planning, Forestry and Grassland Administration Monitoring and Assessment of Desertification and Sand and Dust Storm in China

15:30–17:00
MET-22

290 - UNDP Technical Roundtable on Scaling Capacity for Inclusive Decision Support in Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN)

15:30–17:00
MET-08

UK FCDO UK: Innovation and Integration for Land

18:00–19:30
MET-07

218 - JRC - EC Leveraging Space Information and Earth Intelligence - Innovative Solutions for Land Degradation Assessment and Enhanced Drought Resilience

18:00–19:30
MET-02

261 - US Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service Field and Data Tools for Effective Rangeland Monitoring and Assessment

18:00–19:30
MET-05

308 - US National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska Introducing a pilot crowdsourcing tool for monitoring drought impacts and conditions in Africa

18:00–19:30
MET-04

31 - Global Environment Facility GEF-8 Enabling Activities: Delivering faster and better National Reporting under the UNCCD

18:00–19:30
MET-08

356 - King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Effectively monitoring land degradation in hyper-arid areas

18:00–19:30
MET-01

54 - Management of environmental recovery areas in Brazil. Presentation of the Recooperar Platform: monitoring and dissemination of environmental data on the recovery of Brazilian terrestrial environments

54 - Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources Management of environmental recovery areas in Brazil. Presentation of the Recooperar Platform: monitoring and dissemination of environmental data on the recovery of Brazilian terrestrial environments

18:00–19:30
MET-03

90 - German Institute of Development and Sustainability Sustainable Land Management - the Role of Youth in Innovation

Summary of meetings

Committee of the Whole 

Friday, 6 December 2024

3rd Meeting  

Policy frameworks and thematic issues [item 4] 

The Committee resumed its consideration of the item.  

- Sand and dust storms  

An introductory statement was made by a representative of the UNCCD secretariat.  

Statements were made by the representatives of Algeria (on behalf of the Group of African States), the European Union, China, the Republic of Korea, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, the Syrian Arab Republic, India, Mexico, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, Kenya, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Grenada and Türkiye. 

A statement was also made by the representative of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, as well as by a representative of civil society. 

The representatives of the UNCCD secretariat responded to comments made from the floor.  

- Gender 

An introductory statement was made by the representative of the UNCCD secretariat.  

Statements were made by the representatives of Chile, the European Union, Benin (on behalf of the Group of Africa States), Panama, India, China, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Australia, Canada, Bahrain, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Dominican Republic and Brazil. 

A statement was also made by a representative of civil society. 

The representatives of the UNCCD secretariat responded to comments made from the floor.  

- New emerging issues: grassland and rangeland. 

An introductory statement was made by the representative of the UNCCD secretariat.  

Statements were made by the representatives of China, Mongolia, the European Union, the United Republic of Tanzania, Botswana, India, Uruguay, the United States of America, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Peru, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and the State of Palestine. 

Statements were also made by the representatives of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Researchand the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, as well as by a representative of civil society. 

The Committee decided that further discussions on these items in their totality be taken up in CoW Contact group 2.  

The Committee was informed that consideration of agenda item 7 (b) will take place at the fourth meeting of the Committee. 

Committee on Science and Technology 

Friday, 6 December 2024

 4th Meeting 

Interfacing science and policy, and sharing knowledge [item 4] 

(a) Interfacing science and policy, knowledge sharing and technology transfer

The Committee began its consideration of the agenda item.  

The UNCCD secretariat introduced the agenda sub-item and the document. The Chief Scientist of UNCCD gave a presentation. 

Statements were made by the representatives of: the European Union, China, and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of). 

A statement was made by the representative of: UN-Habitat.  

A statement was also made by a representative of civil society.   

The Chief Scientist of UNCCD responded to questions from the floor.   

(b) Work programme of the Science–Policy Interface beyond 2024 

The Committee began its consideration of the agenda item. 

The UNCCD secretariat introduced the agenda sub-item and the document.  

Statements were made by the representatives of: the United States of America, the European Union, Japan, and Argentina. 

A statement was also made by the representatives of: the World Meteorological Organization. 

A statement was also made by a representative of civil society.   

The Chief Scientist of UNCCD responded to questions from the floor.  

The meeting was adjourned.  

 

 

Forthcoming official meetings
Tuesday, 10 December 2024

Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention

10:00–13:00
Main Committee

CRIC 5th Meeting

Securing of additional investments and relations with financial mechanisms (continued) (item 4) 

(c) Report by the Global Mechanism on progress made in the mobilization of resources for the implementation of the Convention and matters relating to Sustainable Development Goal 15.3. 

(ICCD/CRIC(22)/5, ICCD/CRIC(22)/INF.1, ICCD/CRIC(22)/8) 

 

Procedural matters: Programme of work for the twenty-third session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (item 5) 

 

Introduction and discussion 

13:00–14:00
MET-20

CRIC Bureau Meeting

(closed meeting)

Announcements

Provisional list of registered participants

The provisional list of registered participants attending the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16), the twenty-second session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC22), and the sixteenth session of the Committee on Science and Technology (CST16) to the UNCCD can be viewed here.

The list has been generated based on the information entered directly into the Indico registration system by each participant and has been prepared based on the information received by the secretariat as of Thursday, 5 December 2024.

Each delegation is requested to send corrections via accrediation [at] unccd.int (e-mail) by Wednesday, 11 December 2024, at the latest.

The official document containing the final list of participants will be issued after the closure of the sessions. It will consider any additional information received by the secretariat prior to its issuance.

Registration for Delegates

Registration for delegations of country Parties, United Nations organisations, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, side event participants, media and other participants will take place as follows:

Any changes to the opening hours of the registration desk will be communicated in the Official Journal of the session.

Identity badges will be issued at the time of registration, and participants are requested to wear them at all times, as they will not be allowed access to the session venue without presenting them.

Airport Shuttle Departure Timetable (from each hotel)

On December 8th, the departure operation for the regular delegation is set to begin. There will be no shuttle service based on clusters; instead, buses will travel directly from each of the 15 hotels to the airport. 

Note that buses will depart promptly, making stops at Terminal 5 (domestic), then Terminal 2/3 (international), before returning to the hotels.

Check the timetable for each respective hotel.

Credentials

Delegations are advised to contact Ms. Aphrodite Smagadi (00966 568701092) and Mr. Stadler Trengove (00966 568682169), AREA B, Office no 11 – Legal Office as soon as possible.

Electronic Information Service

Delegations are advised that wireless internet access is available throughout the venue. The network name is COP16 Public, and no password is required.

A Computer Center is located in Area-C, providing 100 workstations and printing facilities. An ICT Helpdesk counter is also available in the same area to assist with technical support.

A link to the stream of the meetings of the COP 16 session can be found on the UN Web TV website, the COP 16 page of the UNCCD website.

Funding for eligible participants

The Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) for eligible participants will be distributed from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Please ensure you collect your allowance during these hours at the DSA room, which is located in Area C.

Lost and Found

The Lost and Found service is located near the Registration area, offering convenient access near the Main Entrance.

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)

Media Events

Upcoming Key COP16 Media Events 

  • 6 December: Launch of the Primer on Urban-Rural Linkages and Land
  • 9 December: Launch of the Global Aridity Trends Report

Medical Support and Emergency Response

Medical services will be provided throughout the event by qualified healthcare professionals, ensuring that assistance is readily available. The Medical Care Center is located near the Registration area, close to the Main Entrance.

Emergency Response:

  • Immediate Action: Medical vehicles will be stationed on-site to ensure a rapid response in case of emergencies.
  • Coordination with Local Services: Collaboration with local emergency teams will be ensured to manage serious medical situations effectively.
  • Health and Safety Standards: All procedures will adhere to the most current guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and local health authorities.
  • Ambulance Placement: Ambulances will be strategically located at key areas, including the Blue Zone and VIP sections, to ensure quick access to medical care.

You can find a list of Emergency Contact Numbers here. 

The KSA Emergency number is 112 (reachable without a SIM card). 

Meeting Rooms for Regional and Interest Groups

Requests for inclusion in the schedule of meetings of regional and interest groups should be communicated to:

Kayhan UI (kul [at] unccd.int (kul[at]unccd[dot]int) ; phone: 00966-544050235) or Mahamadou Tari Bako (mbako [at] unccd.int (mbako[at]unccd[dot]int) ; phone: 00966-568723965).

Shuttle Service and Interactive Map

To facilitate seamless transportation during COP 16, a dedicated shuttle service has been arranged between the conference venue and official hotels.

Use our Interactive Map to explore routes and locations, including shuttle pickup and drop-off points, along with timetables for transportation between hotels, the venue, and the airport. This resource is also available in the app under COP 16 Information.

We encourage participants to use the shuttle service to minimize environmental impact and ease transportation logistics. Thank you for contributing to a sustainable COP 16!

The UNCCD Conference App

The UNCCD Conference App is an easy tool for participants of official UNCCD events to have access to the latest conference schedules, all official documents and other relevant information related to the UNCCD process and conference logistics. It also provides information on the latest up-to-date schedule of events.

The UNCCD Conference App is relevant for all delegates and other participants of all sessions of the UNCCD Conference of Parties (COP), the Committee of Science and Technology (CST) and the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC).