News & stories

Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Members of the GEF Council, Ibn Khaldun, the renowned Tunisian father of sociology in the Middle Ages, once said: "He who finds a new path is a pathfinder, even if the trail has to be found through the desert." We are pathfinders. Together, we are forging new and innovative trails towards sustainability and resilience, even in the most challenging environments. For many of us who have been observing this institution function and transform itself over time, the GEF is more than just a facility. It’s a family. It’s an example of what we can do together, to address global issues. An example of what we should be doing more and better. Setting clear rules of engagement while supporting -efficiently- the countries and communities in need. As far as land restoration is concerned, I am pleased to note several proposed GEF Trust Fund financing packages for large scale land restoration initiatives are being considered at this Council. We need large scale and multi-country actions to bring degraded land back to health, build resilience to drought, secure food for all, reduce tensions and conflicts and avert forced migration. Yes, Land restoration provides multiple solutions, and responds perfectly to GEF mandate: biodiversity conservation, climate change, fight against land degradation and pollution. Yet, despite the clear uptick in investments, according to all available data, we are not winning the battle and should certainly not rest on our laurels. Land degradation is ruining the global economy, destructuring the social fabric of our communities, destroying fragile ecosystems, threatening the global security. Such as a virus, land loss is attacking the most fragile communities, accentuating poverty and amplifying the impacts of climate change and biodiversity degradation. Dear Council members, While droughts by all means are not a new phenomenon, we are observing the increase and intensity of their occurrence. 29% more droughts are observed since the beginning of the new millennia. The GEF Council ought to respond to the increase demands for help. Droughts are among the most viscous disruptors of our time: droughts disrupt food, water, energy and even global supply chains, as exemplified by the disruptions created this year in the Panama Canal. GEF Council may wish to pay attention to these trends. Droughts are exacerbated by Climate Change, Ecosystem change, habitat destruction. As we all know Southern Africa is currently facing an extreme environmental and humanitarian crisis as a severe drought takes a stronger hold on the region. Eastern Africa suffered for 4 consecutive years. Many countries Latin America and Asia are hit hard. Over 100 countries, including small islands have been affected in the last years. You may be aware Senegal and Spain created the International Drought Resilience Alliance. Nearly 40 countries and over 30 organizations are working together for global drought resilience. IDRA partners are clear there is an urgent need to establish effective early warning systems (that work across borders), bolster that land-water management nexus and mobilize sustainable financing to improve drought resilience. So, since I am addressing the GEF Council, I take the opportunity to raise with you – and stress to Council Members - the urgency of investing more in land restoration and drought resilience. Separately.  And together and scale! Large scale multi country land based approaches – that deliver multiple global benefits - combined with the integrated programmes of GEF8 - represent a clear path forward. By addressing the interconnected challenges of land degradation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss and climate change, we will be achieving more comprehensive and lasting results. The recently launched Blue and Green Islands Integrated Program (BGI-IP) by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility provides a case in point. We need more. We can do more, whiting existing resources. We should much more! We are going to be working with SIDS to strengthen their regional programming and we are expecting strong participation of SIDs in our upcoming COP in Riyadh in December 2024. In the SIDS – or LIONS (Large Island Ocean States) as Carlos Manuel has started to call them, data plays a crucial role. Accurate, timely, and accessible data enables us to make informed decisions, measure progress, and adapt our strategies as needed. Investing in data collection and analysis is not just an option; it is a necessity. Vital for decision support – in the small islands, in the hyper arid areas and in the high mountains. So GEF’s investments and those of other Partners are directed where they are most needed. With this in mind, the UNCCD has recently engaged 18 “champion countries” in the Land Degradation Neutrality Target Setting Process 2.0 to demonstrate how countries can strengthen their LDN targets - and support better land use decisions by mainstreaming LDN into their integrated land use planning frameworks. To make better decisions - again with GEF support. All of this leads to stronger policies, improved implementation, and greater resilience. Especially in the face of drought and flood. It is a proactive approach that saves lives, protects livelihoods, and preserves our natural resources. As we look ahead to UNCCD COP 16 in Riyadh, we are filled with ambition and determination. As the main financing instrument for the Rio Conventions, we look forward to the GEF’s strong participation in our upcoming COP this year. We look forward to land and drought – not just capturing the Council’s attention.  But capturing more investment too. The UNCCD COP – from 2nd-13th of December – is an ideal opportunity to reinforce our investments in land.  And underline the critical issue of drought resilience.  COP16 will open with a Leaders Summit where Heads of State and Government, CEOs from the Private Sector and Heads of Institutions will be invited. A Ministerial Segment is also foreseen as well as large gatherings of Civil Society, Local communities and Indigenous groups. Seven Thematic Days will help design and formulate a strong action agenda, which will be an excellent leverage to the GEF. UN agencies, the WB and NGOs have agreed to play a lead role in organizing the Days. This year COP16 provides an opportunity for the GEF to showcase the results achieved to date – especially in transformative large scale change and nurturing the enabling environment – at the landscape level. This COP is not just a meeting; it will be a milestone in our journey towards a land degradation-neutral world.  I extend a warm invitation to all of the GEF family of stakeholders to join us in Riyadh from the 3rd-13th of December. Your presence and participation will be invaluable.  Though the path is not always easy – we will be blazing a trail together.

Ten Land Heroes were announced by UNCCD at the global observance event. These young changemakers from around the world are working to restore land, boost resilience to drought, develop sustainable agricultural businesses, and harness technology and innovation to tackle global environmental challenges.  

Mr Chairman, Honorable members of the Committee Your excellency, Minister of Environment and Climate, Ladies and Gentlemen, On behalf of the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), I would like to thank the Committee for welcoming me today; especially, as Brazil is looking to secure productive lands and build the resilience of economic sectors, communities, and ecosystems to drought. Promoting sustainable Land management and building resilience to drought: these are the two pillars, the two reason d’être of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.   As the only global treaty dealing with land and drought, the UNCCD celebrates its 30th birthday on 17 June. Remember, it is one of the three Conventions conceived in Rio de Janeiro, at the famous 1992 Summit. After two years of gestation, the Convention was signed in Paris in 1994. We support countries and regions in developing plans, policies and interventions to halt and reverse the loss of fertile land; to create national plans for drought resilience. Brazil ratified the Convention in 1997, integrating the treaty into its legal framework. Brazil is a global leader in agricultural commodity trading; one of the top hydropower producers in the world; and is home to ecosystems that regulate rainfall patterns across the country —and the entire region. Yet, Brazil is affected by more and more severe and frequent droughts, disrupting food production, rural economy and human security. This means Brazil is uniquely placed to appreciate the centrality of sustainable land and water management to all economic and social sectors. Now, why are land degradation and drought a top concern? Consider this: in optimum conditions, it takes between 200 and 400 years for 1 cm of topsoil to form. However, every second, I repeat every second, the world loses the equivalent of four football fields of healthy land due to the destruction of native vegetation and poor land management. Annually, this adds up to 100 million hectares, an area larger than the State of Mato Grosso. If current trends continue, we will need to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030 to reach the Land Degradation Neutrality goal. Brazil accounts among the countries that continue to lose fertile land every day, every second. In parallel, droughts are hitting faster and more often, posing an unprecedented emergency on a planetary scale: last year, 1 in 4 people in the world were affected by drought, and events have increased by 29% since the year 2000. Drought is a natural phenomenon. However, global warming and the way we treat our land are combining to create human-made droughts. We see their devastating consequences all around us: crop failure, disruptions in freight transportation (as is the case this year with the disruption of the Panama Canal), soaring energy costs, loss of livelihoods, conflicts over scarce resources, large-scale forced migrations. Again, Brazil is one of the most freshwater in the world. Yet, it is no stranger to the impacts of land degradation and drought: from the lingering impacts of a historic drought in the Amazon, to pressures on hydropower and agricultural production, to the expansion of semi-arid and even arid lands. Mr Chairman, Drought is a hazard, but it needn’t be a disaster, as long as we manage it proactively. With the right investments, policies, and incentives, it is possible to decouple the severity of drought from its most serious impacts on societies, economies, and ecosystem functions. Any single dollar invested in drought resilience and prevention can yield up to ten dollars in return. It is therefore encouraging to see Brazil join the International Drought Resilience Initiative. While we can not stop droughts from occurring, with early warnings, preparedness and adapted responses, we can better mitigate its impacts. Since we are as resilient to drought and climate change as our lands are, it is crucial we make agrifood systems part of the solution, incentivizing sustainable land and water management practices that replenish, rather than squander, the natural capital all of us depend on. From that perspective, what I saw two days ago in Caatinga is encouraging. It was indeed inspiring to witness a whole of Government, in fact a whole of society approach to combatting desertification and building the resilience to drought. This said, much remains to be done in Caatinga and other areas affected by land loss and drought. As representatives of the People of Brazil, your role, honourable Parliamentarians can not be understated. We need to plan at the landscape level. This calls for land-use planning to identify the areas that are best suited for food production, protection of water sources, and ecosystem conservation. At the farm level, sustainable land management can combine precision agriculture to optimize the use of irrigation and fertilizers, with low-tech and nature-based solutions like agroforestry, crop rotation or reduced tilling. Again, coming back to Caatinga, low-tech approaches such as the cisternas are making a difference. To further buttress productive systems, and to protect the livelihoods of the 38 million Brazilians who are most vulnerable to desertification and drought, it is also vital this Parliament allocates a robust budget to support the communities: enhancing water management, building resilience to drought; monitoring and assessment; and supporting a just land transition. Especially, in the Caatinga drylands and the Cerrado, which underpins the water security in Brazil and beyond. At the UNCCD secretariat, we stand ready to support Brazil in its journey towards a more resilient future — but it all starts with your decision to prioritize land and drought in your policies and in the budget you allocate to implementing them. Your leadership ---Brazil’s leadership--- can prevent human suffering, protect economic sectors and set an example for nations across the region and around the world. Particularly, in the lead-up to UNCCD COP16, which will be held from 2-13 December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. UNCCD COP16 is gearing up to be the largest, and most ambitious, global summit on land and drought to date. Together, we will chart the way for Land Degradation Neutrality targets, drought resilience frameworks, and stronger agrifood systems, and work to unlock a multibillion land restoration industry. Given Brazil’s active environmental diplomacy, the country has a particular role to play as a member of groups such a the G20, BRICS, G77 and LAC. Land degradation and Drought issues are rather unifying. They provide excellent opportunities for countries to play their soft power. Brazil’s active diplomacy and extraordinary political influence will be needed to make the Riyadh COP a moonshot moment for land and fought in the world. Finally, COP16 provide opportunity to Members of Parliament from country Parties to actively participate in the Conference. We look forward to your active engagement in the lead up to, and during COP16, and stand ready to support Brazil in its drive to be a beacon for sustainable land management. Thank you

Lançada durante a 27ª Cúpula da ONU sobre o Clima (COP27), a Aliança mobiliza capital político, técnico e financeiro para preparar o mundo para secas mais severas.  Cerca de 38 milhões de brasileiros de 1.561 municípios são vulneráveis à desertificação e à seca, assim como 1,4 milhão de quilômetros quadrados de terras em 13 estados, de acordo com o Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima.  Com sua adesão à Aliança, o Brasil reforça o compromisso internacional de combater a desertificação e a seca diante do agravamento dos efeitos da mudança climática em todo o mundo.  O Brasil é o mais recente país a integrar a Aliança Internacional para a Resiliência à Seca (IDRA, na sigla em inglês), a coalizão global que mobiliza capital político, técnico e financeiro para preparar o mundo para secas mais severas.  A adesão brasileira eleva o total de membros da IDRA para 38 países e 28 organizações intergovernamentais e de pesquisa, demonstrando uma disposição cada vez maior para enfrentar um dos riscos naturais mais mortais e onerosos do mundo. Lançada pelos líderes da Espanha e do Senegal durante a 27ª Cúpula da ONU sobre o Clima (COP27), a Aliança impulsiona ações contra as secas diante do aquecimento global, reconhecendo que somos tão resilientes às secas e à mudança climática quanto nossas terras. O secretariado da IDRA é sediado pelaConvenção das Nações Unidas para o Combate à Desertificação (UNCCD).  Em um evento conjunto com a UNCCD realizado nesta segunda-feira (10), em Petrolina, em Pernambuco, a ministra do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima Climática, Marina Silva, disse que "a adesão do Brasil à Aliança Internacional para a Resiliência à Seca (IDRA) demonstra a determinação do governo em combater a seca e a desertificação, promover a segurança alimentar e hídrica e combater as desigualdades”.  “Nosso objetivo é promover o desenvolvimento sustentável e, ao mesmo tempo, garantir a proteção da biodiversidade e das comunidades da região semiárida. A cooperação com a UNCCD reforça o compromisso do Brasil com o combate à desertificação e às mudanças climáticas", acrescentou a ministra de Estado. Uma campanha nacional de combate à desertificação e à seca foi lançada durante o evento, que também marcou o encerramento da visita à região semiárida da Caatinga, uma ecorregião única que cobre cerca de 70% da região nordeste do Brasil e 11% da área total do país. Pesquisadores brasileiros identificaram recentemente a primeira região árida do país e projetaram a expansão de terras semiáridas em grande parte do território.  Cerca de 38 milhões de brasileiros de 1.561 municípios são vulneráveis à desertificação e à seca, assim como 1,4 milhão de quilômetros quadrados de terras em 13 estados, de acordo com o Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima (MMA).  Na Caatinga, as autoridades estão apoiando iniciativas lideradas pela comunidade para restaurar bacias hidrográficas, melhorar as práticas agrícolas e coletar água como forma de aumentar a resiliência à seca.  Em todo o mundo, enfrentar os desafios interconectados que abrangem água, terra e clima é essencial para proteger a produção agrícola e energética e para manter os serviços vitais do ecossistema, como o fornecimento de água potável e solos férteis para as gerações atuais e futuras. Durante o evento em Petrolina, o secretário-executivo da UNCCD, Ibrahim Thiaw, elogiou o “compromisso do Brasil em investir proativamente em terras e meios de subsistência resilientes”.  “A ciência e a prática mostram constantemente que preparar as sociedades e as economias para as secas antes que elas ocorram evita o sofrimento humano - e é muito mais econômico do que as respostas de emergência. A seca é um perigo, mas não precisa ser um desastre”.  Um ano decisivo para a terra e a seca A COP16 da UNCCD será a maior reunião de todos os tempos das 197 Partes da UNCCD, a primeira que será realizada no Oriente Médio e a maior conferência multilateral já realizada pela Arábia Saudita. O Reino recentemente sediou as celebrações globais do Dia Mundial do Meio Ambiente de 2024, com foco na restauração de terras, desertificação e resiliência à seca. Em 17 de junho, o Dia Mundial de Combate à Desertificação e à Seca de 2024 marcará o 30º aniversário da Convenção das Nações Unidas de Combate à Desertificação (UNCCD), uma das três Convenções do Rio, lançadas durante a Conferência das Nações Unidas para o Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento (Eco-92), juntamente com a UNFCCC (clima) e a CBD (biodiversidade).  A Reunião de Alto Nível sobre a Política Nacional de Seca, co-organizada pela UNCCD - que acontecerá em Genebra, entre 30 de setembro e 3 de outubro, reunirá formuladores de políticas e profissionais com um duplo objetivo: fazer um balanço do progresso e das lições aprendidas na última década e traçar o caminho a seguir para a implementação de ações de resiliência à seca. NOTAS PARA EDITORES Para entrevistas e perguntas, entrar em contato através do e-mail: press@unccd.int   Para obter informações sobre a IDRA, acesse: https://idralliance.global.  Nas redes sociais, siga @UNCCD no X/Twitter e @unccd no Instagram.  Sobre a IDRA A Aliança Internacional para Resiliência à Seca (IDRA, na sigla em inglês) é a primeira coalizão global que cria um impulso político e mobiliza recursos financeiros e técnicos para um futuro resiliente à seca. Como uma plataforma de mais de 30 países e 20 instituições, a IDRA se baseia em pontos fortes compartilhados por seus membros para promover políticas, ações e capacitação para a preparação para a seca, reconhecendo que somos tão resilientes à seca e à mudança climática quanto nossas terras.  O trabalho da IDRA está alinhado e apoia o mandato da Convenção das Nações Unidas de Combate à Desertificação (UNCCD), que sedia o Secretariado da IDRA.  Sobre a UNCCD A Convenção das Nações Unidas de Combate à Desertificação (UNCCD) é a visão global e a voz da terra. Une governos, cientistas, formuladores de políticas, setor privado e comunidades em torno de uma visão compartilhada e de uma ação global para restaurar e gerenciar a terra do mundo para a sustentabilidade da humanidade e do planeta.  Muito mais do que um tratado internacional assinado por 197 partes, a UNCCD é um compromisso multilateral para mitigar os impactos atuais da degradação da terra e promover a governança da terra no futuro, a fim de fornecer alimentos, água, abrigo e oportunidades econômicas para todas as pessoas de forma equitativa e inclusiva.

Your Excellency Minister Marina Silva, Your Excellency Minister Wellington Dias, Dear governor Jerónimo Rodrigues, I also would like to recognize here the authorities of the University of the São Francisco Valley - Univasf   that is hosting us today, Ladies and gentlemen, On behalf of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) I thank you wholeheartedly for the warm welcome to Caatinga. Especially, for sharing your experience in securing resilient lands and livelihoods in the drylands. On 17 June, the United Nations Convention on Land and Drought (UNCCD) will mark a significant milestone - 30 years of commitment to our planet. As the only legally binding global instrument focused on land and drought, the UNCCD stands proudly alongside the Biodiversity and Climate Conventions as one of the three Rio Conventions, born out of the world famous 1992 Summit. We support our 197 Parties in designing policies, investments, and interventions to halt and reverse the loss of productive land; to create national plans for drought resilience; and to reduce the negative impact of land and soil loss in vulnerable communities. Brazil ratified the Convention in 1997, integrating the treaty into its legal framework. Caatinga is home to scores of species, many of them unique to this biome, and is said to be the most populous dryland area on the planet. Its very existence acts as living proof of the ability of plants, animals, and culturally diverse communities to adapt to semiarid environments. However, life in the planet’s —life that required hundreds and even thousands of years to evolve— is now under pressure from the combined effects of land degradation and climate change. Every year, the world loses 100 million hectares of fertile land, an area larger than the state of Mato Grosso. More than half of the world’s rangelands are degraded, compromising food security and the soil carbon stock, which comes only after the ocean’s.  If current trends continue, we will need to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030 to reach the Land Degradation Neutrality goal. Barren lands cannot adequately infiltrate and retain water, increasing runoff and accelerating erosion, instead. As a result of global warming and the way we treat our lands, droughts are hitting faster and more often, posing an emergency on a planetary scale: last year, 1 in 4 people were affected by drought worldwide, and events have increased by 29% since the year 2000. Drought is a hazard, but it needn’t be a disaster. With evidence-based policies, practices, and investments, it is possible to decouple the severity of drought from its most serious impacts on lives and livelihoods. Earlier today, I joined a visit to the community of Malhada da Areia. There, I had the opportunity to see how nature-based solutions, sustainable land and water management practices, and simple technologies are building drought resilience. The community is investing in rainwater harvesting; water reuse systems; and agricultural practices that replenish, rather than deplete, the soils. Across Caatinga, this and dozens of other communities are also fencing selected areas to enable natural regeneration of the native vegetation; keeping the grazing stock within the carrying capacity of their land; and diversifying their sources of income. Each and every one of them shows, with tangible results, that it is very much possible to reset our relationship with the land, and prepare for drought before it strikes. With support from civil society organizations, governmental entities, research institutions, and international partners —with your support— the estimated 38 million Brazilians that live in semiarid lands shall also be able to lay the ground for a more resilient, and prosperous, future. Consider the UNCCD Secretariat your trusted ally. Along with the International Drought Resilience Alliance, to which we are delighted to welcome Brazil. Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, from 2 to 13 December, Saudi Arabia will host UNCCD COP16 - the largest and most ambitious global summit on land and drought to date. Together, we will set targets for land degradation neutrality, set up frameworks for drought resilience, strengthen agri-food systems, and work to unlock a multi-billion-dollar land restoration industry.  Where human-made drought says crop failure, we say proactive drought management; where land degradation says migration, we say sustainable land management; where unchecked land conversion says deforestation, we say land use planning; where the lack of prioritization says reactive, we say proactive. In the lead-up to COP16, I count on Brazil’s leadership to help steer our collective boat to a sustainable, and equitable, future for all. Thank you.

The global observance event of Desertification and Drought Day 2024, hosted by the Government of Germany, will take place on 17 June 2024 in Bonn. The event will also mark the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), one of the three global agreements known as the Rio Conventions, alongside climate and biodiversity.    In line with this year’s slogan "United for Land: Our Legacy. Our Future”, this event will focus on ensuring healthy land for future generations, driving global prosperity and stability.   Join leaders from government, academia and civil society as we unite for land stewardship. Meet young changemakers from around the world who are working to restore land, boost resilience to drought, develop sustainable agricultural businesses, and harness technology and innovation to tackle global environmental challenges.   Event details:  17 June 2024, from 14:30 – 17:00 CEST, Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundeskunsthalle), Bonn, Germany  Programme highlights:  Youth Focus: Highlighting the role of young leaders and innovators in transforming land management practices, Presentation of the new cohort of UNCCD Land Heroes profiles attached), Presentation of UNCCD’s Youth Engagement Strategy and the Land Youth Negotiators Programme.  Policy Focus: Highlighting the milestones in the history of the Convention and sharing insights into the upcoming UNCCD COP16 negotiations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2-13 December 2024. Proving space for youth representatives to present their policy recommendations in view of COP16.  Detailed event information is available here.  For in person attendance please refer to this link and register under the category “media” before 10 June. For online attendance, the livestream will be made available here.  Why this event matters:  Land degradation affects up to 40% of the world's land area, resulting in the loss of 100 million hectares of healthy land each year - an area the size of Egypt. Droughts are up 29% since 2000, driven by climate change but also the way we manage our land.  Desertification, land degradation and drought threaten the world's food supply, increase the risk of droughts, floods and wildfires, and are major drivers of conflict and forced migration.   A quarter (187 million) of the world's rural youth (778 million) live in areas with the greatest potential for agriculture and trade. This is an important area for targeted development.   Investment in land restoration can yield significant economic returns, with up to $30 in benefits for every $1 invested. Engaging youth in food system transformation and land restoration can help create the estimated 600 million jobs needed by 2030.  For further information on the day, please click here  For accessing social media assets and other visuals, please click here  For media inquiries and any interview requests please contact: press@unccd.int