1000 Landscapes For 1 Billion People’s Post

🌍 This week, over 190 countries meet in Riyadh to discuss the urgent need to restore damaged ecosystems, with nearly 40% of the planet’s land degraded, impacting 3.2 billion people. Reversing ecosystems degradation can help to improve livelihoods, combat climate change, and conserve biodiversity. Droughts are an increasingly visible sign of climate change with severe consequences for people, freshwater, and water security. They could impact three-quarters of the global population by 2050, and lead to disasters, food insecurity, migration, conflicts, and unrest. Over the past two decades, the Global Environment Facility has provided $5.2 billion to 674 land degradation projects and programs in 144 countries — leveraging another $35.4 billion in co-financing. Since our inception, the GEF has invested $609 million through 108 projects and programs on addressing drought, with more than half of the investment in Africa. The GEF seeks to achieve healthy and resilient ecosystems by promoting sustainable land management (SLM) and supporting land degradation neutrality (LDN). As a financial mechanism for the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the GEF will continue to support countries’ efforts to reduce land degradation, desertification, and mitigate the effects of drought. 💡 Explore the informational 2-pager outlining the GEF’s investments and strategies in globally addressing land degradation, desertification, and drought: https://lnkd.in/e5Vs_wts 🔗 Check out our full #GEFatCOP16Riyadh agenda here: https://lnkd.in/ef3Gydfd #COP16Riyadh #UNCCDCOP16 #UNited4Land

With more than 75% of the world’s land degraded, the #economic damages – including losses in agricultural and #forest productivity – are over five times greater than the investment required for #restoration. We need to come together and take collective #action now. I was honoured to participate in the Saudi Green Initiative Forum 2024. Along with leaders from across the globe, we were able to discuss critical issues such as land rehabilitation and enhancing #climate resilience. The Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) is a transformative effort to combat climate change, enhance quality of life, and safeguard the #environment through emissions reduction, afforestation, and #land and #sea protection for present and future generations. Land restoration isn’t just an environmental imperative—it’s a lifeline. Restoring just 15% of degraded land could prevent up to 60% of expected species extinctions, enhance biodiversity, and protect vulnerable communities. Nature-based solutions, like restoring ecosystems and improving soil health, are among the most effective ways to mitigate climate impacts and strengthen resilience. One great example is the AlHima approach, which IUCN supports. This centuries-old community-based system from West Asia promotes sustainable management of natural resources, conserving biodiversity and cultural heritage – bringing benefits to both people and #nature. As climate and biodiversity crises converge, so must our efforts to combat such challenges – we cannot achieve change in silos. The costs of inaction are mounting. By scaling up restoration efforts and embedding nature at the heart of solutions, we can address climate and biodiversity challenges together—and build a more resilient, equitable #future for all. 

This is a call to #action. Today IUCN delivered its statement at the #UNCCDCOP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The urgency is real: #desertification is rising, #biodiversity loss continues, and climate change exacerbates these challenges. Local communities are increasingly affected by desertification and drought. Families see no option but to migrate in search for livelihoods. Women and girls have to walk for hours in search of firewood and water. At IUCN, we stand with those most impacted by our environmental crises. We call for bold, accelerated efforts to restore rangelands, grasslands, and agricultural lands. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and ecosystem-based approaches must lead the way, delivering benefits for #climate, biodiversity, and #people. Key actions include: ·        Strengthening policies and investments in land restoration. ·        Emphasizing sustainable water resource management and integrated approaches. ·        Ensuring inclusive, rights-based participation of Indigenous peoples, women, and youth. ·        Establishing a Global Framework on Drought Resilience to shift from reactive to proactive, nature-based drought management. Healthy ecosystems are our greatest ally, they provide for our very existence. By scaling up NbS and aligning efforts across global targets, we can tackle land degradation, food security, and drought resilience while empowering communities and fostering sustainable livelihoods. We must leave Riyadh with a united commitment to place nature at the heart of solutions, ensuring a sustainable, resilient future for all.

Land restoration is a key pillar of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world, which is critical to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. This is why World Environment Day 2024 focuses on land restoration, halting desertification and building drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.” We cannot turn back time, but we can grow forests, revive water sources, and bring back soils. We are the generation that can make peace with land. 2024 will mark the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will be held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, from 2 to 13 December 2024. #nonewfossilfuel #oilandgas #climate #climateemergency #genrestore #GenerationRestoration #onehealth

📆 As we mark World Environment Day (#WED) 2024 under the slogan ‘Our Land. Our Future. We are #GenerationRestoration’ , our Senior Climate Change and Sustainability Advisor Dinah Gengmei looks at the innovative policies and initiatives that are setting the pace in sustainable land management in several countries in the #MiddleEast. 🌱 🌍Having this annual global event hosted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shines a spotlight on the urgent need for concerted efforts towards #landrestoration, #desertification prevention, and #drought resilience. 🌵 💧The Middle East is particularly vulnerable to desertification and drought, with arid and semi-arid landscapes that are susceptible to soil degradation, which exacerbates food and water scarcity issues. As #climatechange intensifies, both the environment and livelihoods are put at risk. The region can help shape a future where our land and ecosystems are preserved for generations to come. 🌾🌿 #WorldEnvironmentDay #Sustainability #ClimateAction https://lnkd.in/dWV4KN26

In Riyadh, COP16 raises over $12 billion to tackle drought, desertification At the UNCCD COP16 summit in Riyadh, a historic $12 billion in funding has been pledged to tackle the pressing challenges of drought, desertification, and land degradation. This includes the launch of the groundbreaking Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, amplifying collaboration between financial institutions, private sector leaders, and governments. The Riyadh Action Agenda, a key initiative of Saudi Arabia’s COP16 presidency, aims to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030. It’s a call to action for stronger urban-rural linkages, enhanced governance frameworks, and inclusive financing mechanisms—especially in the Global South. #COP16 #LandRestoration #Sustainability #DroughtResilience #Desertification #GlobalPartnerships #ClimateAction #UrbanRuralLinkages #InclusiveDevelopment

One of the world’s three earliest civilizations thrived around it. It has sustained Pakistan for more than 5,000 years. Ninety percent of the country’s economy depends on it, with 80 percent of Pakistan’s arable lands irrigated by its waters. For you reading this, you may have made a journey around it or seen the Indus River in photographs. An unhealthy #Indus Basin is unaffordable for a nation like #Pakistan, which the Global Climate Risk Index ranks as the eighth most vulnerable country to climate change. Pakistan is currently experiencing an age of adaptation, with major water issues brought on by climate change due to the unpredictable nature of melting glaciers and the nature of monsoons that threaten floods. My latest for SouthAsia Magazine focuses on Living Indus, declared as one of United Nations World Restoration Projects - standing out for its ambitious impact, the project aims to restore more than 30% of Pakistan’s Indus River Basin by 2030. More here https://lnkd.in/dZipW73i United Nations Pakistan UN Environment Programme FAO #EarthDay

Join Us for an Exclusive Webinar Happening Tomorrow! "To Riyadh and Beyond: Taking action now to restore 1.5 billion ha of land” 📅 Date: Wednesday, November 27th ⏰ Time: 8:00 AM Eastern Standard Time / 1 PM GMT / 4 PM Arabia Standard Time Healthy land is vital to life on Earth, supporting ecosystems, livelihoods, and global food security. Yet, land degradation is accelerating at an alarming pace, with millions of hectares lost each year. By 2050, up to 90% of the planet’s land could be degraded, putting freshwater supplies, biodiversity, and livelihoods at severe risk. Ahead of the historic UNCCD COP16Riyadh, the first to take place in the MENA region during the Convention’s 30th year, we’re inviting you to join a critical conversation about the Riyadh Action Agenda. This landmark initiative, to be launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and supported by Ambition Loop, seeks to drive coordinated, inclusive action to conserve and restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030. Together with key stakeholders—from Indigenous Peoples to financial institutions and NGOs —we’ll explore how non-state actors can collaborate to combat land degradation, including with benefits to address biodiversity loss and climate change, and thus deliver transformative solutions for our planet. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the movement! 👉 Register now to hold your spot. https://lnkd.in/dbxXJ6wg  Let’s work together to protect the land we all depend on! 🌍 #LandRestoration #RiyadhCOP16 #SustainableLandManagement #Biodiversity #ClimateAction #UNCCD #EcosystemRestoration #EnvironmentalConservation #MENARegion Gonzalo Muñoz Abogabir CMG Nigel Topping, CMG Jennifer Lenhart, PhD Wael Bushah Dr Susan Chomba

Today marks a pivotal moment as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia takes on the presidency of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). As COP16Riyadh officially kicks off with the opening plenary, we enter a landmark 12-day conference focused on addressing one of the world’s most pressing challenges: land degradation. This global issue affects millions of people, threatening ecosystems, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods. The conversations and actions that will unfold in Riyadh have the potential to shape the future of land restoration and conservation efforts worldwide. We look forward to meaningful dialogue, innovative solutions, and collaborative actions that will drive real change and impact in the fight for healthier, more resilient land. 🌱 #COP16Riyadh #Sustainability #UNCCD #SustainabilityLeaders

From the hydro survey that we did a couple of months ago, today we celebrate the success of the first phase of a water project that is changing lives—a borehole that now brings a continuous, sustainable water supply to the community of Ramat in Northern Kenya. Hitting a successful borehole is more than just a technical achievement, it is a symbol of hope and transformation to the community. For those who have been to these remote ASAL areas of Kenya will understand the profound joy this water project brings to the community. The difference this makes is beyond words. Furthermore, the project targets to address the urgent needs of disaster affected families and contribute to their well-being by implementing a wide range of interconnected interventions, focusing on improving access to safe drinking water through activities such as drilling and equipping boreholes complete with solar-powered systems for water storage and distribution. Additionally, these efforts are complemented with additional benefits such as community empowerment through community engagements, formation and training of water committees, stakeholder involvement, among other essential WASH components that ensure long-term sustainability of community water projects such as this one. With such a resource, the community now has the opportunity to diversify livelihoods, increase food security, and ultimately improve living standards. This directly contributes to accelerating the achievement of SDG 6 while also helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change. #WASH #SDG6 #Climatechange #COP29