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Explore the crucial link between human activities and #ClimateChange with Admighty Foundation, holding ECOSOC Special Consultative Status. Understanding how our actions impact the environment is key to fostering change. From carbon emissions to deforestation, every decision matters. Join us in promoting awareness and sustainable practices in Health, Education, and Environment. Together, let's empower communities to reduce their carbon footprint and mitigate climate change. Support our mission for a greener, healthier planet. Learn more on our website: www.admightyfoundation.org Together, we can shape a brighter future! #ClimateAction #Sustainability #AdmightyFoundation #ECOSOC #Health #Education #Environment UNEP-WCMC United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre Jordy Uneputty COP28 UAE COP28UAE Business & Philanthropy Climate Forum COP29 Azerbaijan Road to COP28 COP29 Azerbaijan

🎧 🍃 What is the upcoming UN Convention to Combat Desertification #COP16? And why should it matter to business? **Starting 12pm UAE time today** (lunchtime listening!) we are partnering with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to host a 60 minute webinar, exploring COP16’s themes and how they impact both business and society.  Register here to join: https://lnkd.in/dSsAsgr2 🌳 Land degradation impacts the wellbeing and livelihoods of ~3.2 billion people - that’s a staggering 40% of the world’s population - and poses significant risks to businesses by disrupting supply chains, increasing operational costs, and reducing the availability of essential resources. Completing the 'Rio trio', this third COP of 2024 - the sixteenth session of the UNCCD COP16 takes place in #Riyadh this year (December 2 - 13) focusing on issues around #desertification #landdegradation, #waterscarcity and #drought. It presents a critical opportunity for businesses, especially in the Middle East, to engage with pressing issues that directly impact their operations, resources and - ultimately - their bottom line. Join us as we:  📌 Explore COP16’s main themes, including migration, drought, dust storms and sustainable land management—to highlight risks and adaptation needs for businesses. 📌 Outline COP16 goals on desertification and land degradation, underscoring the importance of global collaboration for resilient supply chains and sustainable business practices. 📌 Examine land degradation’s impact on communities and economies, showing how businesses can drive restoration and sustainable growth through innovation and partnerships. Samer Al Chikhani Alexandra-Rita Tarazi Rachel Heaton Philippe Aubert Dorothy Bulan- Kraizim Joseph Leavy PwC Middle East Ousama El Ghazzi Anas Chazal

Thu 2024-04-25 03:35 The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024. “We depend on land for our survival. Yet, we treat it like dirt.” – UN Secretary-General António Guterres Land. We walk on it every day. It feeds, clothes and shelters us. It sustains our economies, our lives and livelihoods. Today, the future of our land is on the line. We are degrading 100 million hectares of healthy and productive lands each year. Our soils—which take up to hundreds of years to form—are being depleted in a matter of minutes.  Droughts are hitting harder and more often, with women and girls affected first and worst. Three out of four people in the world are projected to face water scarcity by 2050. The proverbial well may soon run dry.  But we have the power to bring land back to life. We can turn degradation into restoration. We can go from devastating droughts and floods to robust economies and resilient communities. And we can ensure that those who depend on land the most have a say in how decisions are made. For this, we need to scale up ambition and investment. To deliver a moonshot moment for land. We need to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded lands by 2030. To have a collective agreement on how to tackle worsening droughts. To feed growing populations without converting more land or depleting our soils. And to deliver secure land rights for all in all parts of the world. As the global voice for land, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification UNCCD) is the world’s foremost platform where governments, businesses and civil society come together to discuss present-day challenges and chart a sustainable future for land. UNCCD is one of the three major treaties known as the Rio Conventions— alongside climate change and biodiversity. We cannot stop the climate crisis today, biodiversity loss tomorrow, and land degradation the day after. We need to tackle all these issues together—and healthy land is at the heart of reaching global climate, nature and sustainable development goals.  This is what will be at stake at the UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in December 2024, coinciding with the Convention’s 30th anniversary. COP16 will be a landmark event for accelerating action on land and drought resilience and a gamechanger for the green transition in Saudi Arabia, the region and beyond.

📢🎙️Media Advisory 🔊 Desertification COP16: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2 to 13 December 2024 Landmark UN conference to accelerate global efforts for land restoration and drought resilience Today, up to 40 percent of the world's land is degraded, affecting half of humanity and with dire consequences for our climate, biodiversity and people’s livelihoods. Droughts are becoming more frequent and severe, increasing by 29% since 2000 due to climate change and unsustainable land management. If current trends continue, restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030 will be necessary to achieve a land-degradation-neutral world.   In a pivotal year of environmental negotiations, with major conferences focusing on biodiversity, climate change and desertification, the 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) represents a crucial milestone. Under the theme “Our Land. Our Future,” the Conference will host representatives of governments, civil society and leading experts to advance global efforts to combat land degradation, desertification and drought while promoting sustainable development. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of UNCCD, COP16 will be the largest UN land conference to date, and the first UNCCD COP held in the Middle East and North Africa region, which knows first-hand the impacts of desertification, land degradation and drought. WHAT: 16th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) WHEN:  2 to13 December 2024 WHERE: Boulevard Riyadh City, at Al Imam Saud Ibn Faysal Rd. Hittin, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia PARTICIPANTS: Senior leaders from some 100 countries Several former Heads of State who are members of the COP16 high-level advisory council (Colombia, Costa Rica, Finland, Senegal) Members of the Royal Family from Saudi Arabia and other countries  UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed and over 30 heads of UN entities and international organizations Personalities from the world of art and sports, including UNCCD Goodwill Ambassadors, award-winning musicians, filmmakers and athletes Youth leaders including UNCCD Land Heroes and youth entrepreneurs  Private sector, civil society and Indigenous leaders. UPCOMING KEY REPORTS 1 December: Launch of the Special report on land by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research  Join the Opening Press Conference on 2 December at 13:15 with:  Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General  Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary  Incoming COP16 Presidency, and  Johan Rockstrom, Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) 2 December: Launch of the Global Drought Atlas 3 December: Launch of the Financial Needs Assessment for the Implementation of UNCCD  3 December: Launch of the Economics of Drought Resilience Report 6 December: Launch of the Primer on Urban-Rural Linkages and Land 9 December: Launch of the Global Aridity Trends Report

#COP_28: Key Achievements: The COP 28 #UN_Climate_Change_Conference, held in Dubai, gathering 85,000 participants. The conference marked a significant milestone with the completion of the first #global_stocktake under the #Paris_Agreement, revealing that progress in combating climate change remains insufficient. #Transition_from_Fossil_Fuels: COP 28 signaled the "#beginning_of_the_end" for the fossil fuel era, with a groundbreaking agreement that includes specific language on fossil fuels in the final agreement for the first time. Nations committed to accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources with the goal of reducing global #greenhouse_gas emissions by 43% by 2030. #Funding_for_Loss_and_Damage: A historic agreement was reached to operationalize funding arrangements for loss and damage caused by climate change, including the establishment of a new dedicated fund. Over USD 600 million was committed to support #vulnerable_countries, building on the landmark decision from #COP_27. #Global_Goal_on_Adaptation (#GGA): Parties agreed on targets for the #GGA, setting a framework to enhance resilience to climate impacts across various sectors, including water, food, health, ecosystems, infrastructure, poverty eradication, and cultural heritage. #Climate_Finance: The #Green_Climate_Fund received pledges totaling USD 12.8 billion from 31 countries. Additional commitments included USD 174 million for the Least Developed Countries Fund and Special Climate Change Fund, and nearly USD 188 million for the Adaptation Fund. #Linking_Climate_Action_with_Nature_Conservation: The conference emphasized the critical link between climate action and biodiversity conservation. Governments were urged to consider ecosystems, biodiversity, and carbon stores in their climate action plans. The decision also included a commitment to halt and #reverse_deforestation_and_forest_degradation by 2030, which could eliminate about 14% of global emissions. #Practical_Climate_Solutions: The Global Climate Action space at COP 28 showcased practical climate solutions and collaborations. Key initiatives included the UAE Climate and Health Declaration, with USD 1 billion mobilized for climate and health solutions, and the UAE Declaration on #Sustainable_Agriculture, #Resilient_Food_Systems, and #Climate_Action, with commitments totaling USD 2.6 billion. #Transparency_and_Accountability: COP 28 laid the groundwork for a new era of transparency under the Paris Agreement. #UN_Climate_Change is developing reporting and review tools to be used by Parties, with final versions expected by June 2024. The next critical milestones include #COP_29 in Azerbaijan (November 2024) and #COP_30 in Brazil (November 2025). These conferences will focus on establishing a #new_climate_finance_goal and delivering new, ambitious national climate plans aligned with the 1.5°C temperature limit. Ref: https://lnkd.in/gSUQqXf8

#COP29 is just under two weeks away! Join the COP Resilience Hub at #COP29Azerbaijan from 11 to 16 November to share, learn and mobilise action for a resilient future. Each day we’ll tackle one of six key challenges: *The challenges* Using a resilience lens, how can we better: 1. Anticipate and manage economic disruption and close finance gaps? 2. Address and overcome food and water insecurity? 3. Promote nature-positive action to help recover from and prevent further biodiversity loss and environmental degradation? 4. Build stronger, safer urban communities where everyone can thrive? 5. Prepare for extreme weather events and improve disaster recovery efforts? 6. Ensure the incorporation of culture and Indigenous and local knowledge at every level of decision making? Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/4eYnEXY

What’s at Stake for Kenya at the COP29 Summit? 🌍 As COP29 Azerbaijan approaches, #Kenya stands at a pivotal moment. The country is not only on the front lines of #climate #change impacts, such as droughts, floods, and food insecurity, but also at the heart of #Africa’s #resilience and #innovation. Kenya’s ambitious vision for #sustainable #development and #green #transformation has already set a powerful example, highlighting how #climate #action can drive prosperity and equity. However, for Kenya to truly lead the way, it’s clear that we still need to break down silos. Climate change doesn’t recognize organizational or sectoral boundaries, and our response can’t either. Progress requires collective action: from local #communities to #government bodies, private enterprises to #nonprofit organizations. Part of the solution lies in uniting these diverse voices and #resources, so that together, we can create comprehensive, scalable solutions for the #future. At Quercus Group, we’re inspired to keep building these connections. We’re excited to continue #engaging #stakeholders across Kenya’s sustainability landscape and beyond, fostering #collaboration that transcends individual agendas to achieve lasting #impact. Kenya’s challenges are immense, but so are its #opportunities. #Together, we can make a difference – imagining, innovating, and #acting as one. Let’s stay connected and build a sustainable future, for Kenya and for our #planet. 🌱 #COP29 #SustainableKenya #ClimateAction #QuercusGroup #I4WASH mariam njoroge #ImagineWhatWeCanDoTogether

🌿 Now is the time to act for nature. We have the tools and frameworks—like the Science-based Targets Network (SBTN) and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)—to make meaningful strides toward a hashtag #NaturePositive future. The science is clear: we must urgently scale up our collective efforts. With the adoption of the 2022 Global hashtag #BiodiversityFramework, we now have a comprehensive global plan to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. But the real challenge lies in turning this plan into action. For the first time in the history of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Biodiversity Plan recognizes the vital role of non-state actors, including indigenous peoples, local communities, businesses, and financial institutions. Under Target 15, business and finance must assess and disclose their nature-related risks, impacts, and dependencies—and transform to help halt biodiversity loss. Voluntary action alone won’t suffice. We must work together, across sectors, to drive the systemic change needed to secure a thriving planet. 

In recent years, COP summits have increasingly been hosted in Asia and the Middle East, bringing valuable regional representation to the global climate conversation. Hosting COP allows these countries to address unique climate challenges while promoting energy diversification and renewable energy adoption. Additionally, these summits drive economic and social benefits, such as boosting tourism, infrastructure development, and cultural exchange, while raising local awareness and sparking grassroots movements. It’s inspiring to witness the rise of regional climate leadership, with countries in these areas taking significant steps forward. A key outcome of hosting is also the attraction of green investments and partnerships, which help stimulate economies, create jobs, and support technological advancements in climate resilience. Apart from large-scale collaborations, there are several effective, targeted partnerships worth noting. These include Mangroves for the Future (MFF – Asia-Pacific), Cool Roofs Initiative (Telangana, India), Water as Leverage for Resilient Cities Asia (Netherlands with cities like Chennai in India, Khulna in Bangladesh, and Semarang in Indonesia), Green Power for Mobile, the Farm to Market Alliance (smallholder farmers in Africa), the Medellin Green Corridors Project (Colombia), Coral Gardeners (community-led conservation in French Polynesia), and many others. #COP #UNFCCC #Climatetracker #WRI #MangroveBreakthrough #CoolRoofPolicy #FMO #AIIB #IABR #GCECA #FtMA #IFC #Biodiversity #CoralGardener #AdoptACoral

Today we celebrate World Environment Day. 🌍 First established by the United Nations General Assembly, let us embrace this year’s powerful theme: "Our Land, Our Future. We are #GenerationRestoration." A major focus this year is on restoring land, combating desertification, and building resilience to drought — three challenges that are affecting billions of people worldwide. The world's land is being degraded at a rate of 40%, and drought is projected to affect over three-quarters of the global population by 2050. UNCCD #COP16 Riyadh, the largest international gathering on land and drought, is fast approaching. Let's remember that every single action counts. We are #GenerationRestoration, and it is our responsibility to restore and protect the environment. The clock is ticking. Our everyday choices and advocacy for eco-friendly policies can drive change — both individually and collectively. Sometimes, all it takes is a rousing book to create ripples of awareness. For me, it was ‘Sustainable Sustainability: Why ESG Is Not Enough’ by Rajeev Peshawaria. We must take action and become the generation that turns the tide. As a community, we can create a world where nature thrives and our land remains a rich, vibrant legacy for future generations. Take a positive step towards environmental change today: the #WorldEnvironmentDay Practical Guide by the UN Environment Programme is for all of us to get proactively involved as #GenerationRestoration: https://lnkd.in/g6jc3CpW We owe this to ourselves, to our planet — to our children. #WorldEnvironmentDay #Sustainability #ESG