Power for Change | Moc za spremembo’s Post

I'm pleased to say I'll be speaking at the upcoming #unccd #cop16 in Riyadh. I'll be on a panel analysing the governance challenges and opportunities to address desertification and land degradation. This will be part of my role as Vice President of the Board at Power for Change | Moc za spremembo. In the lead up to this, I've published the following article via illuminem, with the editorial support of Maria Rugamer. ❓ How do we achieve long-term sustainability outcomes in land management while overcoming typical governance pathologies of short-termism and self-interest? ❓ How can appropriate policy actor coalitions come together to promote synergies and minimise tensions in managing land? 👉 Why should we seek to balance different #UNSDGs, promoting social & economic co-benefits in the pursuit of sustainable land management? 💪 What strengths can we leverage from the public, private and civil society sectors to combat desertification and land degradation? Thank you Dr Renuka Thakore Representing Global Communities for providing me the opportunity to speak on this upcoming panel! I also look forward to working with my co-panelists sayeda meharunisa, Shyam Kumar Katta & Pallavi Saxena! Global Sustainable Futures Network CIC #unitednations #unsdgs #sustainabledevelopment #governance #government https://lnkd.in/g6CJ3RMz

GSFN Power for Change | Moc za spremembo James Balzer, MSusDev MPP Tanja Bogataj, MM.Sc. COP16Riyadh 🌍 Addressing Desertification: The Need to Progress on Governance and Grassroots Perspectives While Environment (E) and Society (S) are widely debated in sustainability discussions, Governance (G) often remains underexplored. This is particularly true when addressing complex challenges like desertification. Governance, especially from grassroots perspectives, is crucial to fostering ownership among local communities, empowering the majority, and ensuring shared accountability in sustainable land management. Without inclusive governance, efforts to combat desertification risk excluding key stakeholders, undermining long-term solutions. It’s time to shift our focus towards participatory approaches and locally led governance frameworks that amplify the voices of those most impacted. Only by making everyone responsible and accountable can we truly advance in mitigating desertification and achieving resilience. Let’s move beyond E and S to give G the attention it deserves—because good governance is the foundation of sustainable progress. #Governance #Sustainability #Desertification #GrassrootsLeadership #Accountability #ClimateAction #SDGs #Cop16riyadh

On 4 December, Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of UNCCD, addressed the Business 4 Land Forum, which was held during the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 in Riyadh. In his address, he urged the private sector to prioritize sustainable land management within their corporate and financial strategies. As droughts intensify worldwide, and with 40% of the world’s land affected by degradation, the UNCCD warned that the global economy could face a $23 trillion loss by 2050. Businesses are called upon to transform their operations, mobilize funding for land restoration, and collaborate across sectors to mitigate climate and biodiversity challenges. In this context, PAM is reinforcing its engagement on the issue and its cooperation with the UNCCD, as the Assembly was recently granted the status of Permanent Accredited Observer Organization to the Convention. This significant achievement highlights PAM's steadfast commitment to addressing the pressing challenge of desertification, promoting sustainable land management practices, and contributing to the broader global agenda for sustainable development. Looking ahead, PAM will continue to engage with the most important multilateral environmental fora, and especially with the COPs of the three Rio Conventions, including the forthcoming resumed session, in February 2025, of the COP16Riyadh on Biodiversity in Rome, at FAO Headquarters. #UNCCD #COP16 #LandRestoration #SustainableDevelopment Learn More: https://lnkd.in/dadiYdum    @United Nations News

SAFE COP29 Azerbaijan, event; "Global Vision, Local Action: Financing the Future of Locally Led Adaptation”.“ Dipayan Dey, Chair & Founder Trustee, South Asian Forum for Environment, SAFE, highlights in the fire chat discussion; that the areas on South East India gets inundated with sea water rising or flood water, communities started practicing regenerative agriculture with slim soil technology adopting float-farms, farmers now coming back to production, and this is an adaptive innovation. He further said, “But when we come to finance, still now there is no such mainstream financing mechanism to support innovative adaptive innovations, we acknowledge the support received for climate adaptive innovations from corporate sector, through corporate social responsibilities, and global development agencies, like GDN, JSDF and UNDP. He stressed the need to overcome digital barriers, expand value chains on the supply side, and bridge the rural-urban digital divide among farmers.” #COP29 #CopLife #COP29Azerbaijan #baif #nccsd #graff #AsiaPacificNetwork #Cansa #ICIMOD #InternationalWaterConference #ICRISAT #globalforum #SDGs #SDG3goodhealthandwellbeing #SDG4QualityEducation #internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment #GDN #InternationalRiceResearchInstitute #JSDF #InternationalFoodPolicyResearchInstitute #MoEFCC #IndianCouncilOfAgriculturalResearch #indianagriculturalresearchinstitute #naturepositiveinitiative #nationalresearchinstitute #nationalbiodiversityboard #climatesolutions #UnitedNationsBiodiversity #UNEP #UNCCD #UNDP #undpafcia #undesa #ECOSOC #cbd #IPBES #UNFCCC #IPCC

🔎❓ Ever wonder how we go from science to policy and action? 🌍❓ Me too and that's why I joined the UN Convention to Combat Desertification Science-Policy Interface in 2022. Now that I've completed a biennium out of my 4-year appointment, I wanted to share some insights into how that process unfolded relative the work we undertook addressing aridity and expanding drylands. For a summary of the report, check out my interview with the The New York Times here: https://lnkd.in/gRNRjYCE 🛠️🗺️How It Started: At COP15 in Abidjan (Nigeria), Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) recognized the urgent need to address aridity—a key driver of land degradation and drought—by tasking the Science-Policy Interface (SPI) with delivering robust evidence and solutions. That call to action set the stage for the report under SPI's 2022-2024 work programme. 🔎 The Process We Undertook: 1️⃣ Request and Mandate: COP15's decision 18/COP.15 requested SPI to analyze global and regional aridity trends, projections, and impacts while providing science-based adaptation approaches. 2️⃣ Evidence Generation: Through a rigorous review of existing synthesis reports, literature, and global data, the SPI produced a comprehensive technical report highlighting key aridity trends and risks: https://lnkd.in/ePaXwJW9 3️⃣ Science-Policy Recommendations: We distilled the findings into targeted policy-oriented recommendations to improve monitoring, impact assessments, and integrated adaptation planning: https://lnkd.in/evWzqWmA 4️⃣ Negotiations at COP16: These recommendations were deliberated during extensive multilateral negotiations, resulting in the Draft Decision adopted by Parties (L3): https://lnkd.in/eFwJggHd 💡 Key Outcomes from COP16: The finalized science-policy recommendations are a milestone for aridification: ✅ Integrating aridity monitoring into existing drought frameworks to enhance early warning systems. ✅ Developing global standards for assessing aridity impacts on socio-economic and environmental systems. ✅ Promoting community-based monitoring and leveraging Indigenous knowledge for inclusive solutions. ✅ Strengthening sustainable land and water management approaches to build resilience and reduce land degradation. The SPI will be looking for new members - stay tuned! #UNCCD #COP16 #ClimateResilience #Aridification #LandDegradation #SciencePolicy #Drylands #SustainableDevelopment

📣 The 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2 to 13, 2024. 📅 This event, themed "Our Land. Our Future.", marks the first time a UNCCD COP is being held in the Middle East and North Africa region, coinciding with the Convention's 30th anniversary. COP16 aims to accelerate global efforts in land restoration and drought resilience, addressing critical issues such as land degradation, desertification, and drought. 🌵 The thematic days will cover topics such as Land, Agri-food Systems, Governance, People, Science, Technology and Innovation, Resilience, and Finance, aiming to foster collaboration and drive ambitious commitments under the UNCCD process. 🤝 COP16 represents a significant opportunity to renew global commitment to sustainable land management and to implement strategies that link sustainable land practices with peace and security, driving progress toward global stability and prosperity. 🌐 For more information, visit the official UNCCD website: https://www.unccd.int/

COP16 left unfinished business on table. However, some progress was made on a few key items: 🌿 Indigenous-led conservation: COP16 agreed to an an ambitious Programme of Work to ensure the continued integration and active engagement of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous knowledge as integral components of effective KMGBF implementation and progress. 🐝 Climate change and biodiversity: COP16 agreed on steps to integrate climate and biodiversity finance, and encouraged countries to increase the use of nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches. 💰 Finance: COP16 adopted a new financial mechanism, the Cali Fund, to share the benefits from the use of information derived from genetic resources. The Cali Fund will dedicate at least 50% of its funds for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. "Unfinished business at COP does not mean suspending work at home. We urge the Governments of Canada to accelerate the implementation of its 2030 Nature Strategy and the opportunities it presents for our vital natural resource sectors, Indigenous-led conservation economies, and communities." - Shaughn McArthur, Asociate Director of Government Relations, Nature United Read about key wins from COP16 and what's still needed to support nature and people: https://nature.ly/48Ar1St

❌ --NEW INITITIATIVE JUST LAUNCHED AT COP16 RIYADH -- ❌ A new initiative has been launched here in Riyadh at the United Nations COP16Riyadh where there has been a busy a few days focussed on several major events driving action on land degradation including: ⚡ Water scarcity ⚡ Desertification ⚡ Advancing women's land rights ⚡ Enhancing urban-rural linkages. ------ A NEW INTITIATIVE The launch of the 𝗥𝗶𝘆𝗮𝗱𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮, is a landmark initiative to mobilise state and non-state actors. ✔️ It will enhance financing for land restoration and drought resilience ✔️ It will drive measurable progress towards the UNCCD target of restoring 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030. It will encourage countries, private sector, financial institutions, international organisations, and other stakeholders to strengthen the convention by joining existing initiatives that bolster global action on land degradation, desertification and drought, such as: 🌍 The Middle East Green Initiative 🌍 Great Green African Wall 🌍 The Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership 🌍 Or by championing new initiatives. The Riyadh Action Agenda further progressed on Governance Day, with a declaration calling for engagement between local and regional governments to develop a roadmap for tackling land degradation, drought and desertification. ---------------------- WHY IS THIS INTITIATIVE IMPORTANT? The Riyadh Action Agenda is important as it galvanises the action urgently required to focus on targeted delivery on programmes to abate and reverse land degradation, not tomorrow but TODAY. Highlighting this challenge, Walid Al-Akrish, Deputy for Projects for the Riyadh Municipality in Saudi Arabia, gave a keynote address, saying: 🗣️ “We must acknowledge that the challenges we face; population growth, rapid urbanisation and unsustainable agricultural practices, have led to alarming rates of land degradation and biodiversity loss.” Our stat 🔢 of the day focusses on why this new initiative is so important and needed: ⚡ With increased urbanisation comes intense challenges as it intensifies the strain on hinterlands, water and food resources, and further accelerating land degradation ⚡ The growth of urbanised areas is forecast to increase, with 𝟲𝟴% of the worlds population expected to be residing in urban areas by 2050 ⚡ Rapid urbanisation is forecast to greatly impact surrounding rural areas, especially in developing countries which further heightens the importance of regional and local authorities, in managing resources for growing populations. The next few days of COP16Riyadh will see further detail emerge on this initiative most likely around finance and details around areas of focus. With only a few days left, let's hope more progress is made. 🤞 Sustainability Connects . . . . 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. #RiyadhActionAgenda #COP16Riyadh #COP16 #environment #ClimateChange #sustainability #ESG

🇸🇦 A path forward ✨ Saudi Arabia’s successful hosting of COP16 demonstrated its commitment to shaping global environmental policies and fostering innovation. #COP16 was held in Riyadh from December 2-13 under the theme “Our Land. Our Future.” #ASCES #Sustainability #WasteManagement #CircularEconomy #SaudiArabia #SaudiVision2030

Achieving Equitable and Sustainable Water Governance 💧 Join us at #GovernanceDay during #COP16 in #Riyadh for the pivotal session: "Rights and Responsibilities: How to Achieve Equitable, Inclusive and Sustainable Water Governance." Co-hosted by UNDP and FAO, this event focuses on the vital link between water rights and responsibilities. It will showcase integrated governance models, gender-inclusive approaches, and innovations driving resilience to drought and desertification. Attendees will explore transformative lessons and new tools. GWOPA’s Head/UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme), Åsa Jonsson, will share insights during the “Expert Panel on Transferability of Lessons”. Åsa will also spotlight scalable solutions for urban water resilience and equitable access, addressing critical #SDGs like #povertyreduction, access to #waterquality, #sanitation and sustainable urban growth. Why Attend ❓ Gain Insights: Learn from global experts addressing water governance challenges. Explore Solutions: Uncover practical approaches to adapt and apply proven strategies. Take Action: Discover impactful strategies and forge partnerships to build drought resilience and a water-secure future. 🗓 When: Friday, 6 December 2024, 15:30 – 16:45 📍 Where: Action Agenda (Blue Zone) Let’s build a future where no one is left behind in the fight against water scarcity! 🌱 #WaterGovernance #Sustainability #COP16Riyadh #ResilientCities #SDGs #ClimateAction