RIYADH: Saudi Arabia aims to secure concrete outcomes from COP16 by establishing a “Friends of the Chair” group tasked with drafting the Riyadh Policy Declaration, a key outcome document of the conference. 

Osama Faqeeha, Saudi deputy minister of environment and adviser to the COP16 presidency, announced the formation of the group, emphasizing its role in shaping the conference’s ministerial declaration. 

“The Friends of the Chair group will be facilitated by a group representing the COP presidency, and a report on the outcomes of its work will be submitted directly to me in my capacity as president,” Faqeeha said. 

This initiative underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to ensuring collaborative and actionable results from the conference. 

A Friends of the Chair group is an informal working body established during international conferences to assist in drafting key outcome documents or resolving complex issues. It is composed of representatives selected to support the conference presidency’s objectives. 

Gender equality and sustainable land management were among the major themes discussed at COP16. 

Hungary’s representative highlighted the critical importance of women in addressing challenges like desertification, land degradation, and drought, commending COP16 for its gender-focused initiatives. 

“We particularly welcome the efforts made by the UNCCD secretariat and the global mechanism to promote gender equality and empowerment of all women in the implementation of the convention, considering the crucial role of women in reaching these objectives,” the Hungarian representative said. 

Hungary’s remarks were part of broader discussions on pressing global issues, including drought resilience, sand and dust storms, and sustainable land use. 

These conversations reflected a growing international consensus on the need for gender-inclusive approaches to climate resilience and sustainability. 

Azerbaijan also contributed to the dialogue, emphasizing the importance of sustainable land management in achieving global climate and biodiversity targets, particularly those under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 15. 

“SDG 15, target three, which aims to strive toward land degradation neutrality by 2030, is a driving force for many countries to strengthen policies for sustainable land management,” the representative said. 

Azerbaijan further called for expanding the scope of the UNCCD to include all terrestrial ecosystems beyond the current focus on arid and semi-arid regions. 

“We encourage UNCCD to take further actions to consider the full range of terrestrial ecosystems for the UNCCD to be fully recognized as a global document,” the representative added. 

They also highlighted priorities like drought preparedness, wildfire management, and public-private partnerships to advance regional cooperation and sustainability. 

Running from Dec. 2 to 13, the first few days of COP16 are set to see a number of high-profile summits, ministerial dialogues, and announcements to address the pressing challenges associated with land degradation, degradation and drought. 

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to be among the attendees, as is the President of the World Bank Ajay Banga. 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, supported by a $150 million investment, according to a top official.

Speaking during the first plenary meeting on the opening day of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the COP16 president and the Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley explained that the initiative aims to promote multilateral efforts in the countries most impacted by drought.

This falls in line with the goal of the G20 Global Land Initiative, which was launched by the Kingdom and the UN in 2020, to reduce degraded land by 50 percent by 2040.

It also aligns with the country’s progressive stance on combating land degradation, as demonstrated by the Saudi Green Initiative. The nation has committed to rehabilitating over 74 million hectares of land, with 94,000 hectares already restored and 49 million plants and shrubs planted since 2021.

“The launching of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership aims at promoting multilateral efforts to promote resilience, namely in the countries most impacted by drought. It includes proactive partnerships to support the UNCCD,” Al-Fadley said.

“It is my pleasure to announce that the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will support this initiative with the amount of $150 million in the coming 10 years,” he added.

After the COP16 president underlined how drought is increasingly challenging our lives, Al-Fadley said: “The global partnership aims at promoting partnership between countries, organizations, and relevant stakeholders for the sake of a preventive approach, proactive approach by implementing strategies.”

It also addresses drought comprehensively by assessing risks, implementing early warning systems, transferring knowledge, and increasing capacity through innovative agricultural solutions, such as drought-resistant crops. Additionally, it will provide financing for infrastructure development, he added.

President and Group Chairman of Islamic Development Bank Muhammad Al-Jasser also spoke during the meeting on behalf of the Arab Coordination Group.

“I would like to emphasize that the magnitude and urgency of these challenges demand collective action. We must unite as a global community, forging partnerships that mobilize resources and deliver meaningful impact where it is most needed,” Al-Jasser said.

“Together, we can drive a just, fair and inclusive transition toward a sustainable future for both people and planet earth,” he added.

During the meeting, the Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Professor Johan Rockstrom also shed light on how the world is currently halfway through a decisive decade that will likely determine the future of humanity for generations to come.

“Unless we bend the curves and start truly transforming back within a safe operating space of a resilient and healthy planet. We are today finding overwhelming scientific evidence. We are at risk of destabilizing, of losing resilience and undermining life support at the planetary scale,” Rockstrom said.

“The latest finding shows we’re following a pathway that will take us to over 3 degrees Celsius of global mean surface temperature rise already by the end of this century,” he added.

The professor emphasized that the primary focus is gradually eliminating fossil fuels to ensure a smooth transition to a decarbonized global economy.

“But we today know scientifically that that will not be enough,” Rockstrom said.

“Investing in sustainable land use is critical not only to combat land degradation but it’s also fundamental for economics, it’s also fundamental for economic stability, it’s fundamental to avoid displacement, migration, and potentially also conflicts. It is fundamental for stability of societal development, it’s fundamental for climate stability and food security,” he said.