Saudi Arabia Leading the Charge Against Desertification and Drought
In a bold statement, Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Osama Faqeeha declared that desertification and drought are two of the most critical environmental challenges facing the world today.
Faqeeha highlighted that up to 40 percent of the world’s land area is affected by land degradation, leading to the annual loss of 100 million hectares of healthy land.
With the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification coinciding with COP16, Faqeeha emphasized the urgent need for sustainable land management to combat these pressing issues.
He warned that the world is losing an area of healthy land equivalent to four football fields every second due to land degradation, underscoring the importance of uniting for sustainable land management.
Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront of global efforts to combat land degradation and drought, with initiatives such as the Saudi Green Initiative and various land restoration projects serving as models for sustainable development.
Faqeeha stressed that these programs not only promote environmental sustainability but also create economic opportunities and enhance the quality of life for communities.
The 30th Desertification and Drought Day, hosted by Germany, recently concluded with UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw emphasizing the importance of passing down ancestral wisdom to future generations.
The event also featured the introduction of the new cohort of UNCCD Land Heroes and the unveiling of the UNCCD Youth Engagement Strategy and Land Youth Negotiators Program, empowering young people to drive innovation in sustainable land management.
These initiatives are especially crucial ahead of the upcoming UNCCD COP16 negotiations in Riyadh, scheduled for December 2 to 13, where youth engagement and sustainable land management will take center stage.