World Insights: COP16 draws key roadmap for global fight against desertification

RIYADH, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Adopting 39 decisions to pool global efforts, the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has drawn a vital blueprint for fighting desertification across the world.

After two weeks of intense discussions in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, the parties inked historic agreements, ushering in a new chapter of global anti-desertification.

According to the UNCCD, COP16 is the "largest, most inclusive, and most complex" one in the conference's 30-year history, with nearly 200 countries and over 20,000 participants in attendance. The conference concluded with a broad consensus on prioritizing land restoration and drought resilience in national policies, expanding international cooperation, and recognizing these as essential strategies for food security and climate adaptation.

KEY PROGRESS

Land restoration and drought resilience were central themes of COP16. In his opening remarks on Dec. 2, Ibrahim Thiaw, executive secretary of the UNCCD, emphasized the urgent need for land restoration and immediate action against drought, a "silent killer" that could affect up to 7.5 billion people by 2050.

Among the key agreements was a procedural decision on drought. On the final day, the parties agreed to continue discussions to adopt a decision at COP17 in Mongolia in 2026. The creation of an Intergovernmental Working Group on Drought was also confirmed.

New pledges for large-scale land restoration and drought preparedness were made, including the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, which raised 12.15 billion U.S. dollars to support 80 of the world's most vulnerable countries in enhancing their drought resilience. Additionally, COP16 launched the International Drought Resilience Observatory, the prototype for the first AI-driven global platform designed to help countries assess and improve their ability to cope with increasing droughts.

Thiaw expressed optimism at the closing plenary, highlighting the launch of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership as a landmark initiative in the fight against drought. He also pointed out the interconnectedness of land degradation with broader global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, food security, forced migration, and global stability. "The solutions are within our grasp," he said.

Science played a crucial role in informing COP16's decisions. The UNCCD's Science-Policy Interface presented compelling evidence that three-quarters of the Earth's ice-free surface has become permanently drier in the past 30 years, with projections showing that 5 billion people could be living in drylands by 2100. This underscored the urgency of addressing land degradation.

Several key reports were released during the conference, including those on global aridity trends, land management transformation, drought mapping, and the economics of drought resilience, providing valuable science-based guidance for future decisions and policies.

CHINA'S CONTRIBUTION

China is faced with some of the world's most severe challenges in desertification, particularly in the northwestern, northern, and northeastern regions with vast drylands and deserts.

Since signing the convention 30 years ago, China has become the largest contributor to global greening and an international model for desertification control. Its pivotal role was also proved throughout the conference as a proactive partner of the UNCCD.

The Chinese delegation has been engaged in critical discussions, including the core budget of the convention, drought framework, and midterm evaluation, as well as the consultations of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention and the Committee on Science and Technology.

Meanwhile, by holding exhibitions, summits, ministerial dialogues, award presentations, and theme days at the China Pavilion during COP16, the country showcased its experiences and achievements to participants, to boost communication and further cooperation in addressing this global challenge.

"I was moved by the images of different generations of Chinese people fighting desertification and by China's leadership in this process," said UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary Andrea Meza Murillo, commending the nation's long-term commitment and innovative approach to combating desertification.

Effective policies, community and local government involvement, as well as innovation and technology, are key components of China's success, she said.

Commending China's land control efforts as "integrated, strategic, and powerful," Barron Joseph Orr, chief scientist with the UNCCD, said after visiting the China Pavilion that China has been a "leader" in a holistic approach to resolving land degradation as "many countries are learning from China."

During his tour of the China Pavilion, Thiaw said China's desertification control efforts have presented a "concrete" solution to the world, showing "how much traditional knowledge is combined with new technologies, how much a long-term vision is combined with the need to have short-term solutions, how much business is associated with ecology, to create the positive movement that is needed to actually bring the land back to health," he said. ■