The 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16) takes place in Riyadh. It is the largest UN land summit to date and the first of its kind to be held in the Middle East region. This is reported by
Arab News.

The pledges were made during the Ministerial Dialogue on Finance, a key segment of COP16 focused on unlocking public and private sector funding. 

“With over $12 billion pledged for major land restoration and drought resilience initiatives in just the first two days, COP16 in Riyadh is already proving a landmark moment in the fight against drought,” said Osama Faqeeha, Saudi Deputy Minister for Environment and advisor to the UNCCD COP16 Presidency. 

The partnership is aimed at tackling the increasing threat of droughts, which have increased by 30 per cent over the past 20 years. According to figures presented at the opening of the summit, by 2050, three out of four people on Earth could face the effects of drought.

The Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification is taking place in the Saudi capital from 2 to 13 December. A number of high-level meetings are scheduled during the first days of the summit, during which participants will discuss problems related to land degradation, soil deterioration and drought. A final declaration is expected to be adopted at the end of the conference.

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