UNCCD Conference of Parties 16th session (COP16)
adelphi at UNCCD COP16
- 3 December, 14:00-17:00
High-level event: Impacts of land degradation and drought on forced migration, security and prosperity
Where: MET-11
- 3 December, 18:30 - 20:30
Peace Forest Initiative: High-level Partners Roundtable
Where: MET-29 (Blue Zone)
The Partners’ Roundtable (PFI-PR) at the UNCCD COP16 is intended as the principal global communication platform for the PFI. It comprises representatives from countries, partner organisations and non-state actors, local communities, the private sector, and CSOs. Its primary objective is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences amongst a wide range of policy makers, experts and practitioners coming from diverse backgrounds and geographic locations. The Partners' Roundtable serves as a practical platform to foster dialogue, cooperation and understanding of the complex interconnectivity of land and ecosystem management, peace, and security, advancing the PFI mission to promote peace.
In addition, the event will officially launch key resources for the PFI operation, including: (i) an operational guideline of the PFI; (ii) a report on the nexus between Land, Peace, and Security; and (iii) a prototype of an environmental dashboard. These tools are designed to guide the initiative’s implementation, strengthen the link between land management and peacebuilding, and support transparent, data-driven decision-making in resource management.
Speakers:
• Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary, UNCCD
• H.E. Mira Lee, Deputy Minister, Korea Forest Service, Republic of Korea
• HRH Princess Abeer Al Saud
• Ms. Beatrice Mosello
• Ms. Pauliina Upla
• Mr. Peter Stephen Waring
• Monique Barbut, Former UNCCD Executive Secretary (tbc)
- 4 December, 12:00 - 13:30
Building Peace Through Resilient Landscapes
Where: Changwon Pavilion
This event will provide attendees with insights into available evidence, frameworks and tools to support peacebuilding and resilience through sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration. It will also provide concrete examples of actions to address climate and environmental concerns in fragile regions by the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) Climate, Peace and Security (CPS) advisors. Ultimately, the event aims to deepen understanding and foster practical applications and investments towards addressing land and ecosystem degradation in conflict-affected and fragile contexts in a way that also promotes transboundary peacebuilding and cooperation efforts. This event will launch the UNCCD Ground for Peace: Land Restoration for International Peace and Security report, prepared in partnership with adelphi, which provides a thorough analysis of how sustainable land management can contribute to peace and security, and sets forth a political and practical case for investments in land and ecosystem restoration as essential components of international peacebuilding strategies. Read the event's agenda.
Speakers:
• Louise Baker, Managing Director of the Global Mechanism, UNCCD
• Samuel Martell, Team Leader, Climate, Peace and Security Unit, UN DPPA
• Beatrice Mosello, Senior Advisor, adelphi research
• Utchang Kang, Programme Manager, UNCCD
• Mary Elizabeth Potts, Analyst, adelphi research
• Sandor Madar, Research Associate, Alp Analytica
• Elizabeth Carabine, Climate, Peace and Security Advisor, Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to the Horn of Africa
• Peter Stephen Waring, Consultant, UN DPPA
- 4 December, 15:30 - 17:00
Landscape restoration as a pathway to peace
Where: Blue Zone and livestreamed
This session will extend the CBD COP16’s theme of "Peace with Nature" to the UNCCD
COP16 by exploring the transformative role of sustainable landscapes in reducing conflict and building resilience. The interconnected challenges of environmental degradation, governance issues, and conflict highlight a unique opportunity to leverage sustainable land management and restoration as tools for peacebuilding. Environmental peacebuilding integrates natural resource management with conflict resolution to foster social cohesion, restore degraded landscapes, and support resilient livelihoods. These initiatives provide platforms to co-develop solutions that align conservation and restoration goals with socio-economic needs, offering a pathway to achieve the SDGs and the objectives of the three Rio Conventions.
This session will delve into how restoration and sustainable land management can catalyze dialogue, foster collaboration among stakeholders, and strengthen governance frameworks to reduce conflicts and build resilience in vulnerable regions. By showcasing case studies from diverse regions, the session will highlight the power of participatory approaches to restoration, sustainable resource management, and livelihood creation."
Speakers:
• Dr. Beatrice Mosello
• Ken Otieno
• Dr. Baba Ba
• Dr. Mohsin Hafeez
• Janelle Sylvester
• Cargele Masso
• Ruby Haji Naif
More on adelphi's work on land
What is the UNCCD COP?
UNCCD is one of the three major treaties known as the Rio Conventions—alongside climate change and biodiversity. It is the world’s foremost platform where governments, businesses and civil society come together to discuss present-day challenges and chart a sustainable future for land.
We depend on land for our survival. Yet, we treat it like dirt
The participation to the sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the UNCCD and its subsidiary bodies is by invitation only. In the coming months, Parties to the Convention and accredited organizations will receive an official invitation to attend the conference and nominate their representatives to take part in COP16.
This edition of the UNCCD Conference of Parties will have four focus areas:
- Land restoration
- Drought resilience
- Land at the heart of SDGs
- Women's land rights
More information
This description was excerpted from unccd.int