Science, Technology, and Innovation Day opened the second week of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 16). This thematic day featured high-level dialogues and interactive sessions, including the launch of the International Science, Technology, and Innovation Forum.
The second open dialogue with civil society also focused on innovation, as panelists described their unique programmes to address land degradation and drought.
Want to dig deeper into today's talks? Read the full Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report.
Tarja Halonen, Former President, Finland and UNCCD Land Ambassador, remarked on the importance of including everyone in the development of solutions. She highlighted the significance of local, Indigenous, and traditional knowledges and the need for horizontal knowledge exchanges.
Keynote speaker Celeste Drake, International Labour Organization (ILO), noted the importance of inclusive dialogues for elaborating solutions that matter and last. She highlighted the results of a recent report, which found that investing in nature-based solutions can create up to 32 million new jobs by 2030.
Panelists told inspiring stories from around the world to bring home the true value of inclusive investment in land, restoration activities, and the importance of the creative and innovative role of civil society, Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth.
The Committee of the Whole (COW) opened discussions on: the private sector and the business engagement strategy; the UNCCD communication plan; synergies with other relevant conventions and international organizations, institutions, and agencies; participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the UNCCD; and the work programme for COP 17.
The discussion on the participation of civil society in the meetings and processes of the UNCCD featured calls for enhanced CSO participation. The need to empower and enhance participation of youth and Indigenous Peoples was highlighted, noting the important roles they play in implementing the Convention. However, some said that while they welcome greater CSO participation, as COP 16 observers they should not participate in the work of contact groups since those are reserved for governments according to UN practices.
The Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC) focused on capacity building to further the implementation of the Convention. Participants in a panel discussion described their organization or government’s capacity-building strategies and responded to questions from the floor.
Contact groups met throughout the day to focus on a variety of topics, including land tenure, migration as a driver of land degradation, drought, and the budget. With limited progress so far, the contact groups will have no choice but to pick up the pace to ensure that all decisions can be adopted at the end of the week.
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All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For UNCCD COP 16, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou
Open Dialogue Session
Ellen Otaru Okoedion, Moderator
Celeste Drake, International Labour Organization (ILO)
Tarja Halonen, former President, Finland, and UNCCD Land Ambassador
Marcos Montoiro, UNCCD, and Mawe Moumbe Épse Nzoda, Youth Action for Sustainable Development (YASUD), Cameroon
Fatou Diouf, ENDA
Mawe Moumbe Épse Nzoda, YASUD, Cameroon
Valentina Kastarakova, Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC), Representative of Altai Region, Russia
Jiajia Luo, China Green Foundation (CGF)
Tiffany Marcelle, Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN), Dominica
Edel Nazaré Santiago de Moraes, Brazil
Patrick Reilly, US
Kimberlly Veronica Megía Dávila, Ecuador
Daniel Joaquin Luciano Pérez, Dominican Republic
Arturo Pizano Portillo, Mexico
Berchmans Hatungimana, Burundi
Rina Kuusipalo, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Delegates from Yemen
Delegates from the State of Palestine
Delegates from Ecuador
Abdu Gasem Al Sharif, COP 16 Presidency, gavels the Open Dialogue Session to a close.
Ellen Otaru Okoedion, Moderator
Marcos Montoiro, UNCCD, Valentina Kastarakova, IPACC, Representative of Altai Region, Russia, and Ellen Otaru Okoedion, Moderator
High-level Interactive Dialogue: Healing Our Land Through Science and Earth Intelligence
Mohammed bin Yahya Al Sayel, President, General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GEOSA)
Antje Hecheltjen, Group on Earth Observation's Land Degradation Neutrality Initiative (GEO-LDN)
Nichole Barger, Science-Policy Interface (SPI) Co-Chair
Yana Gevorgyan, Group on Earth Observations (GEO)
Committee of the Whole
COW Chair Anna Luise, Italy
Xenya Scanlon, UNCCD
Claire Fabre, EU
Jemimah Micere Njuki, UN Women
Abie Sanneh, The Gambia
Lilian Carolina González Rincon, Colombia
Battsetseg Banzragch, Mongolia
Diane Klaimi, UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention
CRIC Chair Mirko Knežević, Montenegro
Tatenda Lemann, World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT)
Helene Wanjuri Gichenje, SPI Early Career Scientist Fellow
Patrice Burger, Centre d’Actions et de Réalisations Internationales (CARI)
Khalid Cherki, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, Morocco
Committee of the Whole Contact Group on Other Matters
Between Sessions
Global Restoration Commitments and Pledges: 2024 Report
Mohamed Abd Salam El Vilaly, G20 Global Land Initiative, UNCCD
Muralee Thummarukudy, Director, G20 Global Land Initiative, UNCCD
Lukwesa Burak, Moderator
Around the Venue
