Life as we know it cannot exist without water. It is vital for ecosystem stability, climate resilience, and human well-being. Yet freshwater systems are under increasing stress due to accelerating desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD), climate change, and biodiversity loss, driven by unsustainable land and water management practices. Aptly, the theme of the day at the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was water.
Droughts – signified by periods of absence or a reduction of water – have been a key focus of negotiations at COP 17, carrying on from COP 16, where an agreement remained out of reach. At COP 17, Parties are still struggling to find a way forward.
Despite these ongoing challenges in drought negotiations, the Ministerial Dialogue on the topic became a showcase of countries’ support for making drought resilience a core element of the Convention’s work. Parties stressed the connection between drought and food and energy security, as well as labor and economic productivity. They also highlighted the importance of moving from crisis management to proactive planning.
Throughout the day, contact groups met to discuss collaboration with the Global Environment Facility, resource mobilization, the future functioning and work programme of the Science-Policy Interface, migration, rangelands and pastoralists, sand and dust storms, and drought.
Following reservations from two Parties to the entire draft decision on migration, the Committee of the Whole contact group on other matters agreed to postpone discussions until the next COP and tasked the Secretariat to draft text to that effect.
Parties also received an update that the Presidency is conducting consultations on drought, with the intention to draft a text to serve as the basis of negotiations on Wednesday.
In the morning, a demonstration was held where participants lamented the continued blocking of agenda items on civil society engagement, gender, and synergies.
To receive free coverage of global environmental events delivered to your inbox, subscribe to the ENB Update newsletter.
All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For UNCCD COP 17, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Ministerial Dialogue on Drought Resilience
Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN
James Famiglietti, University of Arizona
Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary, UNCCD, and Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN
Nyamtaishiryn Nomtoibayar, Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia
Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Saudi Arabia
Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates
A view of the first panel
Ibrahim Thiaw, former Executive Secretary, UNCCD
Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director, UN-Habitat
Barbara Pompili, Ambassador for the Environment, France
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary, Economic and Social Commission for Asia
A view of the second panel
Valerie Hickey, Global Director for Environment, World Bank
Åsa Regnér, Deputy Director-General, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Habib Abid, Minister of Environment, Tunisia
Ali Shareef, Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Maldives
Indileni Ndeshipanda Daniel, Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Namibia
Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, Minister of Agriculture, Iran
Maina Vakafua Talia, Minister for Home Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment, Tuvalu
Clement Juma Raphael Mbugoniwia, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, South Sudan
Doumbia Mariam Tangara, Minister of Environment, Sanitation, and Sustainable Development, Mali
Delegates from Cameroon
Delegates from Montenegro
Delegates from Turkmenistan
Open Dialogue Session
Moderator Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim
Paul Hallett, British Society of Soil Science
Cécile Ndjebet, Women’s Network and Communities for Sustainable Forest Management
Marcos Montoiro, UNCCD Secretariat
Innocent Antoine Houedji, Youth Initiative for Land in Africa
Gustavo Sánchez Valle, Red Mexicana de Organizaciones Forestales Campesinas
The session closed with a performance by Baaba Maal, UNCCD Goodwill Ambassador.
Members of the panel applaud following the performance by Baaba Maal.
A participant applauds.
Participants and panelists pose for a group photo at the end of the session.
Contact Groups
Press Conference
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Indigenous Women and Peoples Association of Chad
Juliet Grace Luwedde, Youth Caucus, and Beth Roberts, Center for Women's Land Rights
Malih Ole Kaunga, Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict Transformation
Jennifer Tauli Corpuz, UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Ellen Otaru-Okoedion, Journalists’ Environmental Association of Tanzania
Advocacy Action for Inclusive Participation
Around the Venue
