COP16 kicks off in Saudi Arabia to address drought challenges

Riyadh: The 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) kicked off in Saudi Arabia‘s capital Riyadh on Monday, December 2.

It is the first conference of the parties to the UNCCD to be held in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and the first UNCCD event to introduce the concept of a green zone, in addition to being the largest multilateral conference.

The conference aims to promote multilateral action on land degradation, drought, and desertification, featuring dignitaries, policymakers, global institutions, companies, NGOs, and stakeholders, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

In his speech, Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, highlighted the country’s efforts in combating desertification and establishing the Saudi Green Initiative.

He also emphasized the Kingdom’s goal to increase renewable energy to 50 percent by 2030 and reduce carbon emissions.

The conference, from December 2 to 13, will feature prominent forums, events, ministerial dialogues, and announcements of further actions to tackle land degradation and drought issues.