Negotiations on a global drought regime are set to dominate the 16^thConference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as 197 Parties gather to address one of the world’s deadliest and costliest disasters. The conference, which takes place under the theme “Our Land. Our Future”, opened on the 2^nd December 2024.

Drought, intensified by climate change and unsustainable land practices, has surged by nearly 30 per cent in frequency and intensity since 2000, threatening agriculture, water security, and the livelihoods of 1.8 billion people, with the poorest nations bearing the brunt.

In his opening remarks, Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD Executive Secretary, said: “We are all gathered here to make COP16 a historic moment. The world expects Parties to adopt a bold decision that can help turn the tide on the most pervasive and the most disruptive environmental disaster: drought.”

Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership 

The Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, announced on the conference by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as UNCCD COP16 host, will leverage public and private finance to support 80 of the most vulnerable and drought-hit countries around the world. 

An initial 2.15 billion US dollars has been pledged towards the Riyadh Partnership by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Development Bank and the OPEC Fund for International Development. 

The Partnership will work to source additional funding through voluntary contributions by countries, financial institutions and philanthropic organisations, among others. The financial and in-kind contributions help least developed countries (LDCs) and lower middle-income countries to unlock access to additional financing through blended financing such as concessional loans, commercial loans, equity participation, savings, insurance and other financial schemes.

World Drought Atlas and International Drought Resilience Observatory

Amid escalating global drought crises, the UNCCD, in collaboration with the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) and partners, launched the World Drought Atlas, highlighting the systemic risks of drought across critical sectors like energy, agriculture, river transport and trade, using maps, infographics and case studies to showcase its cascading impacts on inequality, conflict and public health.  

In addition, the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) introduced the prototype International Drought Resilience Observatory (IDRO) — an AI-powered global platform designed to empower diverse stakeholders, from policy-makers to communities, with actionable insights for building drought resilience. The full version of IDRO will debut at UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia in 2026, marking a shift towards proactive drought management world-wide. 

Anna Dyson, Founding Director of Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture, explained: “Although a wealth of knowledge is emerging on drought resilience globally, it tends to be scattered and difficult to access. The Observatory will enable quick access to diverse expertise and tools needed to anticipate, prepare for and adapt to drought challenges. Connecting insights with powerful analytics, it delivers timely, actionable information while addressing critical gaps in risk and adaptive strategies.”

(UNCCD/ile)

More information:

• Read more on the UNCCD website
• Download the World Drought Atlas from the UNCCD website
• Visit the Website of the 16^thConference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16)