Riyadh : Saudi Arabia’s United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 presidency announced the launch of the Riyadh Action Agenda, a landmark initiative to mobilise state and non-state actors to deliver lasting solutions for land degradation, desertification, and drought.
Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia, and adviser to the UNCCD COP16 presidency, officially launched the Riyadh Action Agenda during his keynote speech at the high-level interactive dialogue on sustainable, resilient, and inclusive agri-food systems.
The Riyadh Action Agenda will capitalise on the momentum created by COP16 in Riyadh, engaging with a range of key environmental stakeholders for the two-year duration of Saudi Arabia’s UNCCD COP16 presidency to foster tangible action for everyone from farmers to Indigenous peoples.
Agriculture is the primary driver of land degradation, with current agri-food systems contributing to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss. According to the UNCCD, agriculture accounts for 23% of greenhouse gas emissions, 80% of deforestation, and 70% of freshwater use.
The UNCCD estimates that by 2050, crop yields could decline by 10% globally and 50% in the worst-hit regions. Such a scenario could cause an estimated 30% increase in food prices. Meanwhile, growing populations are forecast to increase demand for land and agriculture.
