Saudi Arabia launches UN desertification talks with $150mn pledge

Saudi Arabia launched United Nations talks on combating desertification on December 2, pledging $150mn over the next decade to tackle land degradation that threatens billions of people globally.

The 12-day UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) meeting in Riyadh comes as more than 100mn hectares of agricultural land, forests and pastures are degraded annually, affecting over 3bn people worldwide and potentially causing $6 trillion in annual losses, according to international reports.

"The situation will lead to losses estimated at about $6 trillion annually, in addition to damage to biodiversity and climate change, which will lead to increased migration and instability in communities," Saudi Environment Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadley told the opening session.

UNCCD executive secretary Ibrahim Thiaw praised Saudi Arabia's efforts through its Green Initiative, noting that "hospitality in Saudi Arabia is not just a tradition, but a way of life rooted in its society".

"If we fail to acknowledge the pivotal role of land and take appropriate action, the consequences will ripple through every aspect of life and extend well into the future, intensifying difficulties for future generations," Thiaw said in the report released on December 1.

The kingdom aims to rehabilitate 74mn hectares of degraded land, having already restored 94,000 hectares and planted 49mn plants and shrubs since 2021, officials said.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, has set a target of reaching 50% renewable energy by 2030 alongside carbon emissions reduction goals, Al-Fadley said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the meeting a "moonshot moment" as the convention, comprising 196 countries and the European Union, seeks to restore 1.5bn hectares of degraded land by 2030.

However, some experts remain sceptical. "I wouldn't hold my breath for COP16 to yield a tenable solution to desertification," said Matthew Archer, assistant professor at Maastricht University.

The talks continue through December 13, with nearly 100 government ministers expected to attend, according to UNCCD officials.

Leaders from across the region headed to the Saudi capital city, including officials from regional counterweight Iran for the first time.

Iran's Minister of Agricultural Jihad Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh arrived in Saudi Arabia on December 2 to attend the 16th session of the United Nations Conference on Combating Desertification (COP16).

During his three-day visit, Nouri Ghezeljeh is scheduled to meet with agriculture ministers from member states to discuss strategies for combating desertification and drought, sources familiar with the matter said.

According to conference documents, member states are expected to discuss joint initiatives and share best practices for managing drought and land degradation.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's (EBRD) director of sustainable business and infrastructure, Gianpiero Nacci, has outlined emerging priorities from the COP29 summit in Baku, with particular emphasis on agricultural initiatives and energy infrastructure development.

In a video interview with bne IntelliNews, Nacci identified several key themes gaining prominence at the climate conference. He noted a growing focus on local-level climate actions alongside established priorities in renewable energy deployment and decarbonisation of existing energy assets.

The EBRD director highlighted the agricultural sector as an increasingly important focus area, noting its dual role in climate change — both as a contributor and as a source of potential solutions. However, he emphasised that the sector faces particularly acute financing challenges compared to other industries.

"There is a substantial financing gap in all sectors, but this is particularly acute when comes to the agri-food sector," Nacci stated during the interview.