The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024, under the theme Our Land. Our Future. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, COP16 will be the largest UN land conference to date and the first UNCCD COP hosted in the Middle East and North Africa region—a region that has experienced first-hand the impacts of desertification, land degradation, and drought. COP16 is set to be a landmark event, reflecting a renewed global commitment to accelerating investment and action to restore land and enhance drought resilience, benefiting both people and the planet.
Building on the success of the Youth Forums organized at COP13, COP14, and COP15, the fourth UNCCD Youth Forum will take place from the 5 to 7 of December 2024. This forum will address the challenges youth face in accessing decent land-based jobs, support their meaningful engagement in the implementation of the UNCCD, and advocate for the necessary enabling environment and policies to promote the establishment of young eco- and agripreneurs. Additionally, it will ensure that young people are actively involved in the decision-making process
