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Excellency, Abdulrahman Al Fadhley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the KSA Excellency Salam Al Malik, Director General of ISESCO, Excellency Hussein Brahim Taha, SG of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Excellencies, Ministers Esteemed delegates, and honored guests Ladies and gentlemen, As-Salaamu aleykum As we gather today in the beautiful city of Jeddah, I wish to express our profound appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for graciously hosting this gathering today. My appreciation extends to ICESCO, the linchpin behind our convening today. Now more than ever before, as we witness the catastrophic effects of environmental changes, redefining our relationships with nature is of critical importance. Allow me to bring to your attention the Centrality of sustainable land management to green transformation. Land is not merely the terrain beneath our feet. Land has always been the cradle of our civilizations. Land provides us with the essential food we eat. Land clothes us; land provides us with the water we drink and the clean air we breathe. It nurtures our ecosystems, supports our economies, and sustains our cultures. The health of our lands is therefore the cornerstone upon food security. Land degradation and drought amplify competition over access to land and water. Conflicts between farmers and pastoralists are exploding all over. Consider this: any land degradation anywhere in the world, is a depreciation of our global economy and an erosion of human wellbeing. Any efforts to " green the economy " are therefore doomed to fail, unless we prioritize investments in this crucial natural capital. We know this well: nature provides 30% of the solutions to climate change. Sadly, nature-based solutions only receive 3% of the climate funding. Sadly, investments on land restoration and drought mitigation are shockingly insufficient. This should change, and this group of countries has to power to bring positive change. Arguably, countries of the Islamic World have more power to bring positive change to the Planet than any other similar group. The Islamic World, perhaps more than other groups, needs to control its narrative on climate and environmental change. Unleashing that power can be truly transformative and bring positive change to the world. Coming back specifically to land loss, the challenge is huge. According to the UNCCD's Global Land Outlook report, up to 40 % of the global land has been degraded. If the current trend continues, by 2050, we will further degrade an area the size of South America. The good news is the solution is literally in our hands: it's called Land Restoration. By restoring degraded land, we improve food security and, even more importantly, food sovereignty. Whether in Arid Lands, in grasslands or in more humid ecosystems, we have one billion hectares of land that can be put back to health by 2030. Healing one billion hectares of ailing land and putting it back to the global economy is a smart and wise investment. One good example of such powerful change is the critical role played by Saudi Arabia during its G20 Presidency, when it led G20 Leaders to adopt the Global Land Restoration Initiative. The ambitious G20 Global Land Initiative, housed within the UNCCD, has set an audacious goal: halve land degradation in the world by 2040. This initiative is global in scope and is committed to working with all countries, including those of the Islamic World and with the ICESCO. We are also very pleased with the Middle East Green Initiative, which has received substantive financial support from Saudi Arabia and aims at restoring 200 million hectares of degraded land. We are confident that building on Islamic Civilization and its great principles of solidarity, more countries will support large-scale land restoration as well Drought Mitigation in the world. Indeed, islamic civilizations were visionaries in fields like sustainable agriculture, water conservation, and harmonious land practices. It's a heritage-a treasure of knowledge- that can be drawn upon. Yet, as we honor our past, we must confront silent killers that are chocking our economies, namely land degradation and drought. As we build our futures, we must ensure that our progress is in harmony with nature. To achieve this, we need to combine ancestral wisdom with contemporary innovation. Weaving together Islamic principles of stewardship and reverence for nature with cutting-edge land management techniques, we can chart a course towards a green transformation. Allow me, before I conclude, to say a word about the Road to UNCCD COP16. Saudi Arabia's role as the host of the upcoming UNCCD COP 16 is a testament of commitments to addressing these global challenges. Climate COP 27 in Sharm Es-Sheikh and COP28 in Dubai, while Morocco just hosted the WB/IMF annual assemblies ...there is no mistake. There is a clear indication of Islamic Countries strong commitment to multilateralism. UNCCD COP16 in December 2024, in Riyadh, presents a unique platform for countries of this group to demonstrate their leadership in combating desertification, land degradation, and drought. We can make the next UNCCD 16th COP the moon-shoot moment for land restoration and drought resilience, for people, for the planet and for prosperity. Shukran!

Mr. Chairman, Bureau members, distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, Permítame trasladar mis sinceras felicitaciones a su Excelencia el Embajador Carlos Amorin, Representante Permanente de Uruguay ante las Naciones Unidas y Presidente de la Segunda Comisión de la Asamblea General. I also congratulate your fellow Bureau members. We will spare no efforts to support your work. Let me also salute the delegations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mongolia and Uzbekistan. Saudi Arabia will host UNCCD COP 16 in Riyadh in December 2024, Mongolia COP 17 in 2026. Uzbekistan is hosting next month the 21st session of the Committee for the Review of the implementation of the Convention in Samarkand. I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation to these countries which are playing a leadership role in the UNCCD processes and implementation. Excellencies, Three weeks ago, the UN Secretary-General drew the world leaders' attention to the fact that only 15 per cent of the SDG targets are on track and many are, on the contrary, going in reverse. The Secretary-General sounded alarm bells warning that instead of leaving no one behind, we risked leaving the SDGs behind. And this is the case for land and its SDG 15.3, in the 2023 report[1], the findings are worrisome: "Between 2015 and 2019, the world lost at least 100 million hectares of healthy and productive land every year, affecting food and water security globally. " Worldwide, poverty, hunger, environmental degradation, and conflicts are indeed increasing. And we can see a correlation where globally the poorest and the hungriest are found in areas affected by land degradation, desertification, and drought, and the Sahel and the Dry Corridor in Central America, to name few, are clear examples of this reality. These intertwined crises of nature-climate-land degradation and conflicts require the implementation of solutions that generate multiple benefits and the mobilization of technical and economic resources at an unprecedented scale. Investing in land restoration and drought resilience are win-win and cost- effective solutions with multiple benefits for a safe and sustainable future. Land restoration and drought resilience are critical to guarantee water and food security, livelihoods, to reduce irregular migration of people and conflicts over resource scarcity. These solutions also constitute building blocks to achieve climate and biodiversity goals. Excellencies, Within this framework let me now proceed to the introduction of the Report of the Secretary-General contained in document A/78/209, section II. The report suggests some recommendations that we hope would feature the UNCCD resolution that you will negotiate in these coming days. Since this report has been before you for quite some time, I will not go into its details. Regarding the outcome of COP 15, the Secretariat is working with the country Parties to support the implementation of the COP decisions adopted in Abidjan. In the context of achieving land degradation neutrality, we noted some important political signals. For instance, in 2020 in Riyadh, the G20 Group declared their ambition to reduce 50 per cent of the world's degraded land by 2040. This declaration and the launch of the G20 Global Land Initiative are contributing to consolidating a land restoration movement. Over the past two years, the presidencies of G20 have included land restoration as an important political priority within their communique, and have promoted the restoration of peatlands and mangroves, as well as land affected by mining and forest fires. LDN is becoming an important vehicle to achieve the SDGs: 130 countries are currently involved in the process for setting land degradation neutrality targets, and a number of flagship initiatives on land restoration are being promoted globally: such as Great Green Wall in the Sahel and in the SADC region, the Dry Corridor, the Middle East Green Initiative. We need to continue enhancing collaboration and cooperation to accelerate action on the ground. In terms of outreach activities, the highlight has been the observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on June 17, celebrated in the General Assembly Hall. That day a global campaign under the theme "Her Land. Her Rights" was launched to advocate for women and girls' access to land. Several global leaders, UN agencies and partners participated in the event and are part of this global campaign that recognizes that land restoration, conservation and sustainable management can be accelerated if we address land tenure and gender issues in an integrated manner. On the drought front, we are moving forward. We see an appetite from the international community to operate a paradigm shift in drought management - from reactive to proactive action that better prepares countries and communities for future droughts, but more information sharing, resources, and political will is needed. It is in this context that the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) was established to generate more political momentum for this agenda and to accelerate action. I invite the General Assembly to encourage its members to join this coalition. Regarding the implementation of the COP 15 decision, the Intergovernmental Working Group on Drought has been analyzing how to strengthen drought management system within the convention. Its members are currently discussing policy options to be considered by COP 16. The next COP which will be held in December 2024 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aspires to be a moonshot moment for the land and drought resilience agenda. We hope to see you there. Before I close my presentation, allow me to pay a short tribute to my colleague, Mr. Melchiade Bukuru, Director of our Office in New York who is about to retire after over a quarter of a century with you, for his long dedication and commitment to UNCCD processes. [1] https://hlpf.un.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/SDG%20Progress%20Report%20Special%20Edition.pdf

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The policy brief demonstrates that enhancing resilience is one of the most cost-effective actions countries can take, and is typically far less expensive than interventions...

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Drought is a complex phenomenon: its causes are varied, and it has both direct and indirect impacts on food security, human well-being and ecosystem health. Episodes of drought...

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Excellency, Abdulrahman Al Fadhley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the KSA Excellency Salam Al Malik, Director General of ISESCO, Excellency Hussein Brahim Taha, SG of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Excellencies, Ministers Esteemed delegates, and honored guests Ladies and gentlemen, As-Salaamu aleykum As we gather today in the beautiful city of Jeddah, I wish to express our profound appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for graciously hosting this gathering today.

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Three-quarters of Earth’s land became permanently drier in last three decades: UN

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Three-quarters of Earth’s land became permanently drier in last three decades: UN

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The overarching trend, however, is clear: drylands are expanding, pushing ecosystems and societies to suffer from aridity's life-threatening impacts.

For the 2.3 billion people – well over 25% of the world’s population – living in the expanding drylands, this new normal requires lasting, adaptive solutions. Aridity-related land degradation, known as desertification, represents a dire threat to human well-being and ecological stability.

And as the planet continues to warm, report projections in the worst-case scenario suggest up to 5 billion people could live in drylands by the century’s end, grappling with depleted soils, dwindling water resources, and the diminishment or collapse of once-thriving ecosystems.

Forced migration is one of aridity’s most visible consequences. As land becomes uninhabitable, families and entire communities facing water scarcity and agricultural collapse often have no choice but to abandon their homes, leading to social and political challenges worldwide. From the Middle East to Africa and South Asia, millions are already on the move—a trend set to intensify in coming decades.

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Three-quarters of Earth’s land became permanently drier in last three decades: UN

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Aridity: The ‘existential crisis’ redefining life on EarthFive billion people could be affected by 2100Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Even as dramatic water-related disasters such as floods and storms intensified in some parts of the world, more than three-quarters of Earth’s land became permanently drier in recent decades, UN scientists warned today in a stark new analysis.

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Increasing aridity is expected to play a role in larger and more intense wildfires in the climate-altered future—not least because of its impacts on tree deaths in semi-arid forests and the consequent growing availability of dry biomass for burning

Rising aridity’s impacts on poverty, water scarcity, land degradation and insufficient food production have been linked to increasing rates of sickness and death globally —especially among children and women

Rising aridity and drought play a key role in increasing human migration around the world—particularly in the hyper-arid and arid areas of southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and southern Asia.

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9.1%: Portion of Earth’s land classified as hyperarid, including the Atacama (Chile), Sahara (Africa), Namib (Africa), and Gobi (China/Mongolia) deserts.

23%: Increase in global land at "moderate" to "very high" desertification risk by 2100 under the worst-case emissions scenario

+8% at "very high" risk

+5% at "high" risk

+10% at "moderate" risk

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Strengthen aridity monitoring

Improve land use practices

Invest in water efficiency

Build resilience in vulnerable communities

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160%: Expected rise in hospitalizations linked to airborne dust in the same region

74%: Expected increase in wildfire-burned areas in California by 2100 under high emission scenarios

40: Additional annual high fire danger days in Greece by 2100 compared to late 20th century levels

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2024

Resource type

UNCCD Publication

The fashion industry significantly influences land use, soil health and degradation through its fiber choices and production practices. From cotton's high resource demands to the overgrazing linked to wool and cashmere, and the microplastic pollution of synthetic fibers, each material poses unique challenges. Emerging alternatives, such as agricultural waste fibers, offer promise but remain niche. Addressing the environmental pressures caused by the fast pace of consumption and material reliance requires sustainable practices across the fashion value chain. This publication, being launched at UNCCD COP16 in Saudi Arabia, highlights the connection between fashion and land, showcasing innovative solutions, policy frameworks and actionable strategies to reduce the industry’s impact and promote long-term environmental stewardship.

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The fashion industry significantly influences land use, soil health and degradation through its fiber choices and production practices. From cotton’s high resource demands to the overgrazing linked to wool and cashmere, and the microplastic pollution of synthetic fibers, each material poses unique challenges. Emerging alternatives, such as agricultural waste fibers, offer promise but remain niche. Addressing the environmental pressures caused by the fast pace of consumption and material reliance requires sustainable practices across the fashion value chain.

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More information on monitoring and early warning

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Drought is a natural hazard that can be monitored well due to the slow onset of events, enabling the observation of changes in precipitation, temperature, soil moisture, surface and ground water reserves, as well as social and economic behaviors. Why use a Monitoring and Early Warning System?

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In the novel and the movie, the distillation suit is actually like a portable distiller. Through the movement of the human body, it creates a device like a distillery, which can convert the sweat, urine and other waste water produced by the user into gas, and then filter it through the equipment on the suit to ensure that the user can still survive in the harsh and hot environment. When making the costumes, the costume team used a fabric called "micro sandwich", which is composed of acrylic fibers and porous cottons. It can absorb moisture from the body and keep the actors cool when wearing it. Jacqueline West: "When we were shooting desert scenes in Jordan, wearing it was like wearing Under Armour (sports brand). The micro sandwich allows this suit to have a substantial moisture extraction effect without losing flexibility." It is known that each distillation suit takes about two weeks to make, which is very serious.

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High temperature resistant cloth is commonly known as high temperature varnish cloth, welding cloth, and adopts high-quality imported glass fiber as the weaving material. It is woven into a high-grade glass fiber cloth substrate by plain weave, twill weave, satin weave or other weaving methods. Then, it is repeatedly fully impregnated and coated with high-quality Teflon resin through unique process technology to produce various ultra-wide high temperature resistant varnish cloth.

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High temperature resistant cloth is commonly known as high temperature varnish cloth, welding cloth, and adopts high-quality imported glass fiber as the weaving material. It is woven into a high-grade glass fiber cloth substrate by plain weave, twill weave, satin weave or other weaving methods. Then, it is repeatedly fully impregnated and coated with high-quality Teflon resin through unique process technology to produce various ultra-wide high temperature resistant varnish cloth.

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High temperature resistant cloth is commonly known as high temperature varnished cloth, welding cloth, and adopts high-quality imported glass fiber as the weaving material. It is woven into a high-grade glass fiber cloth substrate by plain weave, twill weave, satin weave or other weaving methods. Then, it is repeatedly fully impregnated and coated with high-quality Teflon resin through unique process technology to produce various ultra-wide high temperature resistant varnished cloth.

Main features ● Weather resistance: It can be used for a long time in a wide temperature range of -60°C- +300°C. It will not age or crack at ultra-low temperature of -180°C, and can maintain its original softness. It can work at ultra-high temperature of +360°C for 120 hours without aging, cracking, and good softness

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The invention relates to the field of textile production technology, and discloses a method for processing high temperature resistant fabrics, and the specific steps are as follows: pre-treatment: bleaching and drying the fabrics, the drying temperature is 50-60°C, the drying time is 20-30 minutes, and the coating material is prepared: the following components are included according to weight percentage: 8%-12% of polytetrafluoroethylene, 1%-5% of a cross-linking agent, 5%-8% of an anhydrous auxiliary agent, 0.5%-0.8% of a softener, 1%-3% of a catalyst, and the rest is water. The method for processing high temperature resistant fabrics, by adding a certain amount of polytetrafluoroethylene and a cross-linking agent to the coating material to produce a chemical reaction with an anhydrous auxiliary agent, the prepared coated fabric has the functional property of high temperature resistance, and the cross-linking agent can effectively improve the toughness of the fabric, and the fabric is made softer and has a better feel by adding a softener.

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High temperature resistant cloth can resist corrosion from almost all pharmaceutical items and will not age or deform under strong acid and alkali conditions.

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Hydrogel is a highly absorbent material that can store a lot of water and is often used in medicine, agriculture and other fields. Some fabrics incorporate hydrogels into them, which can release water for plant growth during droughts or be used as a heat-resistant material in human clothing.

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Some specially designed fabrics have a certain water storage function on the basis of waterproofness. For example, fabrics with integrated water bladders or internal water storage layers are often used in hydration backpacks or portable water source systems.

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Fire-resistant fibers (such as aramid fiber, carbon fiber, aluminum silicate fiber, flame retardant polyester, etc.).

Coating technology: ceramic coating or flame retardant.

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Plan 1: Hygroscopic fibers (such as cotton fibers, bamboo fibers or superabsorbent polymers) and hydrogel materials.

Plan 2: Built-in micro pipes and water channels-----Makes the collected water suitable for subsequent use

Plan 3: Powered by solar energy or motion energy----Self-circulating water system, such as integrated micro pumps and pipes, so that the moisture of the clothes can flow inside and be recycled

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-Add biodegradable fibers / plant growth promoters

-Built-in small planting bag

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Our second open source book on Bioplastics, this time the bioplastic cook book gives everyone tips and recipes to make their own bioplastics! The book contains a flyer to print for labeling your bioplastic and creating your material archive. Book written by Margaret Dunne during her internship at Fab Textiles June-July 2018