PRESS RELEASE – SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES TO HOST PAVILION AT UNCCD COP FOR THE FIRST TIME
ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA- OCTOBER 28,2024 – This is a Historic moment for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) who are set to have their first pavilion at the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) that will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024.
The Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management recognizes this opportunity as significant for showcasing the impactful work already accomplished in SIDS towards accelerating land and drought resilience. In the Caribbean eight (8) Caribbean countries are participants of the Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) multicountry soil management initiative for integrated landscape restoration and sustainable food systems Phase 1 (SOILCARE Phase 1), project.
As the organisation prepares to launch phase 2 of the project, it is hoped that the dedicated space for SIDS at the COP, will help to demonstrate the PISLM’s critical role in supporting policy, governance and capacity building, along with community-based approaches for achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).
“We are delighted to be to have this space at COP, to demonstrate our commitment and mission to sustainable land management; sharing lessons learned from our various projects and the opportunities and benefits it presents for stakeholders,” explained PISLM Executive Director Calvin James.
James believes that the inclusion of a SIDS pavilion, “Will help also to increase the understanding of the unique challenges faced by SIDS and the critical role of inter- governmental and non-governmental organizations to fight against land degradation and climate change.”
COP16 will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 2-13 December 2024 under the theme Our Land. Our Future.
About the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management (PISLM)
The PISLM for CSIDS is the only independent IGO with a mandate to help Caribbean SIDS meet their obligations under the UNCCD and land and soil areas of the Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA).
About COP16
UNCCD COP 16 is more than a critical milestone – it represents a moonshot moment to raise global ambition and accelerate action on land and drought resilience through a people-centered approach.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global voice for land and one of the three major UN treaties known as the Rio Conventions, alongside climate and biodiversity.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the main decision-making body of UNCCD’s 197 Parties – 196 countries and the European Union.
Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of UNCCD, COP16 will be the largest UN land conference to date, and the first UNCCD COP held in the Middle East and North Africa region, which knows first-hand the impacts of desertification, land degradation and drought.
COP16 is poised to be a game-changer, marking a renewed global commitment to accelerate investment and action to restore land and boost drought resilience for the benefit of people and planet.
Accessing Further Support on COP16 from PISLM
For more information on the SIDS Pavilion or to schedule interviews with representatives from the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Land Management, please contact Mina Booker at Mbooker@pislmsids.org or sign up to receive updates.
