Experts Convene To Combat Land Degradation In Hyper-Arid Regions

The National Center for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification (NCVC), in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), recently concluded a workshop titled "Monitoring Land Productivity Dynamics and Trends in Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in Hyper-Arid Environments." The event saw participation from numerous local and international experts.

Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment at the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, highlighted that land degradation is a global issue. He noted that land is crucial for food security and human habitation. Dr. Faqeeha stressed its importance in mitigating climate change by storing three times more carbon than the atmosphere. He called for building knowledge bases and leveraging science to tackle this challenge.

In his opening remarks, CEO of the NCVC Dr. Khaled Al-Abdulkader emphasized the need to improve methodologies for monitoring land degradation in hyper-arid environments. He pointed out that extreme climatic conditions make globally used indicators ineffective in these areas. The workshop aimed to address these challenges by exploring alternative methodologies.

The workshop spanned three days and covered various topics such as global approaches to land degradation monitoring, specific indicators for hyper-arid environments, mechanisms for achieving Sustainable Development Goals, and main challenges faced in these environments. Participants also discussed developing pathways for specialized solutions to monitor these environments effectively.

Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with the United Nations to host the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) in Riyadh from December 2 to 13, 2024. This will be the first conference of its kind in the Middle East and will see participation from 196 countries. The event will focus on enhancing international cooperation to preserve natural resources, restore land, and increase drought resilience.

The NCVC is actively involved in developing vegetation cover sites across Saudi Arabia. Their efforts include monitoring and rehabilitating degraded environments, detecting encroachments, combating illegal logging, and supervising rangelands, forests, and national parks. These initiatives contribute to sustainable development aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

Workshop Insights

Participants at the workshop discussed using "Land Degradation Neutrality" (LDN) as a framework to achieve national and regional goals. They explored monitoring land degradation (LPD) and soil organic carbon while addressing challenges through subgroup discussions. Establishing a global monitoring network for hyper-arid ecosystems was also emphasized.

The contributions from participating guests enriched the workshop with valuable insights. Discussions included creating a project to monitor hyper-arid environments using appropriate methodologies. The importance of establishing a global monitoring network was highlighted as well.

Upcoming Events

On the sidelines of COP16, NCVC will organize the second edition of the International Exhibition and Forum on Afforestation Technologies (Greening Arabia Forum & Exhibition) in Riyadh. This event aligns with their role in developing vegetation cover as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

The workshop is part of ongoing efforts by NCVC to promote joint cooperation with various entities to achieve sustainable development goals. These workshops aim to enhance quality of life in line with the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative.

The conference will last two weeks and include events like a Gender Caucus and a Business for Land Forum. These associated events aim to foster discussions on enhancing international cooperation at all levels.

This initiative reflects Saudi Arabia's commitment to environmental sustainability by hosting significant international events focused on combating desertification and promoting afforestation technologies.

With inputs from SPA