Saudi Arabia Introduces Young Researchers Awards To Address Land Degradation At UNCCD COP16

Saudi Arabia has introduced the Young Researchers Award at the COP16 Science Pavilion, coinciding with its upcoming UNCCD COP16 Presidency. This competition, boasting a $70,000 prize pool, aims to advance research and solutions for land degradation, drought, and desertification. Open to global students and young researchers, it offers seven awards of $10,000 each to early career researchers under 35 who contribute significantly to areas like sustainable land management and drought resilience.

The award categories include land restoration, sustainable agri-food systems, equitable land governance, community and youth engagement, science, technology and innovation, resilience and climate adaptation, and finance and sustainable land investments. Winners will be announced during a prominent event at UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh. Nominees will receive travel accommodations to Saudi Arabia for five days. Additionally, winners will gain mentorship from leading experts.

Dr. Osama Faqeeha, deputy minister for environment at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and advisor to the UNCCD COP16 presidency stated: "Land degradation, drought and desertification are leading causes of many of the issues impacting people around the world, be it food insecurity, water insecurity or forced migration. COP16 in Riyadh is an opportunity to find urgent solutions, and help turn the tide on these global crises."

The awards aim to boost research and technological innovation addressing land degradation challenges while enhancing global efforts in land restoration and drought resilience. The international competition encourages participants to showcase innovative methods that ensure long-term sustainability and scalability while benefiting the Middle East region.

Submissions are open until November 22. A scientific committee comprising leading experts from Saudi Arabia will evaluate them. The Kingdom seeks to galvanize international action on desertification-related issues affecting 3.2 billion people globally. With 40% of land already degraded according to UNCCD data, Saudi Arabia aims to mobilize international cooperation at COP16 in Riyadh for multilateral actions on pressing issues like land restoration.

The awards are part of a comprehensive agenda at the COP16 Science Pavilion. This hub is designed to highlight advanced research while promoting collaboration among scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders. The pavilion will be featured in the first-ever Green Zone at a UNCCD COP event.

Researchers are encouraged to submit their work through the official award website at: https://www.unccdcop16.org/Scientific-Excellence-Awards

With inputs from SPA