RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has called on the world’s policymakers to urgently address land destruction and drought ahead of the 16th UN Convention to Combat Desertification COP16 in Riyadh in December. At the Kingdom’s “Road to Riyadh” event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, opened by Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia urged delegates to prepare to take decisive action at the upcoming meeting, outlining a roadmap for international action and engagement and unveiling the thematic program for the COP. According to a press release flagging up the gathering, every second an equivalent of four football fields of healthy land becomes degraded, totaling 100 million hectares every year. Incoming COP16 President and Saudi Arabia Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, said: “This is a pivotal moment for our planet. Land restoration is vital to securing a prosperous future for generations to come.” He added: “It is crucial the international community unites to deliver ambitious and lasting solutions that curb land degradation, combat drought, and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. “We must strengthen international cooperation to address the pressing environmental challenges facing our planet.” The minister emphasized that Saudi Arabia"s hosting of COP16, from December 2 to 13, reflects its commitment to environmental preservation and restoration, both domestically and internationally, citing initiatives such as the Saudi Green Initiative, the Middle East Green Initiative, and the G20 Global Land Initiative. While land degradation trends vary across regions, UNCCD data warns that, if current patterns continue, the world will need to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030 to meet the Land Degradation Neutrality targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. In Riyadh, under Saudi Arabia’s Presidency of COP16, there will be a strong push for more concrete commitments to accelerate restoration efforts and meet this critical goal. At the Road to Riyadh event, senior stakeholders from international organizations, government and civil society also addressed the growing need to increase ambition and address the global challenges caused by land degradation, including drought, food insecurity and forced migration, alongside the urgent need for multilateral action to tackle them. UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said: “Land degradation and drought affect nearly half the world"s population, especially indigenous communities, smallholder farmers, women, and youth. “COP16 in Riyadh will be a pivotal moment to accelerate large-scale land restoration and boost drought resilience, with multiple benefits for people, nature and climate. “Our success depends on the ambition of all parties and our commitment to resetting our relationship with the land for future generations.” According to the UNCCD, up to 40 percent of the world’s land is already degraded, directly affecting an estimated 3.2 billion people. At the same time, droughts are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity – up 29 percent since 2000. An estimated 75 percent of people globally will be affected by drought by 2050.