RIYADH: BRICS leaders are calling for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought ahead of a UN environment conference in Saudi Arabia in December. This comes as the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, as well as South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, have issued a joint statement emphasizing that these environmental challenges “are posing serious threats to the well-being and livelihoods of people and the environment.” In the statement, the BRICS leaders acknowledged ongoing efforts in sustainable land management while stressing the need for “integrated policies” to tackle these interconnected issues. The statement comes as the Kingdom prepares to host the 16th session of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD COP16, in Riyadh from Dec. 2 — 13, amid growing global concern over land degradation that already affects 40 percent of the planet and impacts 3.2 billion people, according to UNCCD data. The initiative aligns with the UNCCD’s objective to restore 1.5 billion hectares of damaged land by 2030. As per the UNCCD, each dollar put into land restoration has the potential to generate up to $30 in economic benefits. “Saudi Arabia welcomes the BRICS leaders’ statement on the critical issue of land degradation as it reflects the increasing urgency to slow and ultimately reverse the trend of degrading land worldwide,” Deputy Minister for Environment at the Kingdom’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and Adviser to the COP16 Presidency Osama Faqeeha said. “At COP16 in Riyadh, we will work to forge new partnerships that can accelerate land restoration and drought resilience efforts, particularly in vulnerable regions. Land degradation, drought and desertification impact almost every corner of the planet, exacerbating forced migration and worsening global food and water insecurity. It is imperative the international community address the root causes of these issues at the UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh,” Faqeeha added. The upcoming UNCCD COP is anticipated to be the most extensive one yet, showcasing the inaugural Green Zone as a specialized hub for cooperation and creativity, with the goal of elevating the involvement of the private sector in land restoration efforts. Earlier in October, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan led the Kingdom’s delegation at the BRICS Plus 2024 Summit in Kazan, Russia, on behalf of King Salman. Prince Faisal highlighted at the time that the volume of bilateral trade with the BRICS countries exceeded $196 billion in 2023, representing 37 percent of the Kingdom’s total foreign trade, underscoring the significant economic relationships driving the nation’s engagement with the bloc. Saudi Arabia has not officially joined the bloc but participates in its activities as an invited nation.