Combating desertification: Innovative solutions highlighted at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

The 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) has wrapped up with key discussions on combating desertification, building drought resilience, and achieving land degradation neutrality. The meeting, held in Saudi Arabia, brought together leaders, scientists, and stakeholders to confront the growing challenges of land degradation and its impact on vulnerable communities.

Among the notable contributors at COP16 was a team of researchers from the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC), attending the conference for the first time. Their participation showcased how scientific innovation, local knowledge, and cross-country collaboration can pave the way for sustainable and equitable futures.

Science in Action: Insights from the XPaths Project

At the heart of SRC’s contributions was their groundbreaking XPaths project—a multi-year, cross-country initiative focused on sustainable development in semi-arid regions of Brazil, Senegal, and Spain. This project, which ran from 2021 to 2024, engaged over 500 people in participatory processes to co-develop solutions for land restoration and resilience.

The results were presented in the side event “Science in action: Pathways to sustainable and just future in the semi-arid regions of Brazil, Senegal and Spain”, which attracted significant interest from delegates across Africa, Latin America, and beyond.

“We were happy to see our side event drawing so much attention. It was a valuable space for exchanging lessons and solutions across regions.” says Ana Paula Aguiar, Principal Investigator of the XPaths project.

The discussion revealed key takeaways:

• Practical, inclusive solutions work. The XPaths participatory approach effectively addresses challenges across diverse contexts and aligns well with UNCCD’s Land Degradation Neutrality framework.

• Tackling root causes is essential. Discussants emphasized how the XPaths approach fostered a collective understanding of the systemic structures trapping regions in unsustainable pathways. For instance, in Brazil’s semi-arid regions, economic dependence on commodities and unequal land ownership reinforce land degradation, highlighting the urgent need for systemic change.

• A catalyst for collaboration. The event spurred new South-South partnerships, particularly between Brazil and Senegal, whose delegations held bilateral talks following the session.

Amanda Jiménez Aceituno, part of the SRC team, reflected on the importance of sharing experiences and learning from both successes and failures:

“It’s vital not only learning about practices and innovations that work well but also about what has failed so we do not repeat history and the development models that have caused degradation and social inequalities.”

Deborah Goffner, also a part of the SRC team and a senior research scientist at French National Centre for Scientific Research, saw promising signs for practical use of the XPaths project ahead.

“I believe that the sizable turnout of members from the Senegalese delegation, and their positive perception of the XPaths project in general, will provide further momentum to widely operationalize the results described in the Senegalese action plan “

COP16: Key Outcomes for Land and Resilience

The broader themes of COP16 echoed many of the insights shared by SRC researchers. Discussions revolved around achieving land degradation neutrality (LDN), strengthening drought resilience, and ensuring inclusivity. Here are the main takeaways:

1. Land Degradation Neutrality and Better Land Use
Achieving LDN—ensuring no net loss of land-based natural capital—remains central to the convention. Improved agricultural practices, such as agroecology, and participatory planning processes like those demonstrated by SRC’s XPaths project, were emphasized as critical tools for operationalizing LDN.

2. Drought Resilience Requires More Investment
Drought was a pressing concern at COP16, with calls for increased financial commitments. Despite the pression from the African nations, no consensus was reached on a global drought protocol. However, initiatives like the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, which secured $12.15 billion, provided a starting point for supporting vulnerable communities.

3. Inclusivity and Local Knowledge
One of the conference’s achievements was the creation of the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Caucus. These groups aim to shape the implementation of the Convention and amplify their role in combating land degradation—a message echoed by former Finnish President and UNCCD Land Ambassador Tarja Halonen, who stressed the importance of inclusive solutions that engage with Indigenous and traditional knowledge.

4. Land and Water: Bridging Global Challenges
Linking land degradation to climate change and biodiversity loss was a recurring theme. Initiatives like the Freshwater Challenge, endorsed by 50 countries, underscored the role of water as a connecting element across environmental goals.

5. The Risk of Large-Scale Initiatives
Concerns were raised about the unintended consequences of large-scale restoration projects and other “sustainable” efforts, such as critical mining or renewable energy, on local communities. Calls for responsible action by private sector actors and development banks were loud and clear.