Holding back the desert
Holding back the desert
CIFOR-ICRAF at UNCCD COP16
2-13 December 2024, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The Regreening Africa Approach – Scaling Up and Out
Land restoration is recognised as a priority for this year’s COP due to its capacity to address land degradation while delivering multiple other social and environmental benefits. ‘Regreening Africa’, a World Restoration Flagship under the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration, stands out as an ambitious and successful example of large-scale ecosystem restoration, offering lessons for future initiatives.
Event objectives will be to:
- Officially launch the continuation of the ‘Regreening Africa’ programme – extended until 2029 – and call for further financing of regreening approaches.
- Showcase low-cost, successful, and diverse land restoration approaches that deliver tangible impact on the ground, drawing on five years of experience with ‘Regreening Africa’ and beyond in other regreening efforts.
- Discuss the roles of an enabling policy environment, rural enterprises, and value chains in incentivising restoration, creating jobs and linking to the private sector.
- Highlight key lessons and remaining gaps in relation to evidence on restoration, focusing on and its integration in decision-making processes through stakeholder engagement across scales.
We will commence with a high-level session featuring representation from the European Union, Ministers and government representatives of countries engaged in regreening initiatives. It will also include investors to highlight what investment is committed, what is progressing and where more effort is needed. A short presentation will highlight the ‘Regreening Africa’ successes and impacts, lessons, and gaps. A panel with representatives from the private sector, communities, government, civil society, and research will share reflections on policy, practice, evidence and enterprises as well as lessons and opportunities to enhance integration and support regional initiatives such as the Great Green Wall. Closing remarks will summarise the key takeaways, outline next steps and guidance for accelerated scaling.
The session will contribute to the COP16 through providing an example of success as well as guidance to support governments, business and civil society to rapidly and efficiently scale up land restoration in Africa and beyond.
Speakers
