Happening now in Abidjan, the economic capital of the Ivory Coast, is the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
Here’s what that means: global leaders are meeting to figure out how to stop terrestrial lands from losing their health and fertility, particularly due to desertification and drought, at the 15th edition of a UN-led conference.
Unlike the more widely known climate change COPs, such as the one held in Glasgow last year, there are no G7 presidents flying in on private jets or celebrity stars taking the stage. The setup is similar – a mix of international policymaking, scientific presentations and civil society action – but on a smaller scale and focused specifically on land issues.
Set in the Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire, the COP15 is filled with some 2,000 participants, mostly from the African continent, who brighten the meeting rooms with colorful, traditional garments. Among these are heads of state (nine from Africa), ministers and key delegates who have met during the first two days to share what’s happening in their countries and sectors and advocate for the funding, policy and support needed most to fight land degradation on their home turf. This start of the COP is when many of major ‘moments’ of the two weeks have been made, so before things progress any further, here are some notes from the floor:
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