Saudi Arabia, holding the presidency of the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16), emphasized the expanding role of the private sector in global land restoration efforts.
Saudi Arabia delivered this message during a high-level event held alongside the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil. The event—organized in cooperation with COP30 and focused on regenerative landscapes—was titled “Land Restoration for Climate: The Evolution of Private Sector Efforts and Solutions.” It highlighted key achievements under the Riyadh Action Plan, a major platform that mobilizes both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to advance land restoration.
COP16
Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture for Environmental Affairs and Advisor to the COP16 President, stressed that the Riyadh Action Plan is vital in linking land, ocean, and atmospheric systems. Achieving this, he noted, requires practical mechanisms that align local planning, financing, and political commitment. He underscored the fragility of soil, explaining that while one centimeter of topsoil can take roughly 1,000 years to form, it may degrade in just two.
Faqeeha also noted growing momentum behind one of the plan’s five private-sector-driven initiatives, with more than 300 companies already taking meaningful steps to safeguard land. The long-term goal, he said, is to motivate thousands of firms across real-economy sectors to help restore 1.5 billion hectares of land worldwide.
WBCSD
During the event, the COP16 presidency presented the Riyadh Action Plan’s progress to partners including Ambition Loop, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)—whose membership includes more than 250 global companies such as PepsiCo and OFI—Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and senior UN High-Level Climate Champions. Finally, these partners showcased cutting-edge private-sector innovations, from insurance-based risk-protection tools to emerging soil-health technologies.
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