Agenda item 7: Preparations for COP 16 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification - 166th meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Environment Programme

This paper serves as a background document for the Agenda Item 7 on preparations for the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024. During the meeting, the UNEP Secretariat will provide a presentation on how the focus of COP 16 relates to the implementation of UNEP’s Programme of Work and of UNEA resolution.6/14 on strengthening international efforts to combat desertification and land degradation, restore degraded land, promote land conservation and sustainable land management, contribute to land degradation neutrality, and enhance drought resilience (UNEA/EA.6/14). Following the presentation, the Committee is invited to take note of the briefing and engage in an exchange of views with Committee Members and the Secretariat