UN Talks on Drought Deal in Saudi Arabia Failed to Produce a Pact

• The 12-day meeting of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Saudi Arabia failed to produce a binding protocol on how to respond to drought.

• Developed nations sought a framework that did not commit them to a course of action, which is an unsatisfactory solution for nations most affected by droughts.

• The UNCCD Executive Secretary, Ibrahim Thiaw, stated that the world expected a bold decision to help turn the tide on the most pervasive and disruptive environmental disaster: drought.

• The parties, including 196 countries and the European Union, had made significant progress in laying the groundwork for a future global drought regime, which they intend to complete at COP17 in Mongolia in 2026.

• The UN reported that droughts cost the world more than $300 billion each year and are projected to affect 75% of the world’s population by 2050.

• Despite the absence of a protocol, national governments can still allocate budgets and subsidies to financially support farmers in adopting sustainable soil and land management.