NEW YORK: The incoming Presidents of the three Rio Conventions have met during the UN General Assembly to review their joint ambitions for tackling global environmental challenges, the Saudi Gazette reported on Sunday.
The event, named the “Rio Trio Initiative,” was attended by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Colombia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, all of whom will chair key UN environmental conventions in the final quarter of 2024.
The Rio Trio Initiative seeks to enhance collaboration between the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). These three conventions were established as part of the historic 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro to address climate change, land degradation and biodiversity loss.
Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Dr. Osama Faqeeha, during the event, highlighted the interrelated nature of these environmental challenges. He also mentioned the severe consequences of land degradation, such as its impact on biodiversity, food and water security and greenhouse gas emissions.
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“This year presents a unique opportunity to unite with our colleagues in Azerbaijan and Colombia to rally the international community to address these interrelated global environmental challenges,” he said.
Colombia’s Minister of Environment, Susana Muhamad, called for a joint approach, stressing the importance of an integrated agenda to fight environmental degradation. Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology, Mukhtar Babayev, emphasized the importance of leveraging synergies between the three conventions to drive tangible outcomes.
Saudi Arabia, as the incoming UNCCD COP16 president, has set an objective to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030 and is urging the global community to commit to concrete pledges at the upcoming COP16 in Riyadh.
