Brussels, 29 Novmeber 2024
Starting on Monday, from 2 to 13 December, the Commission will represent the EU at the COP16 Desertification Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to deliver, together with international partners, on global commitments to tackle the global challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought. On Monday, 2 December, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience, and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall will take part in the high-level segment. This will be followed by a press conference around 15:00 CET (17:00, local time), that you can follow live.
The EU’s priorities include working with partners to find viable solutions to address drought for all parties, notably by stressing the importance of a proactive approach to drought management. Action to combat droughts and land degradation, including improving water resilience, will help secure the EU’s strategic autonomy, competitiveness and security. On Tuesday, 3 December, in the margins of the Conference, the EU will take part in the high-level One Water Summit, which will showcase global cooperation on water resilience and pave the way for the next UN Water Conference in 2026. An engagement to address the water crisis that is also emphasised with the announcement of the EU Water Resilience Strategy in President von der Leyen’s political guidelines.
Source – EU Commission