The Riyadh Action Agenda sets bold restoration targets but must address funding gaps and governance hurdles.

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Action Agenda (RAA), unveiled at the 16th session (COP16) of UN’s Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), sets ambitious goals to combat global land degradation, bolster drought resilience, and overhaul agriculture systems. Introduced during UNCCD’s 30th anniversary, the initiative reflects Saudi Arabia’s push to lead on global sustainability efforts, though questions remain over funding, governance, and implementation.

The RAA aims to reverse land degradation trends, which currently affect 40% of the world’s land. Its core objectives include:

• Restoring 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030 to meet the UNCCD’s land degradation neutrality target.
• Protecting 30% of lands and waters to enhance drought resilience and benefit 500 million people.
• Transforming agrifood systems, with plans to restore 250 million hectares of degraded agricultural land.

Key to the initiative’s success is mobilizing financing, integrating advanced technology with indigenous knowledge, and promoting inclusive governance. Proposed financial tools—such as carbon markets, resilience credits, and debt-for-nature swaps—are designed to attract private sector investment.

While the economic case is compelling—restoring degraded land could yield USD 7–30 for every dollar invested—funding shortfalls loom large. Only 6% of funding for land restoration projects currently comes from private sources, according to UNCCD estimates. Saudi Arabia’s COP16 presidency has called on corporations and investors to scale up their commitments, but specifics on mobilizing capital remain unclear.

Governance challenges are also in focus. The agenda emphasizes empowering marginalized groups, including Indigenous peoples and women, but practical mechanisms to ensure equitable participation and benefit-sharing are unclear. Additionally, integrating cutting-edge technologies with traditional knowledge—a central tenet of the agenda—raises questions about scalability and accessibility, particularly in regions with limited infrastructure or technical expertise.

The RAA aligns with global frameworks, such as the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 15.3, which aims for a land degradation-neutral world by 2030. However, overlapping priorities with these initiatives could complicate coordination, necessitating greater clarity to avoid duplication and ensure synergy across global programs.

Saudi Arabia has framed the agenda as a rallying call for international cooperation, leveraging COP16 as a platform for stakeholder partnerships. Flagship programs like the Business4Land initiative and the International Drought Resilience Alliance aim to operationalize the agenda’s goals. Yet, as the world contends with climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity, the effectiveness of such efforts will hinge on swift, tangible progress.

The stakes are high. Failure to address land degradation could affect up to 3.2 billion people by 2050, driving migration, conflicts, and economic losses. At the same time, success could unlock transformative benefits, from improved agricultural productivity to enhanced ecosystem services.

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