12:00 to 13:15

Rio Conventions on the Road to 2024

Blue Zone, “Opportunities Petal”, first floor at TA4 205

Land & Drought Pavilion

Climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation pose existential threats to nature and humanity. The linkages between them have been clearly established. National, regional and global action, as well as financing for multi-sector projects and programmes that address these challenges in an integrated manner, are crucial for achieving the interlinked objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The high-level event at COP28 will bring together representatives from the three Rio Conventions Presidencies and secretariats, as well as financial mechanisms, to discuss how the idea of synergies can be put into practice starting with 2024. The event will serve as a launching pad for the joint statement of the Presidencies of the three Rio Conventions.

14:00-15:30

Land Restoration in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

Azerbaijan Pavilion

Preventing ecosystem degradation and rehabilitating degraded land are cost-effective responses that can simultaneously safeguard biodiversity and improve rural livelihoods, reducing the growing environmental risks to societies, economies, and the natural world.  The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework together with the Sustainable Development Goals and Land Degradation Neutrality commitments present a roadmap for a harmonious future providing opportunities to align actions for resilience and sustainability. This side event will consider how the conservation and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems, in order to address land degradation, supports the achievement of these international commitments, including the Paris Agreement.

15:00-16:30

Innovation and technology in climate change mitigation and land restoration

Side Event room 6

Explore groundbreaking technologies for climate-resilient land at this event. From climate-resilient plants to soil carbon sequestration, discover innovations from WIPO’s Green Technology Book’s second edition, which will be unveiled for the first time.

11:30-13:00

Addressing biodiversity and climate change synergistically: Scaling up implementation for success

Side Event Room 6

Biodiversity loss and climate change are interdependent and interconnected global crises. Biodiversity enhances ecosystem resilience and adaptation to climate change, contributing to the overall mitigation of its effects, but its loss can lead to cascading consequences, including increased vulnerability to climate change impacts which are unequally felt around the world. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework sets out an ambitious roadmap towards addressing biodiversity loss. This side event will examine the linkages between these two crises, the urgency with which they must be addressed, and how impactful action needs to be supported.

12:00-13:30

Youth4Land Intergenerational Dialogue

Blue Zone, “Opportunities Petal”, first floor at TA4 205

Land & Drought Pavilion

COP28 presents an unparalleled platform for youth to share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives on desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD), as well as climate change and biodiversity loss among our time’s most pressing environmental challenges. This event will provide a unique opportunity for youth leaders, policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders to come together to discuss and promote youth engagement in combatting these challenges. The event, which will bring together the youth constituencies of the three Rio Conventions, will provide a platform for youth to share their ideas and experiences, and foster new partnerships and initiatives.

11:00-12:00

Living in Harmony with Nature:  Biodiversity, Climate and the Sustainable Development Goals

SDG Pavilion

2023 represents the halfway point for the Sustainable Development Goals and the targets in the Paris Agreement on Climate: two landmark moments for people and planet which are ,today, in need of urgent action and renewed ambition. One year after the adoption of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, could this historic agreement on nature help accelerate progress far beyond the biodiversity agenda? In a dynamic interactive panel session, speakers will show how this ambitious new plan for nature has scope and reach to re-energise the climate community, accelerate action, and supercharge progress towards all 17 SDGs.   

Concept Note

13:00-14:30

Strategic Pathways for Land Restoration & Conservation

Green Zone, Women's Pavilion Majlis

This transformative gathering co-organized by the COP28 Presidency, UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, UN Decade of Restoration (UNEP & FAO), and the G20 Global Land initiative (UNCCD) brings together global leaders, including ministers, non-state actors, and Indigenous communities, to showcase and strengthen our collective efforts in land restoration and conservation. Discover the progress and actionable commitments made by various stakeholders as we celebrate milestones and strategize for future breakthroughs. Our dialogue will focus on the urgent need for collaborative action, in line with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration's goals and the G20 Leaders and the G20 Global Land Initiative’s ambition to reduce land degradation by 50% by 2040. This event is a call to action for all committed to preserving our lands for future generations. Be part of this historic moment in the "Delivery Era" of global restoration efforts, where we'll share achievements, forge stronger partnerships, and layout actionable plans for future breakthroughs, ensuring a sustainable and resilient future for all. 

14:00

Building capacities for the synergistic implementation of the three Rio Conventions

Capacity-building Hub

Building 79, Opportunity petal

The launch of the Joint MEA Capacity-building Programme

The Joint Capacity-building programme by the secretariats of the three Rio Conventions, aims to improve the coordination and coherence in implementing the three Rio Conventions and the SDGs. It also seeks to strengthen the capacities of domestic policymakers and practitioners to integrateand foster synergies between the Rio Conventions and the SDGs. Organized as part of this programme, the regional workshop seeks to identify capacity-building needs, gaps, and actions conducive to fostering synergistic implementation across climate change, biodiversity, and land degradation agendas in the different regions worldwide. Additionally, the workshop will spotlight countries where NBSAPs, NDCs, and NAPs are harmonized and integrated into policies. This focus will emphasize success stories that have embraced synergistic approaches, while also exploring ways to enhance capacities at the domestic level for integrating and fostering synergies between the Rio Conventions and the SDGs.