In our ever-changing world, the climate emergency is becoming increasingly pressing. The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, which opened in Riyadh, raises a crucial question: how can we combat the devastating effects of droughts that are becoming the norm on our planet?
The World Atlas of Drought, published in partnership with the European Commission’s Scientific Research Centre, draws an alarming conclusion: record droughts are multiplying, affecting regions from Morocco to Namibia, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Each year, millions of people are directly affected by the devastating consequences of these phenomena, posing one of the most costly and deadly risks on a global scale.
This worrying reality is accentuated by global warming, which makes these dramatic events an insidious law. In 2024, the hottest year ever recorded on Earth, left indelible traces of its passage through relentless droughts. However, despite these alarming elements, leaders are struggling to place these issues at the top of their priorities.
At the last COP on desertification in Abidjan in 2022, specialists were already unanimous: the commitments made are not up to the challenges to be met. Today, as droughts reach record levels, Africa remains one of the main victims of this scourge, symbolizing the urgency of collective and concerted action.
African states, aware of this critical situation, are campaigning for the creation of a binding drought protocol at the COP in Riyadh. However, the reluctance of Western states is slowing down this momentum, jeopardizing the need for rapid and effective action. Yet, it is crucial to act now: according to forecasts, by 2050, three out of four people will be affected by droughts worldwide.
The human, economic and environmental costs of droughts cannot be underestimated. The UN, in its report entitled “The Economics of Drought: Investing in Nature-Based Solutions for Drought Resilience”, warns of the annual cost of these phenomena of nearly 300 billion euros worldwide. The organization thus calls for urgent investments in nature-based solutions, such as reforestation, to strengthen resilience to these omnipresent challenges.
In short, the fight against drought and its devastating impacts requires immediate and concerted action from the international community. It is crucial to place the protection of our environment and the well-being of populations at the heart of political priorities, in order to guarantee a sustainable future for our planet.