Bonn, Germany, February 18, 2025- The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build partnerships in sustainable land and water management, and biodiversity conservation.

Through this collaboration, GGGI and UNCCD will design programs and projects to promote sustainable land and water management, drought mitigation and climate resilience, including early warning systems. It will also concentrate on resource mobilization strategies through securing funding and leveraging financial instruments and contributions. Capacity building and knowledge sharing will be the priority to elevate best practices, policies and regulatory ensuring gender-responsiveness, land tenure security, and the inclusion of marginalized groups.

“I am pleased to announce this strategic partnership between UNCCD and GGGI, which marks a significant step in our collective efforts to combat land degradation, enhance biodiversity conservation, and build resilience against climate change.” stated Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD. “This MoU is a testament to our shared commitment to a future where land is valued, protected, and restored for the benefit of people and the planet.”

“The Collaboration with UNCCD reflects GGGI’s strong commitment to land restoration and biodiversity conservation. This partnership will shed lights on the financial and policy elements.” stated Sang-Hyup Kim, Director-General of the GGGI. “GGGI is looking forward to powerful collaboration with the UNCCD to tackle climate crisis related to land degradation, water management, and drought.

GGGI and UNCCD will implement the partnerships through joint advisory services and publications, including green investment and feasibility studies. This cooperation is expected to drive impacts engaging with private sector and mobilizing finance for land management and restauration.

About United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) 

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is an international agreement on good land stewardship. It helps people, communities and countries create wealth, grow economies and secure enough food, clean water and energy by ensuring land users an enabling environment for sustainable land management. Through partnerships, the Convention’s 197 parties set up robust systems to manage drought promptly and effectively. Good land stewardship based on sound policy and science helps integrate and accelerate achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, builds resilience to climate change and prevents biodiversity loss.

About Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) 

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) was founded as a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization in 2012 at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. GGGI supports its Member States in transitioning their economies toward a green growth model that simultaneously achieves poverty reduction, social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and economic growth. With 49 Member States and 29 Partner countries and regional integration organizations in the process of accession, GGGI delivers programs and projects in over 51 countries. GGGI’s work contributes to its Member States’ efforts to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals and the Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement.

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For more information, visit:  https://gggi.org 

(GGGI Seoul HQ)
Mona Laczo, Communications & Knowledge Sharing Unit Head
+82 10 9530 0358
mona.laczo@gggi.org