NEW YORK — The incoming Presidents of the three Rio Conventions met during the UN General Assembly to discuss their collective ambitions for tackling global environmental challenges. The event, named the "Rio Trio Initiative," brought together the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Colombia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, all of whom will preside over key UN environmental conventions in the final quarter of 2024. The Rio Trio Initiative seeks to foster collaboration between the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). These three conventions were established as part of the historic 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. During the event, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Dr. Osama Faqeeha, highlighted the interconnected nature of these environmental challenges. He noted the severe consequences of land degradation, such as its impact on biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, and food and water security. "This year presents a unique opportunity to unite with our colleagues in Azerbaijan and Colombia to rally the international community to address these interrelated global environmental challenges," he said. Colombia's Minister of Environment, Susana Muhamad, echoed the call for a unified approach, emphasizing the importance of an integrated agenda to combat environmental degradation. Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology, Mukhtar Babayev, stressed the importance of leveraging synergies between the three conventions to drive tangible outcomes. Saudi Arabia, as the incoming UNCCD COP16 president, has set an ambitious goal to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030 and is urging the international community to commit to concrete pledges at the upcoming COP16 in Riyadh. — SG
