World leaders, activists, and climate warriors are gathering in Riyadh this week as the COP16 UN Desertification Conference begins its 12-day sprint to tackle one of Earth’s biggest challenges: saving our land. 🏜️➡️🌿
With the rallying cry \"Our Land. Our Future,\" the summit aims to fast-track solutions for restoring degraded ecosystems and building defenses against droughts – a crisis affecting 1.84 billion people globally. Nearly 200 countries and regions are represented, showing this isn’t just a regional issue – it’s everyone’s fight.
Why should Gen Z care? Desertification threatens food security, biodiversity, and even social stability. Imagine a future where TikTok dances happen on parched soil – not cool, right? 🚫💧 The conference will spotlight youth-led innovations, from AI-powered soil monitoring to community-led tree planting campaigns.
\"This is about legacy,\" said UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw. \"We’re either the generation that watches deserts spread or the one that revives the land.\" Mic drop. 🎤
