UNCCD COP16 Saudi Presidency Showcases Private Sector momentum for Land Restoration at COP30 in Brazil

• The Riyadh Action Agenda garners support from 100 initiatives that include over 300 private sector organisations across key industries
• The UNCCD COP16 Presidency calls for 1,000 companies to commit to land restoration and regenerative practices by 2030
• Private sector solutions highlighted at COP30 focus on agriculture, nature-based models, finance, and technology

BELÉM, Brazil, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The UNCCD COP16 Presidency, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, spotlighted a surge in private sector engagement in the global land restoration movement. During a high-level event at COP30 titled Land Restoration for Climate – Private Sector Progress and Solutions, the Presidency shared new milestones under the Riyadh Action Agenda (RAA), its flagship legacy platform to mobilise state and non-state actor action on land.

Since the launch of the RAA at COP16 in Riyadh, the platform has grown from 40 to 100 public and private initiatives focused on restoring degraded land and strengthening drought resilience. More than 300 companies across key sectors—including agriculture, finance, insurance, and technology—are represented across these initiatives, accounting for 18% of all supporting actions and demonstrating clear progress in mobilising private sector leadership for land restoration.

According to UN data, one-third of the world's agricultural land is now degraded due to human activity, affecting the lives and livelihoods of 1.5 billion people and costing the global economy over US$300 billion in lost agricultural productivity every year. Recognizing the urgency, the UNCCD COP16 Presidency has set a bold target: to mobilize 1,000 companies to adopt regenerative business practices and contribute to global restoration goals by 2030.

Deputy Minister of Environment of Saudi Arabia and Advisor to the UNCCD COP16 Presidency, Dr. Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha, said: "It takes a thousand years to create one centimeter of soil and only two years to destroy it. The RAA recognizes the need to bring land, the ocean, and the atmosphere together and action must be taken on the ground that integrates national plans, finance, and political support. 

"The world is moving. We are proud that nearly one in five initiatives under the Riyadh Action Agenda comes from the private sector. This shows that more than 300 companies are already taking meaningful action for land. Our goal is to inspire thousands more across the real economy to help restore 1.5 billion hectares globally. With economic analyses showing that every dollar invested in land restoration can return between seven and thirty dollars in benefits, the case for action is clear. This is the legacy of UNCCD COP16 and the promise of land for future generations."

The Riyadh Action Agenda (RAA) is underpinned by three overarching goals that amplify global commitments: to conserve and restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land—including 250 million hectares of agricultural land; to boost drought and water resilience by protecting 30% of land and inland waters; and to urge all relevant global stakeholders to mobilize the necessary financial resources to restore degraded lands, noting that each dollar invested in land restoration yields 7-30 dollars in environmental and socioeconomic benefits.

To advance private sector leadership in land restoration, the Agenda promotes scaling regenerative agriculture with a focus on restoring one-third of agricultural land; building a new land economy that converts the costs of degradation into revenues through nature-positive business models; accelerating financing through blended finance and policy innovation; and expanding science and technology solutions to improve monitoring and guide data-driven interventions.

A notable example is the Action Agenda for Regenerative Landscapes, which secured a further US$10 billion in pledges, building on approximately US$9 billion already mobilized in private sector investment—bringing total commitments to nearly US$19 billion and highlighting the growing momentum behind business-led land restoration.

Co-founder and Co-CEO of Ambition Loop and former UN High-Level Climate Action Champion for COP26 Nigel Topping added: "Land is the connective tissue between the three Rio Conventions and healthy land is being recognized for its potential to unlock a triple win for people, business, and the environment. The private sector is stepping up to show there is a real-economy appetite to regenerate the Earth's landscapes. The Riyadh Action Agenda is helping connect ambition with action, targets with tools, and solutions with scale."

At the COP30 event, organised in collaboration with the Action Agenda for Regenerative Landscapes, the Riyadh Action Agenda—under the leadership of the UNCCD COP16 Presidency—joined forces with partners including Ambition Loop, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD, representing 250+ global companies such as PepsiCo and OFI), Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and the UN High-Level Climate Champions. Together, they showcased transformative private sector innovations ranging from insurance-based risk protection to emerging soil health technologies, illustrating how land restoration is evolving into a viable and investable business model benefiting climate, nature, and people.

As the world looks ahead to UNCCD COP17 and prepares for the first Global Stocktake on land, today's showcase in Belém marks a pivotal milestone. The Saudi UNCCD COP16 Presidency reaffirmed its commitment to keeping land restoration central to global climate efforts, encouraging broader participation, deeper partnerships, and real-world solutions that can restore ecosystems at scale.

SOURCE UNCCD COP16 Saudi Presidency