The primary objective of this side event at CBD COP16 is to promote the “Trigger change” courses covering a variety of topics related to land restoration, including the recently launched Trigger Change! Sustainable Agriculture Solutions for Land Restoration by the G20 Global Land Initiative/ U.N. Convention for Combating Desertification (UNCCD).   The course was developed in partnership with global experts, including the University of Bern, CIFOR/ICRAF and others.  It aims to cultivate a new generation of actors committed to sustainable agriculture, innovation and land restoration. The event will illustrate how educators and practitioners can access the open access materials to enhance synergies between the implementation of UNCCD and CBD, and how Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices can jointly address land degradation and biodiversity loss. Furthermore, the event will highlight the connections between LDN targets and the Kunming-Montreal targets, and discuss synergies for monitoring progress towards both. This side event will serve as a platform to promote innovative educational initiatives, share knowledge, and foster collaborations that contribute to sustainable land management and biodiversity conservation.

Expected Outcomes:

• Increased awareness of the G20 Global Land Initiative's Trigger change courses and their potential to drive innovation in land restoration.
• Enhanced understanding of the synergies between UNCCD and CBD targets and practical approaches to achieving them.
• Identification of strategies for effective monitoring and reporting of progress towards LDN and Kunming-Montreal targets.
• Strengthened collaborations among stakeholders to promote innovation in land restoration and biodiversity through education and capacity-building.

Find out more about this CBD COP16 side event.

*Banner image from UNU-EHS/TUC/Nikki Sandino Victoriano.