Objectives
The Global Dialogue Forum (GDF 2024) was to provide a platform for intersectoral country teams and international experts to exchange experiences, showcase use cases, and strengthen capacities in applying geospatial data for Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).
The Forum aimed to:
- Foster partnerships across governments, science, and civil society to accelerate action towards achieving LDN.
- Support countries in advancing their LDN roadmaps through knowledge sharing and peer learning.
- Demonstrate innovative tools and methods for monitoring land degradation and integrated land use planning.
- Build synergies with global and regional initiatives, including the UNCCD reporting process.
Photo: GEO-LDN archive
GLOBAL DIALOGUE FORUM 2024
The GEO-LDN Global Dialogue Forum (GDF 2024) took place during UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 3–13 December 2024. Building on the outcomes of the Global Dialogue Forum held in South Africa in 2023, GDF 2024 continued the exchange among intersectoral country teams.
In the lead-up to COP16, GEO-LDN had organized a series of in-person and online events: Partners4Change in Nairobi, the Capacity Accelerator Network (CAN) workshop in Ghana, the Regional Dialogue Forum in Senegal, and online support sessions. These inputs informed the dialogue and shaped the roadmap towards Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).
Image source: GEO LDN Archive
At COP16, the GEO-LDN Pavilion and Booth served as hubs for use case presentations, expert exchanges, and technical trainings. Country teams from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe showcased how they applied Earth observation and geospatial data for national LDN reporting and integrated land use planning.
Participants:
The Global Dialogue Forum at COP16 brought together intersectoral country teams from more than ten GEO-LDN partner countries, alongside representatives from UNCCD, GIZ, UNU-EHS, FAO, OSS and other international partners. Experts, researchers, civil society actors, and development partners joined the discussions, ensuring a diverse exchange of perspectives from government, science, and practice.
Pictured: A world map, all the countries that were represented at the GEO-LDN Pavilion marked in red.
Event Highlights:
View the Highlights.
Programme highlights included:
- The GEO-LDN Pavilion in the Green Zone with daily country showcases and technical exchanges.
- The Global Dialogue Forum (7 December), which gathered 60–70 participants from 10 countries.
- Side events and joint sessions in the Blue Zone, including dialogues on soil monitoring, integrated land use planning, financing land restoration, and innovative geospatial tools.
