At COP31, an invitation to join forces on climate, nature and land
A new country-led initiative aims to turn global commitments on climate change, biodiversity and land restoration into coordinated action that delivers results for people and the planet.
Bonn, 12 November – For communities facing drought, wildfires or flash floods, climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation as not separate challenges but threats to their food security, livelihoods and survival. A new country-led group aims to help governments respond that way.
A voluntary political effort led by the Türkiye COP31 Presidency, the Rio Synergies Group for Action is set to launch on 17 November 2026 at a High-Level Dialogue at the Climate Change COP31, where governments will also have an opportunity to help shape the effort and commit to being part of it.
For participating countries, closer coordination offers the prospect of lower costs, lighter reporting burdens and opportunities to learn from one another. By sharing experience and approaches that work, members can make better use of their efforts across all three conventions. The larger goal is to deliver benefits for communities facing these interconnected pressures.
The idea is to bring national action under the three conventions closer together to build bridges that achieve better results on the ground further, while respecting each convention’s mandate and without creating new structures. Membership is voluntary with countries leading the effort.
The event is co-organized by the presidencies of the three Rio Conventions on climate change (UNFCCC), biological diversity (CBD) and desertification (UNCCD), and is supported by the conventions’ Joint Liaison Group, the G20 Global Land Initiative at the UNCCD and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The initiative builds on technical discussions and high-level dialogues held before and during the conventions’ conferences. The process began at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, and is led by Türkiye, the Climate Change COP31 Presidency; Armenia, the Biological Diversity COP17 Presidency; and Mongolia, the Desertification Convention Presidency.
UNCCD will present Planning for Aridity and Drought Adaptation: A Guide to Promoting Synergies across the Rio Conventions and the Sendai Framework, a publication offering scientific evidence of how countries can achieve benefits across these agendas.
Some organisations and initiatives will explain the expertise, programmes and partnerships they can offer to turn this synergy into tangible results at the country.
Parties are invited to take part in the 17 November dialogue and commit to joining the Rio Synergies Group for Action. It is an opportunity to turn shared challenges into a more coordinated response—led by countries, with communities in mind.
For more information, visit https://g20land.org/rio-synergies/ or contact salssayad@unccd.int or tbantel@unccd.int
