An underrated trio: Climate, biodiversity, and desertification conventions, and why we cannot afford to ignore them

 

Published in The Peninsula, Doha, October 10th, 2024.

In the last quarter of this year, various United Nations (UN) treaties will host their ‘Conferences of the Parties’ for the three major international environmental agreements: Climate Change in Azerbaijan, Biodiversity in Colombia, and Desertification in Saudi Arabia. Signed in 1992, these three conventions are critically important pillars of the global environmental architecture, yet they are often misunderstood and underappreciated.

Imagine a dusty, dimly lit room. At one end, there’s Climate Change, brooding over its latest doomsday report. Next to it sits Biodiversity, quietly lamenting extinct species that will never be seen again. Across the room, in the driest corner, Desertification sighs, knowing that it, too, needs some attention. These three characters – all features of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, share a mutual frustration: they’re all some of the most pressing issues facing the planet, but no one seems to care enough. Whilst we often hear them mentioned as trendy buzzwords, there is often a lack of action taken to truly tackle them.

Climate Change is the rockstar of this trio. It gets all the attention, headlines, and even its own memes. Despite being in the limelight, Climate Change struggles with an image problem. People talk about it, but actual commitment is rare. The crisis is real, but until cities are underwater or forests are on fire, many people think, “maybe it’s just an overreaction.” Unfortunately, it is not. Here in Qatar, and in the wider Middle East and North Africa region, we are likely to feel the worst impacts of climate change with models predicting temperatures 20% higher than global averages, according to the UN. It is therefore reassuring that the Government is clearly committed to mitigating and adapting to climate change, through Qatar National Vision 2023, the National Climate Change Plan, Qatar National Environment and Climate Change Strategy and by holding important events including the recent Qatar National Dialogue for Climate Change, in collaboration with Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future. 

Biodiversity, on the other hand, is like the classically trained musician that everyone forgets to invite to the awards ceremony. Although people notice when an iconic species like the Javan Rhinoceros disappears, for the most part they’re too busy following Climate Change to notice that the planet is losing its intricate web of life at an alarming rate. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) tries to keep Biodiversity relevant by reminding governments that, yes, conserving the variety of life on Earth is essential.

And then there’s Desertification. This is the member of the group that never gets the spotlight, despite its devastating potential consequences. Desertification is the process by which fertile land slowly transforms into a barren wasteland. No dramatic floods or flashy hurricanes, just quiet, persistent degradation. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has the unenviable task of trying to get people excited about “soil.” Soil degradation means less food, less water retention, and more misery for millions of people in vulnerable regions. Desertification is already displacing millions, and it could get worse if left unchecked.

Despite their individual struggles for attention, Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Desertification are inextricably linked. Climate Change exacerbates desertification by increasing droughts and extreme weather, which in turn threatens Biodiversity as habitats disappear. Biodiversity loss worsens climate impacts because healthy ecosystems help regulate the climate. And desertification reduces the planet’s ability to support life, including agriculture, making food security a major concern.

They need each other, and the world needs them. Let’s hope we will see some good news coming out of the conferences later in the year.