Convening in Riyadh, delegates will undertake a midterm evaluation of the UNCCD 2018−2030 Strategic Framework, adopt the UNCCD’s biennial budget, and negotiate decisions around the sustainable use of land.

In their last scheduled meeting to agree on treaty text to "end plastic pollution," negotiators may base their discussions on a new non-paper by INC Chair Luis Vayas that builds on the common ground between countries.

Mining stakeholders will discuss accelerating the production of critical minerals, the possible role of circularity in bridging the critical minerals supply gap, and the nexus of critical minerals and gender equality, among other issues.

The adoption in June 2023 of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement signified a change in tides, not only for ocean governance in areas beyond national jurisdiction, but also for biodiversity conservation. With the expectation that the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and ratification of the BBNJ Agreement will soon come into fruition, stakeholders are becoming increasingly aware of the possible opportunities and challenges that it may bring. This side event considered how the BBNJ Agreement can work in synergy with efforts undertaken by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including the GBF.