Building on recent discussions at the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), this session will delve deeper into what it means to integrate and monitor communities’ legitimate rights to land and forest resources within and adjacent to landscape restoration sites.

The session will draw on experiences from Benin, Kenya, Madagascar and Malawi in pursuing the UNCCD’s Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) target, as a backdrop for exploring how to successfully reconcile ecosystem restoration the livelihood needs and land tenure rights of local communities. With an eye on the upcoming UN Climate Change and Biodiversity conferences, the session is expected to provide practical insights on how to operationalize the UNCCD’s landmark decision on land tenure to support greater synergies in the implementation of the three Rio environmental conventions, for the good of people and planet.