The Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Andrea Meza, on Wednesday briefed journalists on key issues and developments shaping the ongoing COP17 negotiations in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Ms Meza expressed confidence that negotiators would reach an agreement despite lingering differences among parties, particularly over how drought should be addressed and the nature of any potential international instrument.
She said drought should no longer be treated simply as an environmental issue but as a structural risk to economies, productivity systems, ecosystems, value chains and livelihoods.
“We really need to understand that we are not talking about an environmental issue when we talk about drought. We are talking about a structural risk to our economies, productivity systems, ecosystems and livelihoods.”
According to her, drought is a global phenomenon with effects cutting across multiple sectors and regions.
