With a prize pool of $70,000, this international competition is meant to inspire research and invention meant to solve world issues of land degradation, drought, and desertification. Designed to motivate contributions toward sustainable land use and resilience, the awards are open to early-career academics worldwide and to students.

Seven $10,000 scholarships will honor young researchers (ages 35 and under) who have achieved notable advancements in fields including land restoration, drought resilience, and sustainable land management. Land restoration, sustainable agri-food systems, fair land governance, community and youth involvement, research, technology and innovation, resilience and climate adaption, financing and sustainable land investments include among the categories. The winners will be revealed during a unique event at COP16 in Riyadh, where nominees will be welcomed in Saudi Arabia with five-day lodging supplied. Apart from the financial benefit, awardees will get the opportunity to get mentoring from worldwide authorities in respective disciplines.

Emphasizing the worldwide need of tackling land degradation, drought, and desertification—key causes of food and water insecurity and forced migration—Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment of Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, stressed COP16 in Riyadh, he said, offers a great chance for solutions and reversal of these growing crises.

This award program aims to hasten significant research and technology addressing the urgent problems of land degradation and drought while so promoting efforts at land restoration all around. Promoting sustainable, scalable, and creative ideas that could help areas like the Middle East, where environmental issues are sometimes more severe, is especially under emphasis in the competition. Participants have until November 22 to turn in their projects; a scientific committee made of Saudi Arabian and international professionals will review them.

The awards fit Saudi Arabia's dedication to promote international cooperation on desertification, land degradation, and drought — problems that impact around 3.2 billion people worldwide as it gets ready for its UNCCD Presidency. With almost 40 percent of the planet's soil already damaged, Saudi Arabia's leadership hopes to inspire worldwide COP16 activities aiming at multilateral remedies. The conference will encourage debates on sensible actions to improve drought resistance and rehabilitate damaged land as well as handle related problems such sand and dust storms in Riyadh.

Apart from the prizes, the COP16 Science Pavilion will organize several events. Built in the first-ever Green Zone at a UNCCD COP, this pavilion is meant to be a venue for presenting creative research and encouraging communication between scientists, legislators, and many stakeholders. A highlight of the full agenda of the Science Pavilion, the Young Researchers Awards will act as a spark for creative new research directions and cooperative projects.

The key topic of COP16, "Our Land, Our Future," highlights even more Saudi Arabia's commitment to environmental concerns. Set to take place from December 2 to 13, 2024, near to Boulevard Riyadh City, this conference will honor the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD and aspires to obtain global action on important challenges including drought resilience, land tenure, and environmental dangers caused by sand and dust storms. The event will gather international leaders, scientists, and legislators to create answers for these urgent problems—which are especially important in areas like the Middle East where the effects of desertification are quite evident.

The Young Researchers Awards give researchers and inventors access to worthwhile mentoring, international recognition, and financing as well as a chance. The honors highlight Saudi Arabia's dedication to using technology and scientific research as weapons against world environmental problems. Those interested may apply via the official awards website.

By means of the Young Researchers Awards and other projects, Saudi Arabia hopes to transform COP16 into a historic occasion promoting innovative research, sustainable practices, and group action against the vital environmental issues of desertification, drought, and land degradation.

Saudi Arabia Unveils Young Researchers Awards at COP16 Science Pavilion

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