26 January 2011 in Davos, Switzerland
Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought are major challenges of our time and a threat to global well-being.
GRF Davos and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification UNCCD have dedicated a Special
Event to the often underestimated topic, before signing the MoU between UNCCD and GRF Davos.
Some key statements of the Special Event on SE-DLDD
Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD emphasized the importance of recognizing DLDD as a major threat to the global economy, food security and the environment. Soil biodiversity is essential to maintain productivity and to ensure the global food supply. The cost of inactivity is much higher than the cost of actively combatting DLDD. Up to now the socio-economic impacts of losing arable land is commonly ignored. The invested amount of preventing DLDD is very limited even though the loss resulting from DLDD accounts to 42 billion USD per year.
Carola Donner-Reichle, Senior Advisor of the Asian Development Bank was connected via video conference from Manila, Philippines. Donner-Reichle represented the Asian perspective on the topic by highlighting the various problems in Asia. Additionally she emphasized that DLDD is a global problem and needs to be addressed by policy leaders.
Stefan Schmitz, Head of Division for Rural Development and Global Food Security of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) addressed the topic from the perspective of an investor and called attention to the 4 different levels: economic, social and educational, political and institutional in the management and protection of resources.
Michael J. Manfredo, Professor and Dept. Head of Colorado State University presented a case study from Mexico. In Mexico 97% of the land area is affected by DLDD and 60% severely. DLDD is a cause and a consequence of the widespread poverty in Mexico and also leads to migration, which is a severe problem to the Americas.
The high-level panel discussion with:
Margareta Wahlström, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction
Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD
Martin Stuchtey, Representative McKinsey and Company Inc.
Stefan Schimtz, Head of Division for Rural Development and Global Food Security at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Michael J. Manfredo, Professor and Dept. Head of Colorado State University
concluded that, a holistic approach in combating DLDD is needed. Martin Stutchey addressed that the private sector is crucial for sustainable future investments and this is already recognized by many global corporations. Margareta Wahlström highlighted the importance of enhancing the "range of actions" and that a framework of understanding for the comprehensive impacts of DLDD is needed. We need to recognise the need to move forward in the fight against Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought.
Please find a detailed interactive programme below, including recorded video streams of the presentations and discussions, Power Point presentations and speeches. A detailed programme of the event can be found here as a PDF.
Impressions of the Special Event
Interactive Programme of the SE-DLDD Special Event
Programme Overview:
- Welcome
- Keynote Lecture: The Socio-Economics of DLDD - Towards a Global Assessment
- The Importance for the German Government
- The social dimensions – The Importance for Asia (Video Statement)
- A Case Study in Southern Mexico
- Panel Discussion
- Signing Ceremony: Memorandum of Understanding UNCCD – GRF Davos Future Activities – A risk perspective
Welcome
Moderation: Andreas Rechkemmer, Chief Science and Policy Advisor, GRF Davos, Switzerland
Peter Engler, Councillor, City of Davos, Davos, Switzerland
Walter J. Ammann, President Global Risk Forum GRF Davos, Davos, Switzerland
Recorded video stream of the welcoming speeches
The Chairman's Welcome as a PDF
Keynote Lecture: The Socio-Economics of DLDD - Towards a Global Assessment
Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Recorded video stream of the keynote lecture
The Importance for the German Government
Stefan Schmitz, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Bonn, Germany
Recorded video stream of the presentation
The social dimensions – The Importance for Asia (Video Statement)
Carola Donner-Reichle, Senior Advisor, Asian Development Bank ADB, Manila
Recorded video stream of the video statement
A Case Study in Southern Mexico
Michael J. Manfredo, Professor and Dept. Head, Colorado State University, USA
Recorded video stream of the presentation
Panel Discussion
Moderation: Andreas Rechkemmer, Chief Science and Policy Advisor, GRF Davos, Switzerland
Margareta Wahlström, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNISDR
Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD
Martin Stuchtey, Representative McKinsey and Company Inc.
Stefan Schimtz, Head of Division for Rural Development and Global Food Security at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Michael J. Manfredo, Professor and Dept. Head of Colorado State University
Recorded video stream of the panel discussion
Signing Ceremony: Memorandum of Understanding UNCCD – GRF Davos Future Activities – A risk perspective
Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Walter J. Ammann, President Global Risk Forum GRF Davos, Davos, Switzerland
Recorded video stream of the signing ceremony
Please find more information on the Memorandum of Understanding between UNCCD and GRF Davos here.
