Latest news with #UnitedNationsConventiontoCombatDesertification
Fashion Value Chain
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fashion Value Chain
Greenstorm Unveils Winning Images Celebrating Beautiful Wetlands
The winners of the 16th Greenstorm Global Photography Festival were announced today at a virtual ceremony that brought together leading environmental voices, visual storytellers and an international audience. The Grand Prize-winning photograph by Mr. Steven Triet from Vietnam revealing the golden rice terraces of Lao Chai, Mu Cang Chai Themed 'Beautiful Wetlands', the festival, which is now in its 16th year, attracted 11,835 entries from 155 countries. The Grand Prize of USD $10,000 was awarded to Steven Triet from Vietnam. Hanifi Ko (Turkey), Aref Tahmasebi (UAE) and Pepe Manzanilla (Costa Rica) received Special Jury Mentions, each carrying a prize of USD $1,000. Dr Muralee Thummarukudy, Director of the (G20 GLI) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) announced the Festival's winners. G20 Global Land Initiative sponsored the festival for the second year running. It is using photography to both shine a light on the loss of terrestrial ecosystems and inspire actions all over the world to keep wetlands healthy in a bid to reach its ambition of reducing degraded land by 50 percent by 2040. Dr Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands, and Chief Guest at the event, said, 'Wetlands are our planet's natural infrastructure. They store carbon, clean water, protect us from floods and droughts, and sustain life in all its forms. But they are being degraded and destroyed faster than any other ecosystem.' 'The Global Wetland Outlook 2025 shows the consequences of this loss and the solutions already working around the world. COP15 in Victoria Falls next week is our moment to change course-through global commitment, national action and local innovation,' Dr Musonda Mumba added while speaking at the ceremony. According to the 2025 Global Wetland Outlook, released last week, wetlands are disappearing at a faster rate than any other ecosystem. About one-fifth of the world's remaining wetlands are expected to vanish by 2050 without urgent action. The loss is valued at USD 39 trillion in benefits that support people, economies, and nature. Some of the winning photos will be on display from 23-30 July 2025 at the 15th meeting of the Contracting Parties of the Convention on Wetlands taking place at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Nature conservation through an artistic lens The winning pictures, from the lush paddy fields in Vietnam to flamingoes in a lagoon in Tunisia, offer a breathtaking glimpse into the beauty and ecological diversity of the world's wetlands. From serene water bodies reflecting vibrant skies to the quiet resilience of marshland life, each photograph tells a story of balance, survival and the urgent need for conservation. The winners were selected through a two-tier jury process. The first-level jury included Alex Wides (Italy), Anilkumar (India), Dilek Yurdakul (Turkey), Jaclyn Bringuez (USA), Sahar Al-Zarei (UAE) and Thomas Onyango (Uganda). The Global Jury curated the finalists and selected the winners. Renowned photographers Charlie Waite (UK), Latika Nath (India), and Nick Hall (USA) made up the Jury. They observed that this year's entries covered a remarkable spread of subjects and pushed the boundaries, offering a clever, unusual and deeply human way of seeing wetlands. They stressed that in a world increasingly shaped by artificial images, photographs grounded in nature give us hope and reconnect us. What's more, they remind us that even while we're caught up in our routines, nature is still out there, shapeshifting under sun, wind and tide. 'For 16 years, the Greenstorm Festival has harnessed the power of visual storytelling to ignite a passion for nature conservation among young people worldwide. These evocative images not only showcase nature's beauty but drive meaningful behaviour change, inspiring the next generation to protect and restore our planet's vital ecosystems,' said Mr Dileep Narayanan, Founder and Managing Trustee of Greenstorm Foundation. Narayanan started the festival 16 years ago to raise awareness about the earth's fragile ecosystems. Greenstorm Foundation runs the annual global photography festival, and is based in Kochi, India. About Greenstorm Foundation Greenstorm Foundation is a global creative conservancy committed to inspiring an attitudinal shift among youth toward environmental conservation through the power of creativity. Its flagship initiative, the Greenstorm Photo Festival, has engaged over 12 million young minds across more than 150 countries. Founded in 2009 in Kerala, India, as a CSR initiative of Organic BPS, a purpose-driven brand consultancy, the Greenstorm has grown into one of the world's largest youth-led environmental photography movements. In 2023, Greenstorm joined hands with the G20 Global Land Initiative of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), further amplifying its global impact. A registered not-for-profit public trust in India, the Foundation is led by trustees Anil K Menon, Dileep Narayanan, and George Korah. Over the years, Greenstorm has earned numerous national and international accolades, including the prestigious IAA Olive Crown Award for excellence in green communication. About UNCCD-G20 Global Land Initiative The Initiative was set up by G20 Countries in 2020, during the Saudi Arabia Presidency. It supports member and non-member countries and organizations to avoid, reduce and reverse land degradation globally, in all ecosystems. The G20's ambition is to reduce degraded land globally by 50 per cent by 2040. This includes supporting the international community to achieve its global commitments of restoring, by 2030, one billion hectares of degraded land, an area about the size of the United States.
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt PM accepts Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad's resignation ahead of UNCCD post - Society
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly accepted the resignation of Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad on Sunday following her appointment as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), a top international post she is set to assume later this year. Madbouly assigned Local Development Minister Manal Awad to temporarily oversee the Environment Ministry's duties until a new minister is appointed. Fouad, who has served as Environment Minister since June 2018, was named by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in May as the next UNCCD Executive Secretary, becoming the first Egyptian to hold the role. She will succeed Mauritania's Ibrahim Thiaw, whose term will end in early August. The exact start date for Fouad's three-year term has yet to be announced. Madbouly congratulated Fouad on her new post, calling the appointment a testament to her expertise and leadership in environmental diplomacy. He praised her service and wished her success in supporting international efforts to combat desertification and promote sustainable development. Fouad brings over 25 years of experience in environmental governance, international climate negotiations, and sustainable development policy. She previously served as Assistant Minister of Environment and was Egypt's Ministerial Coordinator and Envoy for COP27, held in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022. She holds a Master's degree in Environmental Sciences and a PhD in Political Science with a focus on Euro-Mediterranean relations. In a statement welcoming his successor, outgoing Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said: 'Yasmine Fouad brings with her a wealth of experience and deep commitment to the environment and sustainable development. I warmly congratulate her on her appointment and have full confidence that she will bring new energy and vision to the role.' Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Middle East
5 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East
OPEN// TV BRICS highlights Egypt's climate change, desertification domains
MOSCOW, July 17 (MENA) - TV BRICS shed light on Egypt's efforts to preserve the environment and fight climate change and desertification. It highlighted a meeting between Egypt's Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad with Mexico's Ambassador to Egypt Leonora Rueda Gutierrez to explore new opportunities for bilateral and multilateral cooperation on key environmental issues such as desertification, climate change, and waste management. Fouad, who was recently appointed as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), highlighted the history of collaboration between Egypt and Mexico in environmental matters, particularly since 2018 when Egypt assumed the presidency of the Convention on Biological Diversity, previously held by Mexico. She also emphasized the joint efforts to advance a green transition and promote circular economy models. She warned that desertification is one of the most urgent threats in light of worsening climate change and food insecurity, and stressed that 2026 will be a key year, as the conferences of the three Rio Conventions will be held, offering a unique opportunity to strengthen political will, foster international cooperation, and attract financial resources. Ambassador Rueda expressed Mexico's interest in benefiting from Egypt's experiment in turning environmental challenges into economic opportunities. She also underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation in areas such as sustainable agriculture and environmental education, which are priorities for both countries. (MENA) S R E/D A E
Daily News Egypt
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt, Mexico discuss environmental cooperation, combating desertification
Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, met with Mexican Ambassador to Cairo, Leonora Rueda Gutierrez, to explore opportunities for bilateral and multilateral cooperation on key environmental issues, including desertification, climate change, and waste management, the ministry announced in a statement on Sunday. The meeting, attended by Ambassador Raouf Saad, Advisor for Multilateral Agreements, and a representative from the Foreign Ministry, began with Ambassador Rueda congratulating Fouad on her recent appointment as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Rueda expressed Mexico's confidence in Fouad's leadership, noting her extensive environmental expertise and the shared conditions between Egypt, Mexico, and other developing countries. Fouad highlighted the longstanding environmental collaboration between the two nations, particularly since Egypt assumed the presidency of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) from Mexico in 2018. She pointed to ongoing joint efforts in advancing the green transition and promoting circular economy initiatives. The minister also noted the global initiative launched by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during COP14 to integrate the Rio Conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification. She stressed that these interconnected challenges have a direct impact on food security, especially in Africa. Amid increasing global instability, food insecurity, and intensifying climate impacts, Fouad described desertification as one of the most pressing environmental threats. She underscored that 2026 will be a pivotal year, as all three Rio Conventions will convene their conferences, creating a unique opportunity to mobilise political will, international solidarity, and financial resources. Fouad outlined Egypt's achievements in applying nature-based solutions to address climate change impacts along its coastlines. These solutions, she explained, offer cost-effective and integrated approaches that simultaneously support climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land use — a model particularly suited to countries with limited resources. At the bilateral level, Fouad discussed Egypt's integrated waste management system, established through the first national waste management law in 2020. The system embraces circular economy principles and shifts operational responsibility from the state to the private sector. Since its introduction, Egypt has invested in supporting infrastructure and launched successful partnerships with private sector stakeholders, she added. For her part, Ambassador Rueda expressed Mexico's interest in benefiting from Egypt's experience in transforming environmental challenges into economic opportunities. She highlighted shared concerns, including the impacts of desertification and flash floods on agriculture. Mexico, she noted, is currently working to modernise traditional farming practices and develop educational programmes focused on biodiversity and sustainability — areas where closer cooperation with Egypt could bring significant value.
Daily News Egypt
08-07-2025
- Business
- Daily News Egypt
UK, Egypt strengthen cooperation on green transition, eco-tourism, and environmental investments
Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, held a meeting with UK Ambassador to Cairo Gareth Bayley to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation on the green transition, with a focus on sustainable tourism, environmental investment, and clean energy initiatives, according to an official statement released Tuesday. The meeting follows Minister Fouad's recent appointment as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). She emphasised Egypt's ongoing efforts to integrate the objectives of the three Rio Conventions—on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification—and reiterated the country's commitment to advancing a just and inclusive green transition. This includes implementing the post-2030 global framework on desertification and the Global Biodiversity Framework 2030. Ambassador Bayley extended an invitation for Egypt to join the UK's Green Energy Alliance under the broader Green Growth campaign, aimed at accelerating clean energy transitions and boosting green investment in emerging markets. He praised Egypt's environmental leadership and reaffirmed the UK's support for Egypt's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Fouad stressed the vital role of the private sector in enabling the green transition, highlighting eco-tourism as a priority area. 'Tourism is a core contributor to Egypt's national income and closely tied to our natural resources. We've developed clear guidelines and financial incentives for eco-tourism under Egypt's investment law,' she noted. She added that the Ministry has forged strong partnerships with private tourism operators, who constitute 98% of the sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry supported divers and fishers with alternative livelihoods—many of whom have since become active in marine conservation. Egypt is currently advancing efforts to declare the entire Red Sea coastline a protected area, which would raise the proportion of protected land nationwide to 22%. The discussion also covered Egypt's progress in waste management and circular economy initiatives. Fouad cited the growing use of alternative fuel from waste in the cement industry, with some companies now sourcing over 30% of their energy from green fuels. This shift has been driven by new regulations that restrict coal licensing unless companies commit to using cleaner fuel alternatives. The two sides agreed to explore deeper UK-Egypt collaboration on updating Egypt's NDCs, building institutional capacity, enhancing monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems, and raising public awareness on climate change and sustainable investment. Minister Fouad reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to multilateral environmental governance, noting its active participation in upcoming negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty. She also highlighted the country's newly adopted policy requiring extended producer responsibility for single-use plastic bags. Ambassador Bayley welcomed Egypt's potential involvement in the UK-led Green Growth campaign and confirmed continued support through the £500m Blue Planet Fund. The fund will provide grants for marine conservation and community-based environmental projects in the Red Sea, which he described as a 'global ecological treasure' rich in coral reefs and marine biodiversity.
