By Abbas Nazil
Representatives from 196 countries and the European Union are billed to gather in Panama from December 1 to 5, 2025, to evaluate progress in tackling desertification, land degradation, and drought under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
The meeting, known as the 23rd session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 23), will bring together about 500 delegates from governments, academia, and civil society to assess global and regional implementation efforts.
Panama, a UNCCD signatory since 1996, has pledged to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality by 2030 and identified 31 critical hotspots.
The country’s commitment includes reforestation and Dry Corridor adaptation initiatives, emphasizing its role as the regional host.
In 2023, Panama faced its driest year on record, disrupting the Panama Canal and demonstrating how local droughts can affect global trade.
Panama’s Minister of Environment, Juan Carlos Navarro, said the country is proud to host all three major UN environmental conventions on climate, biodiversity, and land in one year.
He stressed that the event reaffirms Panama’s dedication to integrated environmental management and sustainable development.
UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad noted that droughts and land loss are increasingly threatening food security and livelihoods, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, where about 20 percent of the land is degraded.
She said hosting CRIC23 positions Panama at the forefront of the global response to drought and land restoration challenges.
The session will also highlight gender inclusion, focusing on the roles and challenges of women, especially Indigenous women, in sustaining communities affected by land degradation.
UNCCD data show the world is losing nearly 100 million hectares of healthy land annually, while 70 percent of global land has become drier in the past 30 years.
Experts warn that achieving land restoration goals by 2030 will require about one billion dollars daily—far less than what is currently spent on harmful subsidies.
CRIC23 will be held at the Panama Convention Centre, where delegates will review progress toward 2030 targets, discuss a post-2030 strategy, and engage with youth, women, and Indigenous groups.
The conference will also see the launch of the Panama Nature Pledge and other major environmental reports.
