Business

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Secretariat and the UNCCD COP16 Presidency, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have launched the Business4Land (B4L) Champions’ Council at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos. The initiative aims to mobilize global CEOs and industry leaders to accelerate land restoration and combat drought on a global scale.

The B4L Champions’ Council unites ten major companies — Nexira, Suzano, Gut & Bösel, Patagonia Provisions/B. Cameron Consulting, Olam Group, Reservas Votorantim, Genesis Soil Health, EY, Envision Energy, and LVMH — from sectors including agriculture, environmental services, fashion, consulting, energy, and technology. Together, they will work to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030, aligning business action with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on climate, biodiversity, and land degradation neutrality.

A Call for “Business Unusual”

Speaking at the launch, H.E. Dr. Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha, Deputy Minister of Environment of Saudi Arabia and Advisor to the COP16 Presidency, underscored the urgency of transforming how businesses engage with land use.

“Half of GDP depends on land — our water, our food, our cities, and our forests,” said Dr. Faqeeha. “Yet every year, 100 million hectares are degraded due to business as usual. We need to shift to business unusual. By investing in land, there is no losing — there is only winning.”

The Council will advance the Riyadh Action Agenda, launched at COP16 in Riyadh in December 2024, which generated over US$12 billion in pledges for land restoration and drought resilience from key financial institutions, including the Arab Coordination Group, Islamic Development Bank, and OPEC Fund, alongside the Government of Saudi Arabia.

Private Sector Commitment to Land Regeneration

Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, highlighted the initiative as a groundbreaking model for structured corporate engagement under the UN framework.

“There is a cost for inaction — and a huge return from action. For every dollar invested in land, around thirty dollars in value can be generated,” she said. “The B4L initiative is the only formal private sector platform under the UN conventions — from climate change to biodiversity — that now exists. This is not a voluntary contribution; it is part of corporate responsibility.”

The B4L Champions’ Council’s mission includes:

• Mobilizing private capital to support regenerative and land-positive business models.

• Advancing business cases for land restoration, drought resilience, and food security.

• Fostering collaboration across value chains to promote sustainable practices.

• Enhancing policy alignment through structured public-private dialogue with governments and global institutions.

The Council will also reinforce the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership (RGDRP) — a multilateral platform focused on addressing global drought challenges through innovation and coordination.

Business Leaders Back Urgent Action

Corporate leaders attending the launch shared practical insights into scaling regenerative practices. Nexira’s Managing Director called for measurable impact and sustainable sourcing across agricultural chains, while Suzano’s Executive Vice-President for Sustainability noted how regenerative forestry boosts biodiversity and financial resilience. Gut & Bösel’s founder emphasized the importance of soil innovation and farm-level solutions in reversing land degradation.

The establishment of the B4L Champions’ Council marks a milestone in embedding land restoration into global business strategy, reflecting a growing consensus that land health is central to climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable economic growth.

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