The fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 9 to 20 May 2022.

The COP15 theme, “Land. Life. Legacy: From scarcity to prosperity”, is a call to action to ensure land, the lifeline on this planet, continues to benefit present and future generations.

During the COP, a side event will be co-organized by SALAM-MED coordinator, the Desertification Research Center (NRD) of the University of Sassari, and by SALAM-MED partner DesertNet International (DNI). The event, titled “How to develop the next generation of scientists in desertification” will take place on May 13 from 18.00 to 20.00 (Abidjan time).

The event will contribute to the debate on how to enhance the scientific capacities of young researchers to address land and agroecosystem restoration and desertification processes. 

During the event, the SALAM-MED project will be presented, with a focus on the project’s efforts to combat desertification and land degradation as a strategy for women and youth empowerment.