BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 22. The 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku is expected to strengthen connection between urban policy and land stewardship, Chief Communications, External Relations and Partnerships for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Xenya Scanlon said in an exclusive interview with Trend on the sidelines of the forum.
“WUF13 comes at a critical moment, as cities face growing pressure from climate change, drought, land degradation and rapid urban expansion. UNCCD is bringing a simple message to Baku: healthy land underpins food and water security, economic stability and more resilient cities. In other words, sustainable urban development cannot happen if the ecosystems surrounding cities are degraded. UNCCD has consistently emphasized that land degradation and drought are no longer only rural issues. They increasingly affect cities through their impacts on water availability, food prices, infrastructure, migration and public health,” she said.
Scanlon noted that the discussions at WUF13 and the World Cities Report 2026 highlight the importance of better land governance and climate-resilient urban development.
“This is why integrated territorial planning that connects cities, peri-urban areas and rural landscapes is becoming essential. We see WUF13 as an important opportunity to strengthen the connection between urban policy and land stewardship. Urban planning, housing, transport and infrastructure decisions all influence how land and water resources are managed. As cities become hotter and drier, these decisions will increasingly shape resilience to drought, water stress and extreme heat. Cities can either accelerate land degradation through unsustainable expansion, or become powerful drivers of restoration, adaptation and more efficient resource use through measures such as drought-adapted urban greening, smarter water management and nature-based solutions,” she noted.
UNCCD representative expressed hope that the Forum will help advance more integrated approaches linking land restoration, drought preparedness and adaptation and inclusive urban development, while strengthening partnerships between governments, development institutions, local authorities and the private sector.
“Building more resilient cities will require stronger cooperation between governments, local authorities and international partners. On its part, UNCCD is engaging with partners through initiatives such as the to help advance drought-resilient urban greening and climate adaptation in dryland cities. This builds on the Riyadh Call adopted at COP16, which emphasized the role of local and regional governments in addressing desertification, land degradation and drought. And in the lead-up to COP17, UNCCD is also working closely with UN-Habitat to strengthen engagement with local authorities and connect urban development discussions with land and drought resilience,” she added.
Scanlon went on to add that UNCCD is supporting a range of initiatives that can help countries restore degraded land, strengthen drought resilience and improve long-term water and food security.
“A major priority is helping countries move from crisis response to prevention through stronger land governance and drought preparedness. Another key area is scaling up investment in land restoration and sustainable land management through stronger partnerships between governments, development institutions and the private sector. This includes initiatives such as the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, which aims to support vulnerable countries in implementing national drought plans, and Business 4 Land, which seeks to reinforce private sector engagement in land and drought action,” she said.
The UNCCD representative believes that countries like Azerbaijan can play an important role by advancing practical approaches that connect sustainable urban development with responsible land and water management and climate resilience.
“WUF13 provides an important opportunity to strengthen international cooperation around these shared priorities,” she added.
Further, Scanlon noted that land degradation and urban expansion are increasingly interconnected challenges —particularly as many cities are becoming more vulnerable to extreme heat, erratic rainfall and water stress.
“With cities expected to absorb nearly 2 billion additional
residents by 2050, pressure on land, water and surrounding
ecosystems will intensify significantly. Rapid and often unplanned
urban growth can lead to the loss of fertile agricultural land,
soil sealing, deforestation and growing pressure on water
resources. At the same time, degraded land around cities weakens
resilience to droughts, floods, heatwaves and food insecurity.
UNCCD has highlighted that unsustainable land use and poorly
managed urbanization can create a cycle of environmental and social
vulnerability. As land becomes less productive and water stress
intensifies, cities face rising food prices, infrastructure
vulnerability, health risks and growing inequality. Informal
settlements are often particularly exposed to environmental
degradation and climate-related shocks,” she explained.
Scanlon pointed out that these pressures also affect migration and
displacement patterns.
“Land degradation and drought can undermine rural livelihoods, contributing to forced migration and increased pressure on urban areas that may already struggle with housing, services and employment. Globally, up to 40 per cent of land is already degraded, while droughts have increased by nearly one-third since 2000. Sustainable city development therefore depends not only on urban infrastructure, but also on protecting and restoring the landscapes, soils and water systems that sustain urban economies and communities,” she said.
Scanlon believes that cities are central to the solution.
“Urban planning can reduce pressure on land through compact,
resource-efficient and climate-resilient development. Protecting
watersheds, restoring urban and peri-urban ecosystems, integrating
green infrastructure and improving land-use planning all help
strengthen resilience to drought and extreme heat,” she said.
Scanlon went on to add that UNCCD has emphasized the importance of
integrated territorial planning that connects urban and rural areas
rather than treating them separately.
“Healthy surrounding landscapes are essential for water regulation, food production, biodiversity and climate resilience in cities. Better land governance and secure land tenure are also important to support inclusive urban development, particularly in rapidly expanding peri-urban areas. Cities also have an important role to play in driving solutions. They can help mobilize investment in restoration and sustainable land management through public-private partnerships, green infrastructure and local climate action. In many cases, land restoration is one of the most cost-effective ways to strengthen resilience and improve quality of life,” she explained.
The UNCCD representative noted that other approaches include drought-adapted urban greening, urban agriculture, water-sensitive urban design and other nature-based solutions that help reduce heat stress while improving water management.
“Initiatives such as the previously mentioned Trees in Dry Cities Coalition are helping advance practical approaches to climate adaptation in dryland cities,” she said.
Scanlon noted that land degradation and drought are global challenges that require stronger international cooperation across finance, policy, technology and knowledge-sharing.
“While vulnerable dryland regions are often the hardest hit, no country is immune to the economic and social impacts of water stress, food insecurity and ecosystem decline. A key priority is shifting from crisis response to proactive resilience-building. Investing in drought preparedness, sustainable land management and restoration is far more cost-effective than responding repeatedly to crises after they occur.
International cooperation must also better align financing, policies and incentives across the land, climate, biodiversity and development agendas, while strengthening partnerships between governments, cities, multilateral institutions, the private sector and local communities. In this context, UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia will be an important platform for international cooperation. It will help mobilize partnerships, finance and practical solutions to accelerate action on land restoration and drought resilience, while strengthening engagement with cities and local authorities, in line with the Riyadh Call adopted at COP16,” she concluded.
