Learn the fundamental science behind climate change and turn this knowledge into collective action. Part of York Environment Festival 2025.

Globally, 80% of people are projected to be affected by drought by 2050, creating environmental, economic and societal risks that require urgent attention. The 16th United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Conference of the Parties (CoP16) held in Riyadh in December 2024, brought drought to the political foreground through proposals for a separate framework or protocol specifically targeting drought. However, the CoP16 negotiations ended in a deadlock. As the UNCCD’s post-2030 framework discussions begin in mid-2025, the possibility for an integrated policy approach to desertification, land degradation and drought under the UNCCD emerges. This paper explores what such an approach could entail. We argue that an integrated policy approach should be internally coherent, facilitate alignment with the goals of and successors to the Paris Agreement, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Sustainable Development Goals, and enable drought to be addressed as a cross-cutting issue, in line with its biophysical manifestations. Interlinked global challenges need long-term integrated governance and action.

Living Labs let students apply their research skills to NFM topics, exploring tree cover to community wellbeing, revealing overlooked insights for Ousewem and wider flood risk management.

Funding for UK research teams and early-career researchers for joint projects and placements.

The University of York has been shortlisted in two categories in this year’s THE Awards.

The government’s focus on tech could unite Yimbys and Nimbys, as data centres threaten future housing.

Interactive Dashboard exploring Trees outside of Woodland in Peri-Urban and Rural settings (ToWPUR) from Forest Research