United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and / or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (English: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and / or Desertification, particularly in Africa, UNCCD) is a 1994 signed in Paris international environmental agreements for the avoidance and prevention of desertification and land degradation.

The UNCCD is the only global convention, which can be according to the classification of the environmental program of the clubs (UNEP ) associated with the cluster of "land - conventions " and, together with the UNFCCC United Nations and the Convention on Biological Diversity to that group of agreements, which represent important core goals of the United Nations.

The text of the Convention consists of 40 articles and five plants, which provide the implementation of the Convention in a regional context. The purpose of this regional focus is to be the climatic, socio-economic and geographical features of the region more effectively. The five regions are Africa (Appendix I ), Asia (Annex II), Latin America and the Caribbean (Annex III), Northern Mediterranean ( Annex IV) and Central and Eastern Europe (Annex V).

The primary objective of the Convention is, in of " Drought and / or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, through effective action at all levels, to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in order to achieve sustainable development in affected areas contribute "(Article 2, Section 1 of the UNCCD ).

  • 3.1 Objectives
  • 3.2 instruments
  • 5.1 Conference of the Parties (COP )
  • 5.2 Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention ( CRIC )
  • 5.3 Permanent Secretariat
  • 5.4 Committee on Science and Technology ( CST)
  • 5.5 Global Environment Facility ( GEF)
  • 5.6 Global Mechanism (GM )

History

The UNCCD as a convention that deals exclusively with the problem of desertification, land degradation, respectively, can look back on a long history. Starting from the devastating drought in the Sahel ( 1968-73 ) chose the United Nations General Assembly in 1974 to address the problem of desertification on the international level and edit. At the request of Burkina Faso, the General Assembly to convene a " Desertifikationskonferenz " decided in the same year (English: United Nations Conference on Desertification uncode ), which was held after a two -year preparatory phase under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme associations Nations in 1977 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Action Plan to Combat Desertification

Attended the conference at which the available up to that knowledge about the causes and extent of desertification has been presented to a wide audience for the first time, from 94 states and 65 non-governmental organizations and ended with the adoption of a so-called Action Plan to Combat Desertification ( English: Plan of Action to Combat Desertification PACD ).

The stated goal of the PACD was to stem the progression of desertification or reverse the Desertifikationsprozess on already affected land, thereby permanently for the benefit of the residents to ensure the productivity of the soil in high-risk areas. Here, the PACD, which should be fully implemented by the year 2000 referring, not to certain climates, but to all areas in which desertification occurred respectively could occur in the future.

The main target of the proposed by PACD catalog of measures which stood out particularly to an improved system of land use as well as the broadening of the knowledge base desertifikationsbezogenen, were primarily national governments. Your task would have been to adapt to the national context, the measures proposed by the PACD and implement with the help of national resources and institutions. Relatively little attention, however, was placed on international cooperation to combat desertification. A concrete, the implementation of the PACD supporting financing plan was also not recorded.

Ultimately, the PACD is considered a failure, although this was also due to the non-binding character of the PACD next to the unsecured funding and the marginal political interest. However, should not be underestimated is the fact that the failure of PACD an important contribution to the creation of the UNCCD put because it has been proven that successful desertification a global and binding framework needed to generate the required penetration of anti- Desertifikationsmaßnahmen.

Desertification at the Rio Conference

In the wake of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro conference the problem of desertification was negotiated as part of the Agenda 21 again. Could relatively quickly unity be achieved in the Konferenzvorverhandlungen on the substantive aspects of that desertification Agenda chapter, the opinions resigned nonetheless in the question of the need for a global desertification. This was requested by the African side closed, were the " ( ... ) OECD countries (...)" this idea opposed to. The reason for this can be seen on the one hand, that it was feared that another convention would require in addition to the already agreed conventions, climate and biodiversity, additional financial resources that can not be readily applied was willing, and on the other was the problem of desertification is not considered to be global, but local best, a regional matter.

Could be resolved this discrepancy only provisionally at the conference in Rio yourself Following difficult negotiations and the announcement of the Group of 77, including China ( G77 ) of Agenda 21 only agree if the industrialized countries would in turn approve the establishment of a Convention to Combat Desertification, articulated first the United States and later the European Community a. Put down this negotiation result in Agenda 21, Chapter 12, Section 12:40, which states:

" The General Assembly will be invited to their 47th meeting to establish an intergovernmental negotiating committee under its auspices; this is an international convention to combat desertification in severe drought and / or Desertifikationsproblemen stricken countries, particularly in Africa, working out, which should be completed by June 1994 '.

As recommended by Agenda 21, the United Nations General Assembly the convening of an international negotiating body decided in late 1992 on its 47th session (English: Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee) work out with the aim of a Convention to Combat Desertification.

Negotiation of the Convention

On June 17, 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and / or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (English: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those countries experiencing serious Drought and / or Desertification, particularly in Africa UNCCD ) was adopted in Paris. This was preceded by a total of five intense rounds of negotiations. In addition to the question about the pros and cons of a priority role of Africa under the Convention, in particular the negotiations on the financial resources of the Convention proved to be fraught with conflict. While the G77 countries favored an independent fund, similar to the Global Environment Facility, to finance the desertification, the OECD countries, especially the EU countries rejected this solution. Measures to combat desertification should not be disputed by new additional funds, but the funds available, such as development aid should be used more efficiently and effectively distributed through improved donor coordination. The compromise laid down in Articles 20 and 21 of the Convention found, reflects this position. Although the Parties undertake to in Article 20 para 2 lit. to apply a convention, " significant resources " to fund programs to combat desertification, but the real focus of Articles 20 and 21 that the mobilization of funds will primarily be provided through improved coordination between donor countries, developing countries and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations ( Article 20, paragraph 4 in conjunction with Article 14 paragraph 2 and Article 20, paragraph 5 lit. a UNCCD). To organize this process and perform the negotiating states agreed on a so-called Global Mechanism (GM ) who does not have according to the described concept is self-financing, but primarily has the task to " increase the effectiveness and efficiency of existing financial mechanisms " (Article 21, paragraph 3 UNCCD ) to contribute.

In October 1994, the Convention was opened for signature in Paris. After the fiftieth ratification by the State, the Agreement entered into force on 26 December 1996. The first Conference of the Parties of the UNCCD, which also marked the end of so-called interim period, took place from September 26 to October 10, 1997 in Rome. To date, the COP was a total of nine times together and that in 1998 in Dakar, Senegal (COP 2 ), 1999 in Recife, Brazil ( COP 3 ), 2000 Bonn, Germany (COP 4 ), 2001 Geneva, Switzerland ( COP 5 ), 2003 Havana, Cuba (COP 6 ), 2005 Nairobi, Kenya ( COP 7 ), 2007 Madrid, Spain ( COP 8 ), 2009, Buenos Aires, Argentina (COP 9) and 2011, Gyeongnam, South Korea (COP 10).

Recent developments

On the eighth Conference of the Parties (COP 8) in 2007 Member States decided, with the adoption of the 10 -year strategy to improve the Convention implementing a comprehensive reform of the UNCCD. The trigger for this reform movement was a growing dissatisfaction of the Contracting States, both with the sluggish implementation of the Convention, as well as to the perceived partly as non-transparent operation of the UNCCD institutions. Also criticized was the lack of clear, long-term scale and verifiable targets and priorities.

Since 2008, the Convention is in an intensive phase of restructuring, the aim of which is the convention to align their institutions and instruments to the objectives of the strategy adopted in 2007 due to the 10 -year strategy.

A first analysis of whether the implementation of these in the new strategy aims to a successful start, was the subject of the ninth session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (English: Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention CRIC ), which in February 2011 took place in Bonn. The results of this review process, the first after the adoption of the 10 -year strategy seem - at least as the core instrument of the Convention, the National Action Programmes (English: National Action Programme ) relates to - disappointing. Only two Contracting States were able to confirm the adjustment of their national Desertifikationsbekämpfungsmaßnahmen to the objectives of the new strategy

For the latest developments within the UNCCD, the Convention has set up a Twitter and Facebook account.

Terminology of the Convention

Like all worked out under the United Nations Convention also the UNCCD a very unique, special terminology that is formulated often bulky and can not be evident at first glance either or but requires a certain scientific preconceptions served.

The concept or the concept of desertification can look back on a long term history. As a general binding is formulated in the Convention definition of desertification has been established. Thus, the Convention defines desertification as " land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities" (Article 1 lit. A UNCCD).

Following this, says land degradation and land degradation " means reduction or loss of biological or economic productivity and versatility of naturally or artificially irrigated land or of meadows and pastures, forestry area and forests in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from land uses or as a result of a single or several inter-linked processes, including those resulting from human activities and habitation patterns, such as

  • Caused by wind and / or water erosion,
  • The deterioration of the physical, chemical and biological or economic characteristics of the soil
  • The disappearance of the natural vegetation ( Article 1 lit. f UNCCD) in the long run. "

Simply put, reduced and / or desertification or land degradation destroys the productivity and resilience of the soil. In the final analysis, the soils affected by desertification neither their numerous biological control functions, such as "(...) filtering of substances from the precipitation, leachate and groundwater ( ... ) or the detoxification of harmful substances", perceive, still be used for agricultural purposes. From a strictly scientific perspective is the equation of desertification and land degradation, as carried out in the Convention definition, not without problems. Desertification and land degradation have both a different geographical target area as well as a different time. While the term desertification is explicitly limited to drylands and expresses that the soil is the long term irreparably damaged, the term land degradation is also used for short periods occurring desertification phenomena which can take place in any climate region.

The causes of desertification are complex and not completely understood. The Convention text speaks of various factors, including climatic and man- factors.

Overall, the official definition of the term desertification is defined very open and wide. In theory can thus be subsumed any cause of and any form of soil degradation within the definition of the Convention. This openness has both advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that they make the complex process of desertification better account can be taken. On the other hand there is a risk of arbitrariness and lack of focus.

The Convention applies only to arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas. Arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas " other than polar and sub-polar regions, in which the ratio of annual precipitation to potential evapotranspiration falls within the range of 0.05 to 0.65 " (Article 1 lit. G UNCCD).

Generally, the term aridity marks the dryness of an area. Arid regions are characterized by the fact that in the long-term average theoretically more water can evaporate than actually falls on rainfall. Therefore, they are water- poor areas. Often, the term drylands is used in the context of arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas. It should be noted, however, that to the hyperarid drylands areas, so the real deserts include. However, these are not considered by the Convention. The decisive criterion for the determination of arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas within the meaning of the Convention is that the relationship between rainfall and evapotranspiration does not fall below the range of 0.05. This can be represented by the so-called aridity index.

Fundamentally different from the aridity is the phenomenon of drought. Article 1 lit. c of the Convention describes the drought as a " naturally occurring phenomenon that exists when precipitation has been significantly below normal recorded levels, causing serious hydrological imbalances have emerged that have an adverse effect on production systems, focusing on the country's resources reasons ". In contrast to the aridity drought is an episodic short-term phenomenon that can not be restricted to arid regions, but can occur anywhere. However, arid areas, due to its variable climate and scarce water resources more susceptible to the occurrence of drought.

In the fight against desertification is not about to make the desert fertile, but measures "to environmentally friendly, sustainable management of general human usable land resources ". Accordingly, the desertification under the Convention includes " activities contributing to the integrated development of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas in the context of sustainable development and includes the following objectives:

  • Prevention and / or reduction of land degradation,
  • Remediation partly desertified land,
  • Rehabilitation of damaged by desertification land " (Article 1 lit. B UNCCD).

As affected areas defines the Convention " arid, semi-arid and / or dry sub-humid areas affected or threatened by desertification " (Article 1 lit. H UNCCD). Countries concerned are accordingly " countries whose lands include, in whole or in part, affected areas " (Article 1 lit. I UNCCD).

Target and instruments of the Convention

Objectives

The goal of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification ( UNCCD) are described in Article 2 of the Convention: "The aim of this Convention is in Serious Drought and / or Desertification, Particularly Africa, through effective action at all levels which are supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements, in the context of, with Agenda 21 in conformity, integrated approach to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought, to help facilitate sustainable development in affected areas. "

" The realization of this goal is long -term integrated strategies requires that concentrate in the affected areas at the same time to improve the productivity of the land, and the rehabilitation, conservation and sustainable management of land and water resources, and in particular at the level of communities to better living conditions lead ".

Basically, the objectives of the UNCCD are comparable with those of previous efforts to combat desertification, the UNCCD but introduces a major innovation. Not only are the symptoms of degradation, but in particular the desertification underlying socio - economic causes, such as poverty need to be kept in combating desertification. In this respect, the Convention attaches to the paradigm of sustainable development is of particular importance and indicates the UNCCD so explicitly as Agenda 21 and the Rio process belongs. Conceptually, and that was the novelty of the 1994 Council of Europe Convention, the UNCCD oscillates between the centroids of the environment and development and therefore offers a variety of anchor points for a strategic combat desertification. According to the formulated in Article 2, paragraph 4 model of " integrated [n ] strategies " to national policies such as be environmental, economic, development, fiscal policy in areas relevant to combating desertification points analyzed in the fields and interlinked in order to accomplish such a coherent and effective combating desertification can.

Is the combination of developmental and environmental aspects on the one hand the innovation of the UNCCD is on the other hand their stumbling block especially as regards the implementation of the Convention. In practice, the UNCCD is perceived depending on your preference, either as environmental convention or convention development or mixed convention, but this often leads to a fragmentation of the demanding expectations. Furthermore - and this is true in general for multidisciplinary approaches - provide these high demands on coordination and cooperation capacities that are not given in the case of the UNCCD and must be developed. Another difficulty is, finally, that in spite of all theoretical and practical similarities between environmental degradation and underdevelopment the entrusted organizations, departments or research institutions each pursue different approaches, methods and discourses, and direct connectivity of these different systems is not given per se.

Not least, these problems have led to concrete in the sequel to the experiment, the strategic targeting of UNCCD through the development of a new strategy. The 10-year strategy to improve the implementation of the Convention (English: Ten -year strategic plan and framework to Enhance the implementation of the Convention ), adopted by the States Parties in 2007, reformulated and reorganized by the UNCCD in the period from 2008 to 2018 goals to be achieved by:

  • First, a vision of the future,
  • Secondly, through long-term strategic objectives to be implemented and
  • Thirdly, through the designation of the medium to be realized operational objectives

Then the following vision to guide the actors in the implementation of the UNCCD: Develop a global partnership with the aim of desertification and land degradation, and the effects of drought and drought in the affected areas to prevent or mitigate the more to reduce poverty and to contributing environmental sustainability.

Intended to achieve this vision the following strategic objectives will be implemented:

  • Improving the living conditions of affected populations
  • Improve the condition of affected ecosystems
  • Generating a global benefits through effective implementation of the Convention
  • Mobilization of resources through the development of partnerships between national and international actors to support the implementation of the Convention

Medium term, both vision and strategic objectives through the following operational objectives:

  • Effective information and education work
  • Manufacture or preparation of convincing political conditions and policies to combat desertification
  • Development of scientific basic knowledge of desertification
  • Capacity building
  • Financial and technology transfer

Instruments

The key element for the implementation of the UNCCD are the National Action Programmes (NAPs ). The purpose of the " national action programs " is defined in Article 10 of the UNCCD " the factors contributing to desertification and practical measures necessary to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought to determine. National action programs shall define the respective roles of government, local communities and land users and the resources available and needed in each fixed ".

In Article 14 of the Convention, the drafting and implementation of action programs is explained: " The Parties shall cooperate in the preparation and implementation of action programs directly and through relevant intergovernmental organizations closely. The Parties shall develop especially at national level and locally operational mechanisms with the aim to provide maximum coordination between the Parties, the developed country Parties, developing country Parties and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure, to avoid duplication of work, their successive steps vote and to make aid as effective as possible. "

The implementation of the Convention, ie the achievement of the above objectives primarily affects Africa. Taking into account the specific situation of African countries threatened by desertification and drought regions them priority in the implementation of the Convention is granted, this does not mean that other affected developing countries that are neglected in other regions (Article 7 UNCCD).

The implementation of actual projects to Desertifikationsbekämpung and mitigation of drought that were planned in the NAPs, not by the UNCCD itself. The projects are from, inter alia, international or non-governmental organizations Organisationenen accompanied or carried out by the states themselves at the national level. In addition to the national action programs there's also the so-called sub-regional and regional action programs. Subregional and regional action programs of affected countries themselves, worked out in accordance with the systems of the regional implementation to ensure that national action programs (NAPs ) matched complement and be more effectively " (Article 11 UNCCD).

Member States of the Convention

The 194 States that have ratified the Convention are:

Afghanistan, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chile, China, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Denmark, Germany, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Greece, United Kingdom, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Yemen, Jordan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kiribati, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo, Comoros, Croatia, Cuba, Kuwait, Laos, Lesotho, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Morocco, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Burma, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Niue, North Korea, Norway, Austria, Oman, East Timor, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Zambia, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, South Africa, South Korea, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Chad, Czech Republic, Turkey, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vietnam, Belarus, Central African Republic, Cyprus and the European Union.

Non-member countries are Iraq, the Vatican City and other not yet recognized states.

On March 28, 2013 Canada has officially announced his resignation from the Convention to the UN Secretary General, the withdrawal shall take effect one year after the date of receipt.

Institutions of the Convention

Conference of the Parties (COP )

The Conference of the Parties established by Article 22 of the Convention. Accordingly, the COP is the supreme body of the Convention. As part of its mandate, it takes decisions that are necessary to promote the effective implementation of the Convention. At her attended by all the States which have ratified the Convention; the Vatican is sending an observer.

The Conference of the Parties took the first four times a year, since every two years instead.

The Conference shall periodically review the implementation of the Convention and the effectiveness of the institutional arrangements. It promotes and facilitates the exchange of information between the Parties shall review the national reports on the progress of implementation of the Convention and make recommendations on them.

In addition, the Conference may establish such subsidiary organs as it, deems necessary for the implementation of the Convention for necessary and specify their policies.

Furthermore, the conference itself has a program and approve a budget for its activities and take care of the cooperation of, national, or international, intergovernmental or non-governmental bodies to use their services and information (Article 22 UNCCD).

Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention ( CRIC )

In 2001, decided in the first decision to UNCCD, in the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Geneva, a "Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention ( CRIC ) to use as a subsidiary body of the COP. You will assist the Conference of the Parties through regular review of the implementation of the Convention.

The tasks of the CRIC were outlined as follows:

  • Determining best practices in the implementation of the Convention.
  • The implementation of "strategy " judge.
  • A review of the extent to which parties contribute to the implementation of the Convention.
  • Assess and review your own performance and effectiveness.

Permanent Secretariat

The Convention sat with Article 23 of the Convention to Combat Desertification up a permanent secretariat.

The Secretariat shall:

  • To make arrangements for sessions of the Conference of the Parties and the subsidiary bodies.
  • It summarizes the state reports submitted to the countries and forwards.
  • It supports the Parties, the affected developing country Parties, in the compilation and communication of information required for the COP.
  • It coordinates its activities with the secretariats of other conventions and international, intergovernmental bodies
  • There must be a report on its activities under the Convention, the COP present and takes away from their other tasks.

The UNCCD has since the Rome Conference (COP -1) in 1997, a permanent secretariat, which since January 1999 has its headquarters in Bonn. Here, the Secretariat was initially housed in house Carstanjen, in July 2006 it moved to the Bonn UN Campus. 194 countries were members of the Convention in March 2011. During the first ten years of the UNCCD Hama Arba Diallo was led by Burkina Faso and from September 2007 to September 2013 by Luc Gnacadja (Benin). Beginning of October 2013 was appointed the new Executive Secretary Monique Barbut (France).

Committee on Science and Technology ( CST)

The Committee on Science and Technology was used in Article 24 of the Convention of the United Nation to Combat Desertification as a subsidiary body of the Conference of the Parties.

It is composed of government representatives, which are qualified in their respective jurisdictions. The Committee shall meet in conjunction with the ordinary sessions of the COP together, is interdisciplinary and is open to all Parties to participate. In addition, a roster of independent experts with expertise and experience in the relevant areas, led by the COP. These experts may in the Committee and / or in sg Ad hoc groups are called. The ad hoc groups can the COP, come through the Committee, information and advice in relation to a specific question. The remit of the Committee shall be determined by the Conference of the Parties:

The Committee on Science and Technology to the Conference of the Parties information and advice on scientific and technological matters relating to combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought provide (Article 24 UNCCD).

Global Environment Facility ( GEF)

The Division of Global Environment Facility (GEF ) has 182 member states - in partnership with international institutions, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector - to address global environmental issues. As an independent finance companies, the GEF grants developing countries and emerging markets loans for projects that are in relation to biodiversity, climate change, water, land degradation, the ozone layer and organic contaminants. These projects will benefit the environment and promote a sustainable lifestyle.

The GEF serves as the financial mechanism, inter alia, for the UNCCD.

Global Mechanism (GM )

The Global Mechanism has been established in accordance with Article 21, paragraph 4, to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of existing financial mechanisms and to promote activities that lead to substantial financial resources, including for the transfer of technology, on a grant basis, and / or be applied to preferential or other conditions and the Parties affected developing countries are fed. This Global Mechanism working under the authority and guidance of the Conference of the Parties and this is responsible to them. Early 2005 was appointed as the new Managing Director Christian Mersmann ( Germany ).

There is also a frame structured organization of the global Mechanism. This will, inter alia, advise the parties with respect to innovative financing methods and sources of financial support, make available to interested parties and organizations information on possible funding sources and types available and the coordination between them easier (Article 21 UNCCD).

Overview of the conferences of the Convention

  • COP -1: Rome, Italy, 1997
  • COP -2: Dakar, Senegal, 1998
  • COP -3: Recife, Brazil, 1999
  • COP -4: Bonn, Germany, 2000
  • COP -5: Geneva, Switzerland, 2001
  • COP -6: Havana, Cuba, 2003
  • COP -7: Nairobi, Kenya, 2005
  • COP -8: Madrid, Spain, 2007
  • COP -9: Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2009
  • COP -10: Changwon, South Korea, 2011
  • COP -11: Windhoek, Namibia, 2013
  • CRIC -1: Rome, Italy, 2002
  • CRIC -2: Havana, Cuba, 2003
  • CRIC -3: Bonn, Germany, 2004
  • CRIC -4: Nairobi, Kenya, 2005
  • CRIC -5: Buenos Aires, Argentina 2007
  • CRIC -6: Madrid, Spain, 2007
  • CRIC -7: Istanbul, Turkey, 2008
  • CRIC -8: Buenos Aires, Argentina 2009
  • CRIC -9: Bonn, Germany, 2011
  • CRIC -10: Changwon, South Korea, 2011
  • CRIC -11: Bonn, Germany, 2013
  • CRIC -12: Windhoek, Namibia, 2013

Financing

To finance the UNCCD carry all the Member States in accordance with their financial performance power. In addition, to support the work of the UNCCD with voluntary contributions of each Contracting State. Ultimately, the Federal Republic of Germany is charged as headquarters of the Convention for additional resources.

Projects

2006 was the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the UNCCD International Year of Deserts and Desertification.

Every year is celebrated on 17 June, the World Day of Wüstenbekämfung (World Day to Combat Desertification ).

Multilateral environmental agreement South Gyeongsang Province Desert climate The Bahamas The Gambia Convention (meeting) Haus Carstanjen
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