UNCCD and 2018–2030 Strategic Framework

Desertification along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity were identified as the greatest challenges to sustainable development during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification ( UNCCD) adopted in 1994 and entered into force in 1996 and became a legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.The Convention addresses specifically the issue of desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas of drylands, which are home to some of the most vulnerable people and ecosystems in the world. The Convention’s 197 parties work together to improve the living conditions for people in drylands, to maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and to mitigate the effects of drought. The UNCCD secretariat facilitates cooperation between developed and developing countries, particularly around knowledge and technology transfer for sustainable land management. In thirteen session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNCCD has adopted 2018-2030 strategic framework that contributes to a more focused, targeted, effective and efficient implementation of the Convention and systematic monitoring and assessment of progress in the implementation of the Convention. This Strategic Framework is the most comprehensive global commitment to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality in order to restore the productivity of vast expanses of degraded land, improve the livelihoods of more than 1.3 billion people, and reduce the impacts of drought on vulnerable populations to build.

Vision of the strategic framework is “A future that avoids, minimizes, and reverses desertification/land degradation and mitigates the effects of drought in affected areas at all levels and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world consistent with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, within the scope of the Convention”.

The Strategic Framework will contribute to:

  • Achieving the objectives of the Convention and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular regarding Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 and target 15.3: “by 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world” and other interrelated SDGs, within the scope of the Convention;

  • Improving the living conditions of affected populations; and
  • Enhancing ecosystems services.

The following “strategic objectives” will guide the actions of all UNCCD stakeholders and partners in the period 2018–2030. Meeting these long-term objectives will contribute to achieving its vision within the scope of the Convention, taking into account particular regional and national conditions Strategic Framework has the following objectives:

  1. To improve the condition of affected ecosystems, combat desertification/ land degradation, promote sustainable land management and contribute to land degradation neutrality

  2. To improve the living conditions of affected populations

  3. To mitigate, adapt to, and manage the effects of drought in order to enhance resilience of vulnerable populations and ecosystems

  4. To generate global environmental benefits through effective implementation of the UNCCD

  5. To mobilize substantial and additional financial and non-financial resources to support the implementation of the Convention by building effective partnerships at global and national level

    Strategic objective Progress Indicator
    1.  To improve the condition of affected ecosystems,combat desertification/land degradation, promote sustainable land management and contribute to land degradation neutrality SO1-1  Trends in land cover
    SO1-2  Trends in land productivity or functioning of the land
    SO1-3  Trends in carbon stocks above and below ground
    2 To improve the living conditions of affected populations SO2-1  Trends in population living below the relative poverty line and/or income                      inequality in affected areas
    SO2-2  Trends in access to safe drinking water in affected areas
    3. To mitigate, adapt to, and manage the effects of drought in order to enhance resilience of vulnerable populations   and ecosystems Monitored through qualitative information
    Country Parties to UNCCD may wish to report on progress towards expected impacts for above strategic objectives 1–3 which are not fully covered by this set of indicators 1-6  by using nationally relevant quantitative indicators or qualitative information, as appropriate
    4. To generate global environmental benefits through     effective implementation of the United Nations             Convention to Combat Desertification SO4-1  Trends in carbon stocks above and below ground

    SO4-2  Trends in abundance and distribution of selected species
    5.  To mobilize substantial and additional financial and     non-financial resources to support the implementation       of the Convention by building effective partnerships at       global and national level SO5-1  Trends in international bilateral and multilateral official development                              assistance

    SO5-2   Trends in domestic public resources

    SO5-3   Trends in number of co-financing partners

    SO5-4  Resources mobilized from innovative sources of finance, including from the                   private sector
    The indicators (SO5-5 to SO5-7) identified to report on achievements made towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17 “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development” and particularly SDG targets related to technology and capacity-building,may be subjectd to change within the framework of the SDG process and are hence listed as a tentative future source of information. SO5-5  Total amount of approved funding for developing countries and countries with               economies in transition to promote the development, transfer, dissemination               and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies

    SO5-6  Number of science and/or technology cooperation agreements and                programmes between countries, by type of cooperation

    SO5-7  United States dollar value of financial and technical assistance, including               through North–South, South–South and triangular cooperation, committed to               developing countries and countries
    with economies in transition