Since 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has provided the framework for international negotiations to “combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in severely affected countries, particularly in Africa”. (Text of the UNCCD, Article 2)
Its actions and implementation by States Parties are based on a strategic framework. For the 2018-2030 term, the Convention is pursuing 5 strategic objectives:
- Strategic objective 1: Improve the condition of affected ecosystems, combat desertification and land degradation, promote sustainable land management and foster land degradation neutrality.
- Strategic objective 2: Improve the living conditions of affected populations.
- Strategic objective 3: Mitigate, adapt to and manage the effects of drought, in order to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable populations and ecosystems.
- Strategic goal 4: Ensure that effective implementation of the Convention delivers global environmental benefits.
- Strategic goal 5: To mobilize significant additional financial and non-financial resources for the implementation of the Convention through effective global and national partnerships.
Following its 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16), the UNCCD launched a process to define its future post-2030 strategic framework. To achieve this objective, a dedicated intergovernmental working group is currently being set up.
In accordance with COP16 decisions 4 and 7, this intergovernmental working group will have two main objectives between now and UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia in 2026:
- Identify key elements for the new post-2030 strategic framework based on the results of the Intergovernmental Working Group’s report on the mid-term evaluation of the 2018-2030 strategic framework of UNCCD, the process set up within the Intergovernmental Working Group on Drought and the decisions taken during COP16.
- Carry out a detailed analysis of the current indicators attached to States Parties’ national reports on the UNCCD’s 2018-2030 strategic objectives, with the aim of making these indicators more relevant to the post-2030 strategic framework, while taking into account their ease of understanding and their adequacy with States Parties’ capacities. This analysis should also take into account decision 8/COP16.
The intergovernmental working group will be made up of 3 regional representatives, appointed by the States Parties, and 5 technical experts, including 3 independent scientists, 1 representative of an international organization and 1 representative of civil society organizations, who will be appointed following a call for expressions of interest. The appointment of the members of the intergovernmental working group on the future strategic framework (post-2030) of the UNCCD is underway. The elaboration of this new framework represents a strategic point and offers civil society organizations an opportunity to bring their field expertise and recommendations to bear.
