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UN DESA DSD Sixteenth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16)
New York | 5-16 May 2008
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Summary
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CSD-16 Considers Land, Drought, Desertification

The sixteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16) convened for its third day on Wednesday, 7 May 2008, at United Nations headquarters in New York. Delegates continued their consideration of the thematic cluster for the 2008/2009 implementation cycle - agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa.

During the morning, one parallel session heard presentations and exchanged views on the themes of agriculture and rural development, while another session addressed issues surrounding the thematic issue of drought.

During the afternoon, parallel sessions heard presentations and exchanged views on the thematic issues of land and desertification.

The learning centre and Partnership Fair continued throughout the day, and side events were presented during the lunch break and the evening.


Wednesday, 7 May, 2008
Thematic Session: Agriculture and Rural Development

The morning thematic session on Agriculture and Rural Development, chaired by CSD-16 Vice-Chair Sasa Ojdanic (Serbia), featured panelists Sergio Miranda da Cruz (UNIDO), Puneetha Palakurthi (Southern New Hampshire University), Colien Hefferan (USDA) and Arne Cartridge (Yara International ASA). Panelists and participants discussed issues including non-farm activities such as agribusiness, rural enterprise development, micro-finance and micro-credit, and investment in agriculture and rural infrastructure.

Sergio Miranda da Cruz (UNIDO).

Puneetha Palakurthi (Southern New Hampshire University).

Arne Cartridge (Yara International ASA).

Morocco.

Papua New Guinea.

Jamaica.
Thematic Session: Drought

The morning thematic session on drought, chaired by CSD-16 Vice-Chair Daniel Carmon (Israel), featured panelists Scott Christiansen (ICARDA), Enos Esikuri (World Bank), Estanbacio Castro Diaz (International Indian Treaty Council) and Anada Tiega (Ramsar Secretariat). Panelists and participants discussed impacts of drought on hunger and poverty, climate change and water scarcity, building drought resilience, drought preparedness and responses to drought, and monitoring and early warning.

Scott Christiansen (ICARDA).

Estanbacio Castro Diaz (IITC).

Anada Tiega (Ramsar Secretariat).

Janil Greenaway (Antigua and Barbuda, for the G-77/China)

Benito Jimenez Sauma (Mexico).

Bob Turnock (Canada).
Thematic Session: Land

The afternoon thematic session on land, chaired by CSD-16 Vice-Chair Tri Tharyat (Indonesia), featured panelists Jolyne Sanjak (MCC), Clarissa Augustinus (UN-HABITAT), Erick Fernandes (World Bank), Omara Amuko (IUFAWA) and Michael Taylor (International Land Coalition). Panelists and participants discussed land and livelihoods, climate change and land use change, integrated land use planning and management, and information systems and tools for land use planning.

Jolyne Sanjak (Millennium Challenge Corporation).

Michael Taylor (International Land Coalition).

Omara Amuko (UIFAWA).

Nandhini Iyer Krishna (UNCCD Liaison Office).

Children and Youth.

Norway.
Thematic Session: Desertification

The afternoon thematic session on desertification, chaired by CSD-16 Vice-Chair Daniel Carmon (Israel), featured panelists Jeff Herrick (USDA-ARS), Sanjay Kumar (Ministry of Natural Resources, India), Nancy Kgengwenyane (Okavango Integrated River Basin Management Project) and Uriel Safriel (Hebrew University). Panelists and participants discussed the global dimensions of desertification, desertification and poverty, relationships between agricultural and pastoral practices and desertification, land degradation and desertification, monitoring and early warning of desertification, and the impact of desertification on climate change.

Uriel Safriel (Hebrew University).

Jeff Herrick (USDA-ARS).

Nancy Kgengwenyane (Okavango Integrated River Basin Management Projects).

Mary Rowen (United States).

Moustafa El Hakeem (Egypt).

France.
Side Events

UNCCD offered a morning course in the Learning Centre on "Designing Integrated Financing Strategies for Combating Desertification."

At lunchtime, Heifer International presented a side event on "The Value of Livestock Based Livelihoods in Africa."

In the evening, a side event on "Agricultural Productivity: Meeting the Sustainability Challenge" was presented by Croplife International, the International Fertilizer Industry Association, the International Federation of Agricultural Producers and the International Council for Science.
The Government of Spain organized a side event on the International Exposition Agua Zaragoza 2008, which will be held from 14 June to 14 September in Zaragoza, Spain on the theme "Water and Sustainable Development." Following the presentation, a panel discussed "Water shortage, Drought and Climate Change" in the context of Expo Zaragoza 2008.
Around CSD-16

While participants moved forward with their discussions, nearby tourists sailed in circles.

Delegates from Italy and the US chatted in the morning.

NGOs handed out their daily newsletter.

Clifton Curtis (Varda Group) listened to discussions.

Links to CSD-16 Information

UN Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) CSD 16 website
CSD 16 Organization of Work (draft proposal)
CSD 16 Documents
DSD SIDS website
CSD 16 Regional Implementation Meetings
Partnerships Fair

Links to IISD RS coverage and resources

Earth Negotiations Bulletin CSD 15 coverage, 30 April-11 May 2007
Earth Negotiations Bulletin CSD 14 coverage, 1-12 May 2006
Earth Negotiations Bulletin CSD 13 coverage, 11-22 April 2005
Earth Negotiations Bulletin CSD coverage
Earth Negotiations Bulletin UN Convention to Combat Desertification coverage
IISD RS coverage of sustainable development meetings
Linkages sustainable development news page
Linkages Update - Newsletter on international sustainable development issues
MEA Bulletin - Newsletter on key MEAs and their secretariats
African Regional Coverage

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