Photo ©FAO/Giulio Napolitano
Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India, the 14th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will convene under the theme, “Restore Land, Sustain Future.” An estimated 5,000 participants from government, civil society, academic institutions and the private sector are expected to take part in the two-week meeting, which will also coincide with the 18th session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 18) and the 14th session of the UNCCD Committee on Science and Technology (CST 14).
COP 14 takes place two years following the adoption of the new UNCCD Strategic Framework (2018-2030) at COP 13 in Ordos, China. It will therefore provide parties with the first opportunity to review progress under the Convention’s five Strategic Objectives and provide initial input towards preparations for the midterm evaluation of the Strategic Framework in 2024. The review will draw on an initial set of 135 country reports that were submitted to CRIC 17 in January 2019, as well as relevant global studies, such as the 2018 Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) assessment on land degradation and restoration.
As highlighted in our summary and analysis from CRIC 17, while the new UNCCD Strategic Framework has helped to align the Convention’s goals with the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, much remains to be done to unlock the potential of crucial “catalytic” issues, such as empowering women and ensuring land rights for the most vulnerable. These emerging issues will form the backdrop for debates during the Special High-Level Segment on 9-10 September, organized around the following topics:
- land, climate and renewable energy
- rural and urban communities, “failing or flourishing together”
- fostering a global movement for ecosystem restoration
- a values-based approach to land stewardship
- healthy land – healthy people
- boosting sustainable value chains for land-based business
Furthermore, in response to requests by parties, COP 14 will also initiate consideration of land rights and security of tenure as a new thematic area under the Convention.
In line with recent practice, COP 14 is expected to conclude with the adoption of a “New Delhi Declaration” and the launch a “legacy programme” that will be promoted by the host government to advance implementation of the Convention.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB meeting coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from UNCCD COP 14. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from this session, which is now available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Ángeles Estrada
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