Delegates at UNCCD COP 10, which is meeting in Changwon, Gyeongnam, Republic of Korea, from 10-21 October 2011, convened in the Committee of the Whole (COW), Committee on Science and Technology (CST) and Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC) to commence their consideration of a very full agenda. The COW discussed the programme and budget and the follow-up to the assessment of the Global Mechanism by the Joint Inspection Unit. The CST discussed the development and implementation of impact indicators relating to the measurement of strategic objectives 1, 2 and 3 of the Strategy, the preparation of the UNCCD 2nd Scientific Conference, and the role and responsibilities of science and technology correspondents. The CRIC discussed multi-year workplans of the Convention’s institutions and subsidiary bodies and assessment of the implementation of the Convention against performance indicators. Four contact groups were created during the course of the day, and three held their first meeting during the evening.