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12th Session of the Conference of the Parties
to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 12)

12-23 October 2015 | Ankara, Turkey

Highlights for Monday, 12 October 2015

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ENB Daily Coverage—About | 12 Oct | 13 Oct | 14 Oct | 15 Oct | 16 Oct | 19 Oct | 20 Oct | 21 Oct | 22 Oct | 23 Oct | Summary


UNCCD COP 12 participants observed a moment of silence for the victims of the terrorist bombings in
Ankara, Turkey

UNCCDThe twelfth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 12) opened in Ankara, Turkey, on Monday afternoon, 12 October 2015. Following meetings of regional groups during the morning, the opening plenary offered delegates the opportunity to exchange opening statements regarding the COP 12 agenda items and their expectations for the session. Pohamba Shifeta, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Namibia, and President of COP 11, opened COP 12 and expressed solidarity with those affected by the recent attacks in Ankara and led delegates in observing a moment of silence. Noting that sustainable rangeland management is a key priority for his country, he said the recent adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will help to raise the profile of desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) issues on the political agenda, and called for sufficient resources to meet the Convention’s targets to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).

Delegates then elected Veysel Eroğlu, Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs, Turkey, as COP 12 President. Eroğlu highlighted the “Road to Ankara” initiative to engage the business community, and noted his country’s willingness to share its expertise with other countries in order to meet LDN goals. Monique Barbut, Executive Secretary, UNCCD, said the Convention is an “organization in motion” and noted the increased recognition of land issues at the global level, highlighting the inclusion of the LDN target in the SDGs and the acknowledgement of the role of land in climate change negotiations. Nicolas Hulot, Special Advisor to President of France, stated that success at the Paris Climate Change Conference relies on three factors: humility, solidarity and truth. Delegates proceeded to offer opening statements, adopt the COP 12 agenda and elect the COP 12 officers. At the end of the day, COP 12 participants enjoyed a buffet reception hosted by the Government of Turkey.

IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage and daily reports from the 12th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, has published a summary and analysis of UNCCD COP 12, which is available in HTML and PDF. Available in ENB Mobile at http://enb.iisd.mobi/desert-cop12/


Opening Plenary

Pohamba Shifeta, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Namibia handing over the COP presidency to Veysel Eroğlu, Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs, Turkey, as COP 12 President


Pohamba Shifeta, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Namibia, and COP 11 President

Veysel Eroğlu, Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs, Turkey, and COP 12 President


Monique Barbut, UNCCD Executive Secretary

Melih Gökçek, Mayor of Ankara


Markus Repnik, Managing Director, Global Mechanism of the UNCCD (GM)

Nicolas Hulot, Special Advisor to the President of France


Veysel Eroğlu, COP 12 President, made his opening speech to the UNCCD COP 12 plenary.


Vika Khumalo, South Africa, speaking for the G77/China

Rol Reiland, Luxembourg, speaking on behalf of the EU



A. K. Mehta, India

Skumsa Mancotywa, South Africa, speaking
on behalf of the African Group

Fitzgerald Providence, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, speaking on behalf of GRULAC


Duygu Kutluay, TEMA Foundation, Turkey,
speaking on behalf of Civil Society

Kamar Yousuf, UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

Yuriko Shoji, Food and Agriculture
Organization of the UN (FAO)


Delegates from Niger


Delegates from the Philippines

Delegates from Jordan


L-R: Sakhile Koketso and David Ainsworth, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat

UNCCD COP 12 Snapshots

UN and Turkish flags at half mast for the victims of the bombing attacks in Ankara, Turkey.


Delegates from Kuwait


L-R: Monique Barbut, UNCCD Executive Secretary and Veysel Eroğlu, Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs, Turkey, and COP 12
President
, during a press conference.

ENB Daily Coverage—About | 12 Oct | 13 Oct | 14 Oct | 15 Oct | 16 Oct | 19 Oct | 20 Oct | 21 Oct | 22 Oct | 23 Oct | Summary
Specific funding for coverage of UNCCD COP 12 has been provided by the
European Commission, the UNCCD Secretariat and the Ministry of Forest and Water Management of Turkey
EC UNCCD Ministry of Forest and Water Management of Turkey

IISD Reporting Services is grateful to the many donors of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) and recognizes the following as core contributors to the ENB: the European Union, the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Japanese Ministry of Environment (through the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies - IGES), the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, SWAN International, Government of Switzerland (the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Funding for translation of the Bulletin into French is provided by the Government of France, the Wallonia, Québec, and the International Organization of La Francophonie/Institute for Sustainable Development of La Francophonie (IOF/IFDD).