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On 12 March 2015, the UNCCD 3rd Scientific Conference convened in the morning to hear keynote presentations on Mexico’s efforts to combat desertification and to consider conclusions from the Conference. Norma Salome Munguia Aldaraca, Director General, Primary Sector and Renewable Natural Resources, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT), Jorge Rescala Perez, Director General, National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR) and Mexico’s UNCCD Focal Point, and Jesus David Gomez Diaz, Mexico’s UNCCD Science and Technology Correspondent, discussed Mexico’s national programmes to monitor and address desertification, land degradation and drought, among other activities. William Payne, SAC Chair, and Mariam Akhtar-Schuster, SAC/SPI, presented the final outcome of the UNCCD 3rd Scientific Conference, as contained in document ICCD/CST(S-4)/L.2. Payne noted that the Conference used a “novel, participatory approach” to explore links between biophysical and social systems, with an emphasis on vulnerability. Akhtar-Schuster highlighted policy recommendations, and informed participants that the outcomes would be transmitted to the 12th session of the CST and would be further synthesized by the SPI in a policy brief, which will be finalized in time for UNCCD COP 12 taking place from 12-23 October 2015, in Ankara, Turkey.
Aldrin Martin Perez Marin, Researcher, Research Coordination, National Institute of Semi-Arid (INSA), Brazil and Kherraz Khatim, Executive Secretary, Sahara and Sahel Observatory, Tunisia, reported on workshops and respective regional perspectives.
In the afternoon, CST S-4 reconvened to consider the report of the UNCCD 3rd Scientific Conference and the preliminary CST S-4 report. Following an update from the UNCCD Secretariat on progress towards mainstreaming the concept of land degradation neutrality in the context of the SDGs and statements from delegates, the meeting adopted the report of CST S-4. CST Chair Safriel declared the meeting closed at 5:11 pm. |
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