About the Convention Established in 1994, the United Nations to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The Convention addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found. In the 10-Year Strategy of the UNCCD (2008-2018) that was adopted in 2007, Parties to the Convention further specified their goals:
"to forge a global partnership to reverse and prevent desertification/land degradation and to mitigate the effects of drought in affected areas in order to support poverty reduction and environmental sustainability"
The Convention’s 195 parties work together to improve the living conditions for people in drylands, to maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and to mitigate the effects of drought. The UNCCD is particularly committed to a bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating desertification and land degradation. The UNCCD secretariat facilitates cooperation between developed and developing countries, particularly around knowledge and technology transfer for sustainable land management.
As the dynamics of land, climate and biodiversity are intimately connected, the UNCCD collaborates closely with the other two Rio Conventions; the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to meet these complex challenges with an integrated approach and the best possible use of natural resources.
The Conference of the Parties (COP)
The Conference of the Parties
The COP was established by the Convention as the supreme decision-making body; it comprises ratifying governments and regional economic integration organizations, such as the European Union. Up to today, the COP had held twelve sessions; it has been meeting biennially since 2001.This year, COP13 will be held in Ordos, China. One of the main functions of the COP is to review reports submitted by the Parties detailing how they are carrying out their commitments; the COP makes recommendations on the basis of these reports. It also has the power to make amendments to the Convention or to adopt new annexes, such as additional regional implementation annexes. In this way, the COP can guide the Convention as global circumstances and national needs change. To assist the COP, the Convention provides for subsidiary bodies and allows the COP to establish additional ones if necessary.
The Bureau of the COP At the beginning of the first meeting of each ordinary session, a President and nine Vice-Presidents are elected from among the representatives of the Parties present at the session in a manner that every geographical region shall be represented by at least two members. They serve as the Bureau of the session. One of the Vice-Presidents shall act as Rapporteur.
The President declares the opening and closing of the session, presides at the meetings of the session, ensures the observance of the present rules, and has complete control of the proceedings and over the maintenance of order thereat. The President, if temporarily absent from a meeting or any part thereof, shall designate a Vice-President to act as President.
The Bureau of the COP has an important role in the UNCCD process also outside the sessions, as it directs various aspects concerning the follow-up of the COP and the preparations of the next one. The COP Bureau is also often assigned by the COP to supervise specific, particularly demanding or sensitive tasks or processes that are carried out between the COP sessions.