6 September 2017 – Ordos, China – Zhang Jianlong, Minister of State Forestry Administration, China, this morning opened the first ever United Nations conferences of the Rio Conventions to be hosted in China. The thirteenth session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is…

The UNCCD Science-Policy Interface (SPI) has released the "Sustainable Land Management contribution to successful land-based climate change adaptation and mitigation" technical report and the accompanying "Sustainable Land Management for Climate and People" science-policy brief. The publication…

Are you between the ages of 18 and 35 and like making short videos? Are you involved or interested in the combat of desertification, land degradation and drought? Then you MUST participate in the Video Competition for the Capacity Building Marketplace that will take place from September 4 to October…

Are you between the ages of 18 and 35 and like making short videos? Are you involved or interested in the combat of desertification, land degradation and drought? Then you MUST participate in the Video Competition for the Capacity Building Marketplace that will take place from September 4 to October…

UNCCD joins the group of international observer organizations to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) – based on a recent GCF board decision. As a major source of climate finance, GCF offers many opportunities for UNCCD member countries to finance preparation and implementation of large scale transformative…

To showcase the achievements of desertification control in Inner Mongolia, the UNCCD organizes a field trip to the Kubuqi Desert during COP 13, on 10 September 2017. As a saying goes, “It’s better to see something once than to hear about it a hundred times.” Thirty years ago, the Kubuqi Desert, one…

The report provides scientifically sound practical guidance for selecting SLM practices that help address DLDD, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and for creating an enabling environment for their large-scale implementation considering local realities. It targets a broad audience from…

Hamburg/ Bonn/Ordos – 22 August 2017 – More people, less erosion – Ethiopia’s Tigray region demonstrates that this can be a reality: They will take home the Gold Future Policy Award 2017, beating 26 other nominated policies to the prize. Also known as “Oscar for Best Policies,” the Future Policy…

Santa Cruz de la Sierra – 23 August 2017 – The conference on drought that took place in Bolivia from 14 to 16 August 2017 called for joint action against drought. Based on the deliberations among the delegates, the conference concluded with a declaration focusing on integrated drought management…

Land for Life Award recognizes the excellence and innovation of individuals, groups, institutions and businesses whose work and initiatives have made a significant contribution in achieving Land Degradation Neutrality. With the theme “Land and Human Security”, the 2017 Land for Life Award has been…

Hamburg/ Bonn/Ordos – 22 August 2017 – More people, less erosion – Ethiopia’s Tigray region demonstrates that this can be a reality: They will take home the Gold Future Policy Award 2017, beating 26 other nominated policies to the prize. Also known as “Oscar for Best Policies,” the Future Policy…

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) was established in 1991 and unites 182 member governments — in partnership with international institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector — to address global environmental issues. Today the GEF is the largest funder of projects to improve…

Institut de la Francophonie pour le développement durable has released a special issue of Liaison Energie Francophonie “Desertification and land systems: from recognition to action.” Contributions from the UNCCD secretariat cover the origins of the Convention, its role as the sole legally binding…

Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, 14 August 2017 – Under the theme “Together against drought" (“Juntos contra la sequia”),” around 60 delegates from across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), as well as leading international experts are coming together to identify the regional drought challenges…

The Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) country profiles present evidence-based arguments that support investment in LDN by showcasing the importance and multiple benefits of taking actions to avoid, reduce and reverse land degradation. The country profiles specifically highlight the role that land…

The UNCCD Science-Policy Interface (SPI) released the Scientific Conceptual Framework for Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) in English, Spanish and French. The conceptual framework provides a scientific basis for understanding, implementing and monitoring LDN. It has been designed to create a bridge…

Land provides crucial ecosystem services for human existence and human well-being, including provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural services. Those services provide among others the production of fresh air, food, feed, fuel and fibre. They regulate the risks of natural hazards and climate…

UNDP has launched an outreach campaign to advocate collective awareness and appreciation for issues of land, nature and broader environmental themes. The initiative is designed to involve practitioners and citizens more directly in the issues of the upcoming UNCCD COP13 (link to the COP13 page)…

The United Nations General Assembly has designated 13 October as International Day for Disaster Reduction to promote a global culture of disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness. For 25 years, the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) has been a major…

The winners of 2017 Land for Life Award received their recognition during the award ceremony that took place on 29 July 2017 at the 6th Kubuqi International Desert Forum in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China. The ceremony was attended by about 300 participants – among them land management experts…