National, regional and sub-regional programmes National action programmes (NAPs) are the key instruments to implement the Convention. They are often supported by action programmes at sub-regional (SRAP) and regional (RAP) levels. The NAPs are developed through a participatory approach involving…

What is the Great Green Wall? The Great Green Wall is a symbol of hope in the face of one of the biggest challenges of our time – desertification. Launched in 2007 by the African Union, this game-changing African-led initiative aims to restore Africa’s degraded landscapes and transform millions of…

The fourth “International Sand and Dust Storms Workshop” started today in Istanbul. The workshop will enable countries to share knowledge and experience in search of solutions to reduce the negative impacts of sand and dust storms. The workshop, hosted by the Government of Turkey, will continue…

The academic session titled “Conservation, restoration and sustainable use of dryland ecosystem” was organized during the IUFRO Regional Congress of Asia and Oceania on 26 October at China National Convention Centre, Beijing. The session was jointly sponsored and organized by Institute for…

At the 1st Africa Action Summit which was held on 16 November on the margins of the Climate Change meeting in Marrakesh (UNFCCC COP22), the African Heads of States agreed to speed up the implementation of initiatives that are critical to their countries’ development. These initiatives include the…

​On 16 October of each year, the United Nations bodies commemorate this day as World Food Day to remind us that no one should be in hunger. The life of humans depends on land. Unprecedented rates of degraded land and ecosystem loss will bring unwanted consequences such as hunger, forced migration…

On 16 October 2016, the first China Poverty Eradication Award ceremony was held in Beijing to recognize efforts of individuals across China, who have contributed to alleviating poverty in the country. The chairman of Elion Resources Group (ELION), winner of 2015 UNCCD’s Land for Life Award and…

Subscribe to our newsletter using the form below in the blue field. In the form, you can sign up to the following lists: UNCCD News alert UNCCD Press and Media Choose the relevant list from the dropdown in the newsletter signup field.

What is Desertification? Desertification is not the natural expansion of existing deserts but the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas. It is a gradual process of soil productivity loss and the thinning out of the vegetative cover because of human activities and climatic…

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. To date, the COP had held fourteen sessions; it has been meeting biennially since 2001. COP14 took place in…

The UNCCD Secretariat was a visible partner of, and participant in the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) held in Nairobi, Kenya at the end of August. This conference attended by the Heads of states and/or governments of Africa and the Prime Minister of Japan…

Figure 1. The structure and functioning of managed and unmanaged ecosystems that affect local, regional and global climate.Source: IPCC, 2019 Land is fundamentally linked to both climate change mitigation and adaptation. The land-use sector has great potential to reduce emissions, sequester carbon…

On Friday 16 October in Ankara, Turkey, Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF International, addressed a COP12 side event on the conceptualization and further development of the Land Degradation Neutrality Fund. In a video message Mr. Lambertini emphasized that the Land Degradation Neutrality…

The thirteen session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 13), the sixteenth session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC16), and the thirteenth session of the Committee on Science and Technology (CST13) will be held at Ordos International Convention and…

Bonn, Germany, 22 February 2016 – “Protect Earth. Restore Land. Engage People. This is the slogan for this year’s World Day to Combat Desertification to be held on 17 June. I am calling for solidarity from the international community with the people who are battling the ravages of drought and flood…

Bonn, Allemagne, 22 Février 2016 – « Protégeons la planète. Restaurons les terres. Mobilisons-nous. Tel est », rappela Monique Barbut, secrétaire exécutive de la Convention des Nations Unies sur la lutte contre la désertification (CNULCD), « le thème adopté cette année pour la Journée mondiale de…

Two business corporations from Egypt and China are recognized as true influencers in combating land degradation. Erdos, Inner Mongolia, China, 28 July 2015 – The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has announced the two winners of the prestigious Land for Life Award, who…

Bonn, Germany, 20 May 2014 – The 14 semi-finalists for this year's Land for Life Award unveiled today are from Afghanistan, Canada, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Peru, Togo, Turkey, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. Their work ranges from scientific breakthroughs on reversing…

Maseru, Lesotho. 4 March 2014 – “Too often in the past, we have exploited, ignored and come into conflict with the needs of our environment,” said Khotso Matla, Minister of Forestry and Land Reclamation of the Kingdom of Lesotho during the observance of African Environment Day/Wangari Maathai Day…

Maseru, Lesotho, 3 March 2014 – To mark Africa Environment Day, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has issued Desertification: The invisible frontline, a publication showing the link between desertification, climate change and the growing threats to national and international…

Bonn, Germany, 9 January 2014 – Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland, has accepted her designation as Drylands Ambassador of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) for at least two years, to promote the shift towards sustainable land management practices globally and better…

Bonn, Germany, 14 October 2013 – His Excellency Pedro Pires, former President of Cape Verde, has accepted his designation as UNCCD Drylands Ambassador. “Sustainable Land Management, particularly the fight against desertification, land degradation and drought are major priorities for Africa,” Pires…

Top sustainable land management prize totaling USD 100,000 goes to development organizations in India, Mexico and Australia Ghent, Belgium, 17 June 2013 – For the second year running, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has announced the winners of the 2013 Land for Life…

More partnerships and investment are needed to support the pan-African partnership to tackle desertification and land degradation Rome, Italy, 16 December 2013 – The Great Green Wall initiative is hosting an international forum to build new partnerships and accelerate progress in tackling one of…

Milan, Italy, 17 June 2015 – Land degradation is a growing threat to global security, according to Ms. Monique Barbut, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, who spoke today at the global observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification at the EXPO Milano, in Italy…