Two-thirds of the African continent is desert or drylands. This land is vital for agriculture and food production, however nearly three-fourths of it is estimated to be degraded. The region is affected by frequent droughts, which have been particularly severe in recent years in the Horn of Africa…

Responsibilities There are four principal categories of obligations under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and its regional implementation annexes: The common obligation of all Parties, including those unaffected by desertification, are spelled out mainly in articles 3…

The United Nations operates as a unified body, with different UN agencies supporting the objectives of others while carrying out their own work. This approach results in a diverse, yet coordinated response to the issue of land degradation and desertification. Each UN agency approaches this issue…

Soil degradation and desertification is severe in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). While the degree of land degradation in the CEE region varies from country to country, evidence shows that the problem is getting worse. The CEE region experiences various forms of land degradation caused by…

Through our development and funding partnerships, the UNCCD aims to implement sustainable land management worldwide and to reach its targets. Investments in the UNCCD help to facilitate policy reform, leverage larger investments and initiate change at the national level. Better soil management has…

The Sixth Kubuqi International Desert Forum (KIDF) will take place at the Kubuqi International Conference Center, Inner Mongolia, China, from 28 to 30 July 2017. The forum has been recognized by UNCCD as a platform for exchange and promotion of ideas on global desertification control and green…

The Conference of the Parties (COP) decision 3/COP.8, urges affected country Parties to align their action programmes and other relevant implementation activities relating to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) with The Strategy by addressing The Strategy’s five…

The Soil Leadership Academy (SLA) launched its land degradation neutrality (LDN) ​support platform at the UNCCD's 12th Conference of the Parties in Ankara, Turkey. Public and private high-level decision-makers were guided to the tools available to assist each decision-making step on the road to LDN…

The private sector is an important stakeholder in a sustainably managed world. By 2050, the world's population will have increased to over 9 billion, with twice the current demand for agricultural products. By 2030, 80% of the global population is expected to become consumers. Providing for this…

The Parliamentarian Round Tables aim to increase parliamentary awareness of issues of land degradation and desertification, and to boost the effectiveness of land and soil policies. As the success of the UNCCD's objectives significantly depends on the creation of appropriate national land policies…

The Changwon Initiative intends to complement activities being undertaken in line with The Strategy and in accordance with COP 10 decisions. The main components of the Changwon Initiative include: enhancing the scientific process of the UNCCD, mobilizing additional resources and facilitating…

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) provides the foundation for its 197 Parties to work together to combat desertification, land degradation and mitigate the effects of drought; maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and improve the living conditions for people…

The importance of sustainable land management (SLM) in fighting sand and dust storms (SDS) has been recognized by the International Conference on Combating SDS that took place in Tehran on 3-5 July 2017. Ministers and other high-level officials have called for collective response to the rising…

Be part of the solution. Become a Dryland Champion ! Rio +20 recognized the need for action to reverse land degradation and called to strive to achieve land degradation neutrality (LDN). Combating land degradation is a challenging task but also an exciting endeavor. Why exciting? Because…

Globally and regionally renowned personalities have long played an effective advocacy and awareness raising role in sustainable development issues. In today’s social media dominated discourse, their ability to connect with their millions of fans using TikTok, Instagram or Twitter is immediate…

China Convention on Biodiversity CGIAR Agricultural Research Group European Commission France Finland Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Germany GIZ, Economics of Land Degradation Initiative (ELD) Global Environment Facility (GEF) International Fund for Agricultural…

Forging a global partnership of committed stakeholders is the best way to secure our land's productivity and resilience, and to combat land degradation and desertification. UNCCD's motivated stakeholders are crucial to implementing the Convention and achieving a brighter, land-degradation neutral…

Climate change, biological diversity, desertification, land degradation and drought are intricately related on the social, economic and environmental fronts. Because these issues are closely linked, the secretariats of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the…

During the UNCCD’s 3rd Scientific Conference, the Soil Leadership Academy (SLA) held a side-event to consult on its land degradation neutrality (LDN) policy cycle approach and its curriculum. Conference participants were invited to further develop the curriculum, by identifying possible gaps and…

Land degradation neutrality (LDN) is included in Sustainable Development Goal 15.3 Life on Land. The Soil Leadership Academy (SLA) project, in synergy with other UNCCD initiatives, aims to be a front runner in providing support for achieving LDN. It will provide practical and pragmatic skills and…

Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers dedicated to responsible investing, has entered into negotiations with Althelia Ecosphere to become the European leader in natural capital investing The projected acquisition of Althelia Ecosphere (“Althelia”) by Mirova is intended to create a…