The Science-Policy Interface (SPI) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was called for at the eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11), to facilitate a science-policy dialogue and to ensure that the COP receives policy-relevant information, knowledge and advice on desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) issues. The first meeting of the SPI will take place in Bonn, Germany, from 24-26 June 2014. SPI members are expected to discuss the programme of work for 2014 and 2015 at this meeting. The members of the SPI are: Maria Abraham; Mariam Akhtar-Schuster; Nicole Edel Laure Bernex; Martial Bernoux; Annette Cowie; Hamid Čustović; Mihail Daradur; Karma Dema Dorji; Joris de Vente; Alan Grainger; Oleg Guchgeldiyev; Klaus Kellner; German Kust; Matthias Magunda; Graciela Metternicht; Barron Joseph Orr; Rajendra Prasad Pandey; Vanina Pietragalla; Uriel Safriel; and Tao Wang. The three observers are: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – Jonathan Davies; UN Environment Programme (UNEP) – Mohamed Foday Sessay; and Civil Society Organization (CSO) representative – Nathalie Van Haren.  

dates: 24-26 June 2014   location: Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany   contact: UNCCD Secretariat   phone: +49-228 / 815-2800   fax: +49-228 / 815-2898/99   e-mail: secretariat@unccd.int   www: http://www.unccd.int/en/programmes/Science/International-Scientific-Advice/Pages/SPI.aspx