5 February 2019
UNCCD CRIC Reviews Global Assessment of Land Degradation
Photo by IISD | Lynn Wagner
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The assessment was conducted by reporting countries using a harmonized approach developed by the UNCCD.

CRIC 17 concluded with the adoption of documents that addressed the following themes: further implementation of the five Strategic Objectives; land degradation neutrality; the UNCCD Gender Action Plan; emerging innovative financing opportunities to combat land degradation; and improving communication and reporting procedures.

30 January 2019: Delegates at the 17th session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) reviewed the results of a global assessment of land degradation that was based on Earth observation data collected and analyzed in over 120 countries. The assessment indicates that 169 countries are affected by land degradation, desertification or drought. With regard to SDG target 15.3 (land degradation neutrality (LDN)), the assessment indicates that the proportion of degraded land for all land reported by country Parties is 19.2 percent.

The assessment was conducted by reporting countries using a harmonized approach developed by the UNCCD. Progress reports by country Parties and other reporting entities are submitted through the UNCCD’s Performance Review and Assessment of Implementation System (PRAIS) online portal. As the Earth Negotiations Bulletin summary of CRIC 17 notes, ahead of CRIC 17, the UNCCD Secretariat and the Global Mechanism, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), the International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC) and the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC), “preloaded” the PRAIS portal with default national data for each of the three UNCCD progress indicators, based on available data sources. The objective was to help Parties prepare their first ever reports under Strategic Objective 1 (improving the condition of affected ecosystems, combating desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD), promoting sustainable land management, and contributing to LDN). This assessment seeks to provide the baseline for assessing progress in the reduction or reversal of land degradation globally going forward, and will contribute to country efforts to achieve LDN, which is SDG target 15.3.

UN Secretary-General announced the appointment of Ibrahim Thiaw of Mauritania as the next UNCCD Executive Secretary.

A significant part of CRIC 17 focused on reviewing the Secretariat’s preliminary analysis of reports submitted by Parties and other entities, and considering delegates’ views and perspectives with respect to the monitoring and reporting process for the UNCCD’s Strategic Objectives.

The CRIC concluded with the adoption of three documents containing conclusions and recommendations from the meeting to be forwarded to the 14th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14). The documents address the following themes: further implementation of the five Strategic Objectives; LDN; the UNCCD Gender Action Plan; emerging innovative financing opportunities to combat land degradation; and improving communication and reporting procedures.

CRIC 17 convened from 28-30 January 2019, in Georgetown, Guyana. In their closing statements, representatives of regional and other interest groups paid tribute to the outgoing UNCCD Executive Secretary, Monique Barbut. The day after CRIC 17 concluded, UN Secretary-General announced the appointment of Ibrahim Thiaw of Mauritania as the next UNCCD Executive Secretary. [IISD RS coverage of CRIC 17] [CRIC 17 documents] [Preliminary Analysis – Strategic Objective 1]


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