October 2015: The Secretariat of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has made available the draft negotiation texts for the upcoming twelfth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the UNCCD. The documents include related texts to be considered by the two UNCCD subsidiary bodies, the 14th meeting of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 14) and the 12th meeting of the UNCCD’s Committee on Science and Technology (CST 12).

According to the provisional COP 12 agenda, the Convention’s Committee of the Whole (COW) will consider draft decisions on: Programme and Budget 2016-2017; Land Degradation Neutrality; synergies among the Rio conventions; Rule 47, resolution of questions on implementation and arbitration and conciliation procedures; the comprehensive communication strategy; revised procedures for the accreditation of civil society organizations; the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Global Environment Facility (GEF); and the mandate and scope of the Convention.

CRIC 14 will address, inter alia: multi-year workplans of the Convention’s institutions and subsidiary bodies; the formulation, revision and implementation of action programmes in view of the post-2015 development agenda; assessment of the implementation of the Convention against the operational objectives of the 10-Year Strategy; financial flows for the Convention; communication and information procedures as well as the quality and format of reports to be submitted to the COP; additional review procedures of institutional mechanisms; and collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Documents on the CST 12 agenda will include: outcomes of the UNCCD 3rd Scientific Conference; efficiency of the CST; knowledge dissemination, including traditional knowledge, best practices and success stories; work programme of the Science-Policy Interface; and the roster of independent experts.

UNCCD COP 12 will convene from 12-23 October 2015, in Ankara, Turkey. [UNCCD COP 12 Draft Decisions] [COP 12 Provisional Agenda] [CRIC 14 Provisional Agenda] [CST 12 Provisional Agenda] [UNCCD COP 12 Host Country Website] [Natural Resources Policy & Practice Story on COP 12 Preparations] [Natural Resources Policy & Practice Story on African Position on COP 12][IISD RS coverage of UNCCD COP 12]