Press Release
Pre Briefing of the Fourteenth Conference of Parties (COP-14) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to be held at Venue India Expo Mart, Knowledge Park-II, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Following were the participants/Ambassadors on June 18, 2019 briefing
1- HE.MR. IBRAHIM THIAW, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, UNCCD
2- MR. ERDOGAN OZEVREN, COORDINATOR, UNCCD
3- MR. Barron Orn, UNCCD
4- MR. Furkan Dosdogru, UNCCD
5 – 6 MR. AHMET IPEK, DG FOR DESERTIFICATION & EROSION, MIN OF AGRICULTURE & FORESTRY, Turkey + MR. SEBAHATTIN ACIKGOZ, FOREST ENG
6- H.E. Mr sanjay bhattacharyya, indian hom
7- H.E. Mr. Carmell Vassalo, MALTESE HOM
8- HE.Mr. Hrvoje Cvitanovic, CROATIAN HOM
9- MR. SAMUIL ZISIS, greek embassy
10- H.E. Mr. Viktor Matis, HUNGARIAN HOM
11- MR. ROEY GILAD, ISRAELI CDA
12- MR. EDUARDO IBANEZ, SPANISH CDA
13-16 Mr. Vasco Seruya, PORTUGESE DyCM
14- MS. MAJA JERANCIC, SLOVENIAN MINISTER
BACKGROUND
- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is one of the three Rio Convention’s adopted in Paris, France on June 17, 1994 and entered into force in December1996.
- India became a signatory to UNCCD on 14th October 1994 and ratified it on 17th December1996.
- UNCCD is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable landmanagement.
- Main objective of the convention is to combat desertification, land degradation and mitigate the effects ofdrought.
INDIA’S DESERTIFICATION, LAND DEGRADATION AND DROUGHT (DLDD) STATUS
- India is the seventh largest country in the world with 328.72 million hectare (mha) area and is second most populated country with 1.21 billion population.
- With about 29.32% of country’s Total Geographical Area being affected by land degradation, India has high stakes and stands strongly committed to the Convention.
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal Ministry of Government of India to co-ordinate all issues pertaining to UNCCD.
- India has documented its Sustainable Land and Ecosystem Management (SLEM) practices in form of SLEM book published in 2014 in collaboration with Indian Council of Forest Research and Education (ICFRE)Dehradun.
- Desertification and Land Degradation (DLD) Atlas of India, was first prepared in 2007 covering DLD Status of India of 2003–05 time period, by theSpaceApplicationsCentreincollaborationwithMoEFCC.Thiswas followed by another Atlas at 1:50,000 scale published in 2016 covering the years 2011-13 and another atlas at 1:5,00,000 scale showing district level mapping published in 2018.
- A study undertaken by the GoI on “Economics of desertification, land degradation and drought (EDLDD)” study in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), indicated that degradation accounts for 81.9% of the total costs of land use change and land degradation. The study’s results show a decreasing trend in area affected by wind erosion and salinity, while area affected by water erosion, water logging and under open forests increase over time. Since the annual costs of land degradation (Rs 3177 billion), outstrip the total costs of reclamation (Rs. 2948billion).
- India hosted the four-day Asia Pacific Regional Workshop (April 24-27, 2018) with UNCCD, wherein the participants from about 40 Asia Pacific Countries, as well as representatives from 12 Indian States affected by land degradation, Scientists and Researchers from Scientific Institutions of national importance and various Ministries were trained in the use of an innovative land degradation monitoringtool.
- In order, to address and combat the issue of desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) the GoI has launched several schemes and initiatives which are asbelow:
- Pradhan MantriFasalBimaYojana(PMFBY),
- National Food Security Mission(NFSM),
- Soil Health CardScheme,
- Pradhan MantriKrishiSinchayeeYojna (PKSY),
- Per Drop MoreCrop,
- Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme(AIBP),
- RashtriyaKrishiVikasYojana,
- Rajiv Gandhi PanchyatSashaktikaranAbhiyan(RGPSA),
- DeenDayalAntyodayaYojana –NRLM,
- Swarnjayanti Gram SwarozgarYojana(SGSY),
- DeenDayalUpadhyayaGrameenKaushalyaYojana(DDU-GKY),
- HarKhetKoPani(HKKP),
- National HorticultureMission,
- Swacch BharatMission,
- Biodiversity Conservation & Rural Livelihood ImprovementProject,
- Accelerated Fodder DevelopmentProgramme,
- Programme of Integrated Development of 60,000 Pulses Villages in RainfedAreas,
- National Rural Drinking Water Programme,etc.
- In September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development which overarches 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. Out of the 17 SDGs, SDG 15 refers to “Life on Land”. Under SDG 15, target 15.3 states: “By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation neutral world.” Under SDG 15, India joined the Global Mechanism’s Land Degradation Neutrality Target Setting Programme(LDN-TSP).
- With regard to this, India is also in the process of developing a roadmap for achieving land degradation neutrality (LDN) by 2030 under the LDN Target Setting Programme (TSP). In this regard, MoEFCC had several deliberations with line-Ministries for mainstreaming LDN into their actions/policies andprogrammes.
- As one of the obligations to UNCCD, India is also commemorating the World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD) on 17th June 2019, marking the 25th Anniversary of UNCCD Convention, which will be inaugurated by the Hon’ble Minister EF&CC tentatively at VigyanBhawan, NewDelhi.
INDIA HOSTING THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF CONFERENCE OF PARTIES (COP -14)
- The Conference of Party (CoP) being the supreme decision making body of the Convention convenes biennially to primarily review reports submitted by the Parties on their commitments towards achieving land degradation neutrality and make recommendations on the wayforward.
- The fourteenth session of the CoP to the UNCCD (COP-14) is being hosted by India during August 29, 2019 to September 14, 2019 at Venue India Expo Mart, Knowledge Park-II, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh,India
- India will take-over the COP presidency from China for two years until the next COP is hosted in2021.
- The host country organizing the COP will be responsible for logistical and security arrangements and is also expected to play a leading role among the 197 Country Parties ratified to the UNCCDConvention.
- During the preparatory phase of COP 14, several deliberations are being held between the UN Mission Team &MoEFCC,GoI.
- The global Conference is expected to review the progress made, especially during the last two years, to control and reverse further loss of productive land from desertification, land degradation anddrought.
- Over 5,000 representatives from over 197 countries drawn from national, regional and local governments, science and research communities, the private sector, international and non-governmental organizations and all forms media will address the issue of combating desertification, land degradation and drought during the two-weekevent.
- High Level Segment (HLS) headed by a Ministerial Level Delegation will also be organized during the COP meeting (tentatively during September 9- 10,2019).
- Various exhibitions, side-events, technology fair in addition to special commemorative days like Women Caucus Day, Youth day, etc. is also being planned by the line Ministries, State Governments, Scientific & Technology Research Organizations/Institutions and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) to showcase their achievements in combating landdegradation.
- The UNCCD will organize for a second time the “Technology for Sustainable Land Management Fair” during COP-14 taking place in India. This TF will offer COP-14 attendees an opportunity to see the latest and most effective technology and innovation in action. It will facilitate contact and interaction among land users, policy makers, academic/ research institutions and the private sector on available SLMtechnologies.
- The following activities will be undertaken at the Conference of Parties (COP- 14):
- High Level Segment headed by a Ministerial LevelDelegation,
- Exhibitions/ side-events/ technology fair/ Rio Pavillion by line- Ministries, State Governments/ Scientific & Technology research Institutes,
- DelhiDeclaration,
- CRIC, COP & CST Bureau meetings will beorganized,
- India will take-over the COP presidency from China and hold it for next two years until the next COP is held in2021,
- Discussion on Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) Transformative project,
- International Institute of Applied System Analysis (IIASA) Project namely “Land Water Energy through the Nexus solution tool(NEST)”,
- Setting up Centre of Excellence for Capacity Building of Developing Countries for combating land degradation to achieve land degradation neutrality by2030.
Venue for COP-14 India Exposition Mart
Address: Plot No. 25,27,28,29, Knowledge Park-II,
Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, Pin- 201306, India
Tel.: +91- 120 -232 8011
Email: Info@Indiaexpocentre.com
Website : http://indiaexpomart.com
