Voluntary support to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) through the Secretariat

General

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is a legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The Convention aims to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought e specially in Africa. The Convention entered into force in 1996 and has currently 195 Parties. Finland ratifed the agreement in 1995.The Sessions of the Conference of the Parties (COP) are held on a biennial basis. The COP approves the budget of the Convent ion and the indicative scale of contributions to the core budget. The achievement of the UNCCD workplan objectives is dependent on voluntary support. The year 2014 is important for the UNCCD in preparing for the meetings for 2015 including the 3rd UNCCD sc ientific conference to be held in March 2015 and the COP 12 to be held in September 2015. The issues of combatting desertification and drought are also reflected in the global discussions on Post 2015 process as well as in the negotiations for a new global climate change agreement. The UNCCD Secretariat has made a proposal for the 2014 voluntary support by Finland. With the allocation of 400 000 euros Finland will support activies taken by the secretariat to enhance scientific knowledge on land-based adapta tion to organise the 3rd UNCCD scientific conference in Mexico in March 2015 to prepare a publication on drought to enhance rights-based approach to sustainable land management to prepare advocacy material on equitable access to land and to organise a Gend er Forum to be held at COP 12. In addition Finland will support developing country participation in the sessions of the COP and its subsidiary bodies. A significant part of Finland's previous support for the UNCCD has been targeted to regional coordination in developing countries and to support to developing country participation in the decision-making in the Convention processes. As a result the inclusion of the special needs of developing countries in the UNCCD negotiations has strengthened.