United Nations Plan of Action to Combat Desertification

United Nations Plan of Action to Combat Desertification

On 20 August 1974, the United Nations Conference on Desertification, held in Nairobi, adopted a comprehensive Action Plan to Combat Desertification (MPAP). This report was submitted to the United Nations General Assembly by the Social and Economic Council on 17 October 1977.

At the third meeting of the UNSC in 1977, the report of the CPI was approved and the task of monitoring and coordinating the implementation of this plan was assigned to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). In another resolution adopted on the same day, it was requested that a report on the results of monitoring the efforts to combat desertification be submitted to the General Assembly for the first time in 1978 and every two years thereafter, through the Social Council.

The United Nations Plan of Action to Combat Desertification is a global strategy developed under the framework of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to address the critical issues of desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD). It outlines goals, strategies, and mechanisms to promote sustainable land management (SLM), restore degraded ecosystems, and mitigate the impacts of desertification worldwide.

Key Objectives of the Plan

1. Prevention and Mitigation:Prevent further desertification and mitigate its effects on affected ecosystems and communities.

2. Land Restoration:Restore degraded lands and improve soil fertility to enhance agricultural productivity and biodiversity.

3. Drought Preparedness:Develop early warning systems and drought-resilient strategies to reduce vulnerability to drought impacts.

4. Sustainable Livelihoods:Support communities dependent on fragile ecosystems by promoting alternative, sustainable livelihoods.

5. Climate Change Adaptation:Address the interplay between land degradation and climate change by promoting land restoration as a key climate adaptation measure.

6. Global Cooperation:Foster international collaboration to share knowledge, technologies, and financial resources.

Strategic Framework

The Plan of Action is built on the principles and mechanisms of the UNCCD 2018–2030 Strategic Framework, which aligns closely with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 15 (Life on Land), target 15.3: "Achieve land degradation neutrality (LDN) by 2030."

Key strategic elements include:

1. Achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN):

   • Promote a balance between the amount of land being degraded and restored.
   • Develop measurable LDN targets for member countries.

2. Integrated Land and Water Management:Encourage sustainable land and water use practices to combat desertification effectively.

3. Empowering Communities:Involve local communities, indigenous peoples, and women in decision-making and implementation.

4. Capacity Building:Strengthen the technical and institutional capacities of nations to combat desertification.

Implementation Mechanisms

1. National Action Programs (NAPs):

   • Countries are required to prepare and implement NAPs tailored to their specific desertification challenges.
   • These programs are aligned with regional and global priorities under the UNCCD framework.

2. Regional and Sub-Regional Cooperation:Encourage collaboration among countries sharing similar ecosystems and challenges, such as in the Sahel, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

3. Global Environment Facility (GEF):Provides financial support for projects under the Plan of Action to restore land and enhance resilience.

4. Monitoring and Reporting:Countries are required to report progress on combating desertification and achieving LDN targets through indicators such as soil health, land productivity, and vegetation cover.

Challenges Addressed by the Plan

1. Desertification:The loss of productive land due to unsustainable land-use practices, overgrazing, deforestation, and climate change.

2. Land Degradation:The decline in land's ability to support ecosystems and human activities.

3. Drought:Prolonged periods of water scarcity, exacerbated by climate change and unsustainable water use.

4. Socioeconomic Impacts:Poverty, food insecurity, and forced migration caused by land degradation.

Notable Achievements and Initiatives

1. Great Green Wall Initiative:An ambitious project in Africa to create a 7,000 km long barrier of trees across the Sahel region to combat desertification and provide economic opportunities.

2. Global Mechanism of the UNCCD:Facilitates resource mobilization for land restoration and sustainable development projects.

3. Drought Initiative:Focuses on developing drought preparedness plans and improving resilience to drought impacts.

4. Global Soil Partnership (GSP):Promotes sustainable soil management practices to combat land degradation.

Expected Outcomes

1. Enhanced Ecosystem Services:Increased vegetation cover, improved soil health, and better water retention in drylands.

2. Resilient Communities:Reduced vulnerability of populations dependent on fragile ecosystems.

3. Climate Mitigation:Sequestering carbon through restored lands and vegetation cover.

4. Global Cooperation:Stronger collaboration among countries, NGOs, and the private sector to tackle DLDD.

UN Plan of Action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Plan directly supports several SDGs, including:

• SDG 15 (Life on Land): Combat desertification and halt biodiversity loss.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): Strengthen resilience to climate impacts.
• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Improve agricultural productivity and food security.

Future Directions

1. Scaling up successful initiatives like the Great Green Wall and LDN programs.
2. Enhancing financing mechanisms to support developing countries.
3. Promoting innovation and the use of modern technologies in land management.
4. Strengthening global partnerships to accelerate progress toward the 2030 goals.