| United Nations | E/CN.17/1995/4 |
Economic and Social Council
Distr. GENERAL
7 February 1995
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Third session
11-28 April 1995
REVIEW OF SECTORAL CLUSTERS, SECOND PHASE: LAND,
DESERTIFICATION, FORESTS AND BIODIVERSITY
Managing fragile ecosystems: combating desertification
and drought
Report of the Secretary-General
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
INTRODUCTION .............................................. 1 - 11 3
I. GENERAL OVERVIEW .................................... 12 - 24 4
II. REVIEW OF PROGRESS ACHIEVED, MAIN POLICY ISSUES, AND
EXPERIENCES IN THE MAIN PROGRAMME AREAS OF CHAPTER 12
OF AGENDA 21 ........................................ 25 - 75 6
A. Country experiences ............................. 25 - 63 6
1. Developing countries ........................ 26 - 45 7
2. Developed countries ......................... 46 - 61 10
3. Countries in transition from a centrally
planned economy to a market economy ......... 62 - 63 14
B. Summary of the experiences of major groups and
non-governmental organizations .................. 64 - 75 14
1. Major groups ................................ 64 - 70 14
2. Non-governmental organizations .............. 71 - 75 15
III. MATTERS RELATED TO FINANCE AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER .. 76 - 88 16
A. Finance ......................................... 76 - 84 16
B. Technology transfer ............................. 85 - 88 18
IV. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND EXPERIENCES IN INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION ......................................... 89 - 103 19
A. Intergovernmental processes ..................... 89 19
B. Organizations of the United Nations system ...... 90 - 103 19
V. CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS FOR ACTION ................ 104 - 121 22
A. Conclusions ..................................... 104 - 115 22
1. Major result of the United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development .............. 104 - 108 22
2. Popular participation ....................... 109 22
3. Economics and trade ......................... 110 23
4. Strategic frameworks ........................ 111 23
5. Global awareness-raising .................... 112 23
6. Partnerships ................................ 113 23
7. Increasing the knowledge base ............... 114 24
8. Further actions ............................. 115 24
B. Recommendations ................................. 116 - 121 25
INTRODUCTION
1. The present document reports on progress in the implementation of the
aims set out in chapter 12 of Agenda 21 1/ (Managing fragile ecosystems:
combating desertification and drought) since the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED) in June 1992, and presents a set of
recommendations for action. The report was prepared by the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) as Task Manager for chapter 12 of Agenda 21, in
consultation with the United Nations Secretariat, in accordance with
arrangements agreed to by the Inter-Agency Committee on Sustainable
Development at its fourth session. It is the result of consultations and
information exchanges between designated focal points in 19 United Nations
agencies, government officials and a number of other institutions and
individuals.
2. In 1992, 15 years after the United Nations Conference on Desertification
and the resulting Plan of Action to Combat Desertification, the Governments at
Rio de Janeiro adopted an internationally negotiated definition of
desertification and a programme to address it: chapter 12 of Agenda 21.
3. In the interim, there had been much talk and some action, but little
that could be directly attributed to the Plan of Action. Of the numerous
projects undertaken in the drylands, many helped control land degradation,
some made it worse, despite the best intentions, and many were not sustained
beyond the initial donor input stage.
4. There are some 1 billion people living in the rural areas of the world's
drylands. This is almost one fifth of the population of the globe. 2/
5. The drylands, defined as the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions
(excluding hyper-arid deserts), cover one third of the land area of the world.
Drylands are distributed in all continents: 25 per cent in Africa, 32 per
cent in Asia, 14 per cent in North America, 13 per cent in Australia, 10 per
cent in South America and 6 per cent in Europe.
6. The best available estimates by the leading national experts world wide
indicate that 70 per cent of the drylands are degraded to some extent mainly
through degradation of the natural vegetation, and that the rate of increase
was 3.4 per cent between 1984 and 1991. Each year some 3.5-4.0 million
hectares of agriculturally used croplands are said to be lost as a result of
the various processes of land degradation around the world. Millions of
people are at risk of having to abandon their lands and migrate.
7. The economic loss caused by desertification worldwide, in terms of
average income foregone, was estimated in 1991 to be more than US$ 42 billion
per year, most of it in Asia (US$ 20.9 billion per year) and Africa (US$ 9.3
billion per year). These figures are all the more alarming when it is
realized that the affected countries, particularly in Africa, rank among the
poorest and least developed in the world.
8. Many authorities consider that the period from the late 1960s to the
late 1980s was one of constant drought in sub-Saharan Africa. Satellite
imagery showed reduced ephemeral green biomass production, creating visions of
"expanding deserts" and "marching sand dunes". Closer scientific inspection
revealed that those changes reflected water shortage and not necessarily
permanent soil fertility loss or land degradation.
9. There has been considerable argument about the nature of and solution
for desertification. Scientific and technical information was often
inconsistent owing to the different, and changing definitional bases. UNEP
tried to redefine desertification as land degradation in the drylands
resulting principally from human actions (which could change), an attempt to
avoid the contentious word "desertification" altogether. "Land degradation"
and "loss of soil productivity" are not, however, attention-grabbing titles.
Further, some interpreted this as an allocation of blame rather than an
indicator of opportunity for effective remedial action.
10. Many countries, particularly in Africa, planned to address the problem
through national plans of action, but overall desertification control was
given low priority at both the national and international levels; countries
lacked the necessary financial resources and were unable to mobilize external
resources. To make matters worse, the people most challenged to sustain
themselves on their land against all odds were among the poorest, most
marginalized and least visible politically, geographically and economically.
Desertification control was not integrated into socio-economic development and
affected populations were not involved in planning and implementation of the
programmes. The proposed solutions were thought to be technical, whereas they
are now recognized as largely socio-economic.
11. Although these issues were included in the Plan of Action to Combat
Desertification, chapter 12 of Agenda 21, on combating desertification and
drought, brought them more into focus and changed the emphasis from technical
to political. Of major importance was the recommendation for significant
political effort to negotiate an international convention on desertification.
In an impressive effort, the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or
Desertification, particularly in Africa, together with four regional
implementation annexes and a draft resolution on urgent action for Africa, was
completed within the time specified, on 17 June 1994. The Convention places
responsibility for implementation squarely on Governments, with United Nations
organizations playing a supporting role - a significant change from the Plan
of Action.
I. GENERAL OVERVIEW
12. The realization of the political and social reality of desertification
and a pragmatic response to the economic prospects facing most developing
countries at the Rio Conference led to the development of a common
understanding on the importance of the "bottom-up approach". This necessity
for community involvement and commitment pervaded the negotiations of the
Convention and is clearly reflected in the text.
13. The focus of attention of most concerned Governments, agencies and
non-governmental organizations throughout the post-UNCED period has been the
intergovernmental negotiations for the Convention.
14. From the outset it was considered appropriate for the Intergovernmental
Negotiating Committee for the Elaboration of an International Convention to
Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or
Desertification, particularly in Africa, to negotiate an instrument focusing
particular attention on the needs of Africa, where the extent and social
impact of desertification is greatest.
15. In subsequent debates, however, it became clear that desertification was
of concern not only to Africa, but that annexes for Asia, Latin America and
the Caribbean and, finally, the Northern Mediterranean should also be
negotiated. All four regional annexes were completed with the Convention.
16. In addition to the main negotiation sessions, there were many ancillary
meetings, especially in Africa. The Organization of African Unity (OAU)
played a notable role and the draft text prepared by the OAU Expert Group in
May 1993 provided a substantial base for the subsequent compilation text for
the negotiations. Regional drafting meetings were held to prepare the
annexes. The International Panel of Experts on Desertification helped advise
the ad hoc secretariat and delegations and produced a number of reports, for
example, on the linkages between desertification and biodiversity. Other
important inputs included a report prepared under the auspices of UNEP and the
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on the interactions of desertification
and climate and the WMO revised publication on climate variations, drought and
desertification.
17. The ad hoc secretariat of the Negotiating Committee played a major role
in the success of the negotiations by preparing key documents, such as a
compilation of government views and later a negotiating text. It also used
computer technology to track changes in the text rapidly, as negotiating
sessions progressed.
18. As at UNCED non-governmental organizations, with support particularly
from the secretariat, UNEP and the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP)/United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office (UNSO), were actively involved in
the process. They made effective interventions and contributed significantly
to the final negotiated text.
19. There were numerous additional activities related to the Negotiating
Committee. The ad hoc secretariat, with assistance from other organizations,
supported the case-studies on desertification that were carried out in various
countries and subregions to determine the status of desertification and to
help in preparing action programmes. The results were varied, but the
secretariat was able to prepare a paper drawing lessons from these case-
studies for the preparation of action programmes elsewhere.
20. The involvement of United Nations organizations in the Negotiating
Committee process varied. Major roles were played by UNEP and UNDP/UNSO in
providing substantial support to the ad hoc secretariat, the case-studies,
workshops and meetings. Additional support came notably from WMO, the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International
Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Capital
Development Fund (UNCDF). These and other organizations and bodies
contributed to the negotiating sessions and provided substantive contributions
and technical support to the negotiations.
21. Despite funding and other restrictions, the ad hoc secretariat played a
major role in the success of the Negotiating Committee process. The interim
secretariat will need continued substantial support to carry out the
functions, some of them new, required by the Convention and the Committee,
including facilitating the implementation of urgent action for Africa.
22. Much may continue to depend on other organizations and agencies. They
are now also reviewing their responses to the Convention and the call for
urgent action for Africa. This is likely to make many demands on their
available resources.
23. Although international focus has been on the negotiations, at the field
and project levels work has continued, with the support of many donors and
agencies, covering a wide range of activities including the application of
such new approaches as the land management programmes in the Sahel.
24. Eighty-five countries and the European Union signed the Convention at a
ceremony in Paris on 14-15 October 1994. After the signing, Governments
announced their plans for implementing the Convention. Many affected
countries pledged to step up national programmes. Some announced the setting
up of national action committees to coordinate efforts with those of
non-governmental organizations, local communities, international organizations
and donors. A number of countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced aid packages, mostly to be
reallocated from existing development funds, and earmarked for assistance to
Africa (see below). The Convention is open for signature at United Nations
Headquarters until 13 October 1995; as at 15 December 1994, a total of 94
countries had signed, in addition to the European Union.
II. REVIEW OF PROGRESS ACHIEVED, MAIN POLICY ISSUES, AND
EXPERIENCES IN THE MAIN PROGRAMME AREAS OF CHAPTER 12
OF AGENDA 21
A. Country experiences
25. No official national reports to the Commission on Sustainable
Development were received before the original deadline for completion and
submission of the present report. The following section is based on
information available to UNEP, updated using official reports received in
December. It has also been reviewed by delegations at the meeting of the
Negotiating Committee in January 1995 and takes into account their comments
and proposed additions.
1. Developing countries
26. Despite the focus on the negotiation process, there has been increased
activity at the country level. This trend is expected to continue. Over the
next three years, countries are projected to borrow nearly US$ 2 billion from
the World Bank for projects with components for natural resource management in
the drylands, of which almost US$ 700 million is for projects designed mainly
to help arrest degradation of renewable natural resources. Most notable is
the annual average increase of borrowing for such projects, and the cross-
boundary nature of some of the projects concerned, for example, the Aral Sea
Programme and the Middle East Desertification Initiative.
(a) Latin America and the Caribbean
27. Latin American and Caribbean countries have been active throughout the
negotiating process of the Convention, an attitude that reflects the priority
given by the region to combating drought and desertification. The elaboration
of the implementation annex for the region was preceded by a series of
consultations and coordination meetings culminating with the regional meeting
held at Santiago in May 1994. These coordination efforts profited from the
experience that many Latin American and Caribbean countries have had in
combating desertification and drought prior to the Rio Conference, and from
the active participation of non-governmental organizations.
28. Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, most
countries have prepared, revised or are in the process of finalizing national
plans of action. Common features of these plans are: (a) increased
participation of the local communities and non-governmental organizations; (b)
the need to eradicate poverty deriving from desertification and drought; (c)
the need to mobilize financial resources and technology from abroad in order
to meet the objectives of the plans; (d) the need to adopt a global approach
to the problem, not only in geographical terms, embracing different regions of
the country and different countries of the region, but also in relation to the
links between favourable terms of trade for Latin American and Caribbean
products, such as the elimination of trade restrictions and foreign debt, on
the one hand, and the possibility of adopting sustainable patterns of land
use, on the other.
29. Small island States face particular challenges. The Government of the
Bahamas has taken concrete steps consistent with Agenda 21 to encourage
sustainable farming, forestry, tourism and urban development; all within the
constraints of its fragile ecosystem. The thin Bahamian soils are at risk of
soil erosion and the freshwater table overlies saltwater, with the consequent
danger of saltwater intrusion and salinization. The Government is aware of
the fragility of the ecosystem and is enacting regulatory and monitoring
programmes to protect land from the threat of desertification and
salinization.
(b) Asia
30. China is paying increasing attention to environmental concerns in view
of its rapid economic development. Along with salinization, wind and water
erosion have contributed to the desertification of large tracts of land and
the siltation of important river systems. China, however, remains committed
to combating desertification and has taken domestic actions immediately after
signing the Convention on 14 October 1994. Such actions include:
(a) The drafting of the China National Action Programme to Combat
Desertification and its inclusion in China's Agenda 21, the national strategy
for sustainable development;
(b) The establishment of the China National Committee to Implement the
Convention to Combat Desertification, an institution to coordinate
desertification control efforts;
(c) The enhancement of existing institutions related to combating
desertification, such as the National Monitoring Centre, the Training Centre
and the Research and Development Centre;
(d) Specific projects in the field of afforestation, land reclamation
and soil and water conservation;
(e) The plan to draft the Law on Combating Desertification.
Such actions demonstrate China's long-term commitment to preventing and
controlling desertification.
31. In India, over the years, a variety of programmes have been initiated to
deal with problems of desertification, in particular under the Drought-prone
Area Programme and the Desert Development Programme, started by the Government
of India in cooperation with State Governments and village-level
organizations. Several research initiatives have been taken by national and
state-level organizations. Important national-level organizations include:
(a) Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur (and its environmental
information centre in particular);
(b) Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur;
(c) Grass and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi;
(d) National Afforestation and Eco-Development Branch, New Delhi.
32. The Rajasthan Canal Project is a concrete effort to convert desert lands
into a well-irrigated tract. The project provides irrigation facilities to
more than 2.5 million hectares of the Indian desert, of which 1.2 million
hectares are irrigable. The total length of the main canal is 649 kilometres
and runs in the districts of Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur.
33. The national environmental awareness campaign with the help of grass-
roots level non-governmental organizations, and the Centre for Environment
Education at Ahmadabad, with the help of schools and new education materials,
play an important role in creating interest in the application of science and
technology in combating desertification in India.
34. Pakistan has completed a national action plan since the Rio Conference
and is now evaluating its compatibility with the requirements of the
Convention for national action programmes.
35. The Islamic Republic of Iran has allocated significant resources to
desertification control activities in more than 4 million hectares in the past
few years, and plans to address another 10 million hectares in the next five
years. It has established a National Committee to Combat Desertification to
formulate a national programme of action. The country has opened a local
office of the Network of Research and Training Centres on Desertification
Control in Asia and the Pacific. With support from IFAD and the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Government has also
rehabilitated 140,000 hectares of range lands degraded by refugees.
36. Other States have played important roles in the negotiations and have
initiated several related activities. The newly independent States of central
Asia contributed substantially to the preparation of the regional annex for
Asia.
(c) Africa
37. Both regional and subregional organizations have been very active,
especially in the Convention negotiating process and in developing the African
strategy for the implementation and follow-up of the Convention. OAU, the
Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), the
Intergovernmental Authority for Drought and Development (IGADD), the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) and the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), as well
as the African Deserts and Arid Lands Committee of the African Ministerial
Conference on the Environment, have held post-Convention expert meetings
and/or high-level political consultations. Action programmes for the
follow-up to the Convention and for the implementation of urgent action for
Africa have been prepared.
38. New emphasis has been given to some issues. For example, at the CILSS
conference on land tenure and decentralization, in May 1994, it was
recommended that land-use legislation be based on equity and social justice;
that marginalized social categories (women, peasants, pastoralists) have
access to natural resources, and be increasingly involved in decision-making
and resource development; that public, constitutional and juridical
recognition and legitimacy of rural institutions be endorsed and decentralized
structures created to establish local community funds; and that the role of
the State be changed from that of an authority to that of a counsellor.
39. A significant new factor in Africa could prove to be the re-emergence of
South Africa, especially in the SADC subregion. Already, there are signs
throughout Africa of intensified action to involve local peoples in the
dryland development dialogue with Governments and non-governmental
organizations. For example, in 1993/94, the Government of Botswana, in the
context of the SADC Kalahari-Namib Plan, invited non-governmental
organizations and local land-users in arid/semi-arid rangeland areas to
village-level seminars to discuss the desertification problem and locally
possible remedies. Further meetings are planned for 1995 to consolidate the
conclusions of this ongoing process.
40. In Namibia, the Desert Research Foundation organized a workshop for the
same purpose. In addition to workshops, the Government of Namibia has
established a new Ministry of Environment and Tourism and a Directorate of
Environmental Affairs to provide strong leadership in environmental planning
in the country. Since UNCED, Namibia has enacted legislation and programmes
to promote soil conservation and sustainable development practices to arrest
the processes of desertification. Namibia is proud of its unique desert
environment and is actively protecting the Namib Desert ecosystem.
41. The United Republic of Tanzania, which in the late 1970s and early 1980s
implemented a successful technical project to stop overgrazing-induced land
degradation by destocking some 120,000 head of cattle in the Kondoa district
of central Tanzania, is now working on the socio-economic aspect, seeking ways
to manage growing population pressure and reintroduce livestock into the
farming systems of the under-utilized, formerly eroded area.
42. Since UNCED, Burkina Faso has given greater priority to the environment
and played an active role in the negotiation process for the Convention. The
Government has established inter-ministerial structures for environmental
management, including for the implementation of Agenda 21. To contribute to
the implementation of the Environmental Action Plan, a unit to collect and
process environmental information has been set up.
43. The strategic options and other programmes and projects of Chad's Plan
of Action to Combat Desertification constitute a concrete response to the
provisions of the Convention and particularly to the resolution on urgent
action for Africa. Chad participated actively in the negotiation of the
Convention and will begin the process of ratification with minimum delay.
44. In 1993, the Sudan prepared a five-year programme of action as well as a
national case-study, which was submitted to the Negotiating Committee at its
fourth session. Recent work has helped focus efforts on the key areas.
Government figures indicate that 414,000 square kilometres are severely or
very severely affected by desertification; altogether, 1.26 million square
kilometres are affected to some degree. The Sudan was an active participant
in the negotiations, has signed the Convention and is in the process of
ratification.
45. The Niger is in the process of developing a national framework programme
for environment and sustainable development, involving all partners in an
approach that is integrated, decentralized and broadly participative.
2. Developed countries
46. The developed countries have continued to support programmes for
desertification control and drought mitigation in partnership with affected
developing countries. In recent years, the realization of the underlying
systemic constraints to long-term sustainable dryland development has
permeated donor policies and resulted in an increased focus on incentives for
their improvement. Since the Rio Conference, there has been greater emphasis
on involving non-governmental organizations and local communities and
stakeholders in the planning and execution of development efforts, in order to
create a more enabling environment for sustainable resource management.
47. In the developed countries themselves, programmes and projects related
to desertification and land degradation have received more attention than
previously.
(a) Europe
48. A component of the European programme (42 billion ECU) for mitigating
land degradation in southern Europe, the Mediterranean Desertification and
Land Use (MEDALUS) project is investigating desertification processes in the
Mediterranean area, modelling landscape systems and formulating policy
proposals. The Assessment and Monitoring of Desertification in the
Mediterranean Region (ASMODE) project, undertaken jointly by Dutch and Spanish
institutions, aims at demonstrating the utility of remote sensing for
monitoring desertification, preparing a desertification index and developing a
geographic information system. Maps will then be produced on the status and
risk of desertification, to make it possible to simulate the impacts of
European agricultural policy on land degradation.
49. The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission has numerous
activities connected with environmental monitoring using low resolution
satellite imagery, for example of tropical vegetation. Synoptic data from the
MERCATOR (Monitoring Ecosystems with Remote Sensing and Cartography of African
Tropical Regions) project is used by early warning systems and national
services in charge of natural resource management.
50. French cooperation with regard to desertification control is
concentrated in the countries of the Sahel, giving particular attention to
community-based interventions and assistance to reduce the impacts of
desertification on the poorest people and nomads. In addition, France
undertakes monitoring and assessment activities related to desertification.
The climatic trend surveys undertaken by the Office de la recherche
scientifique et technique outre-mer (ORSTOM) contribute to a better
understanding of El Ni¤o dynamics, ocean circulation and long-term climatic
changes, and of paleo-climatic and paleo-vegetation evolution. The water
management programmes involve the study and modelling of water exchange
processes between soil vegetation and the atmosphere in the dry tropics. A
new programme is being launched on renewable energy sources in Africa, with a
view to reducing the impact of household energy consumption on forest
resources.
51. Belgium also supports activities to study solar and other renewable
sources of energy as part of its efforts to transfer technology and assist in
the sustainable development of the specific dryland countries and regions in
which its overseas aid is concentrated. Belgium also contributes to the
Special Programme for Africa, which aims to combat drought and desertification
south of the Sahara.
52. As a contribution to the Negotiating Committee process, a Spanish
symposium on Desertification and Migrations, held in Almeria in February 1994,
highlighted increasing rates of emigration from the drylands and formulated
the principle of the "right to remain" of people not wishing to abandon family
lands. Spain is also creating an Institute of Desertification in Valencia to
carry out scientific research.
53. The Scandinavian countries have a long-established interest in the
drylands. They have played a prominent role since UNCED - the Chairman of the
Negotiating Committee being provided by Sweden - and they have given
considerable support to the negotiation process for the Convention. Denmark
has established a new fund for international environment and emergency
assistance, targeting an additional one half per cent of gross national
product (GNP) to this fund by the year 2004.
(b) United States of America
54. In the United States of America, the diversity of management and
ownership structures has led to a variety of methods and systems for assessing
environmental conditions across all lands that are often difficult to compare.
To overcome the lack of comprehensive data on drylands, the Environmental
Protection Agency has begun an Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Programme, independent of data produced by land management agencies.
Politically, the outcome of and compliance with the 1985 Farm Bill is being
studied in preparation for the 1995 Farm Bill. The 1985 Bill requires growers
to have conservation systems in place by 1995 to be eligible for government
support or subsidies, and to take steps against erosion of the most fragile
soil. The Department of Agriculture had determined that 145 million of the
400 million crop land acres were highly erodible. By the end of 1993,
1.7 million conservation plans had been developed covering 143 million acres.
These conservation practices should save an estimated 1 billion tons of soil
each year.
55. In total, some 40 million acres are affected by salinization. Recent
droughts and environmental pollution have intensified debate over water-use
rights and management practices in irrigated agriculture in the arid south-
west of the country. Plans have been made to improve water quality in the
Colorado River, through desalinization before the River enters Mexico.
(c) Canada
56. Canada has extensive drylands and has been grappling with land
degradation on the prairies since the 1930s.
57. Programming related to desertification and drought by the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA) and the International Development
Research Centre (IDRC) has been geared to respond to chapter 12 of Agenda 21
and to support the Negotiating Committee process both financially (more than
US$ 2 million) and technically (legal expertise). CIDA convened and provided
support to an OECD workshop on methodologies to measure funding directed to
desertification control programmes, and will support OECD cooperation with the
Negotiating Committee in the interim period before the Conference of Parties.
58. In consultation with stakeholders, CIDA supports specific
desertification control and drought preparedness programmes, for example, on
sand dune stabilization and shoreline protection in Senegal, and integrated
socio-economic and rural development programmes to promote alternative
livelihoods, popular participation and a strengthening of the knowledge base
in Burkina Faso and Mali. CIDA also supports capacity-building and the
institutional development of subregional and national organizations.
59. IDRC support has been directed at strengthening the Negotiating
Committee process in African countries, reviewing studies, analysing the
lessons learned from previous desertification control projects and identifying
knowledge gaps. IDRC also supports various activities related to popular
participation and alternative livelihoods through focal African institutes
which empower rural community-based organizations. It promotes information
networks on drought monitoring, information exchange on viable methods of
improving livelihoods, research on combining indigenous knowledge and
traditional coping strategies with modern technologies and the formulation of
national action programmes to combat desertification.
(d) Australia
60. To reinforce action already being taken, Australia is preparing a
national strategy for rangeland management to complement the decade of the
Landcare plan. The integrated Landcare programme for sustainable dryland
development and management has been well received by the various stakeholders
and externally. The approach and strategy are being transferred to other
countries, for example, through FAO to countries in Asia and Latin America.
In a sharing of its expertise in dryland matters, Australia is investigating
with UNDP and UNEP the provision of Australian advisers to assist with the
planning of national environmental strategies to combat desertification in
countries of Southern and Eastern Africa. It is also working with WMO on a
plan to establish a network linking the Nairobi and Harare drought monitoring
centres with the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development
(ACMAD) in Niamey.
(e) Japan
61. Japan has implemented a variety of projects to combat desertification
and mitigate drought as a part of its environment-related official development
assistance (ODA). These projects include afforestation cooperation projects
in Senegal, the Niger and the United Republic of Tanzania; a forest resource
management project in Chile to prevent soil erosion and promote afforestation;
various research projects and a regional agricultural development project in
the Niger incorporating verification of the effective agricultural use of
surface and groundwater. In cooperation with the Government of Indonesia, the
United Nations, UNDP and the Global Coalition for Africa, Japan also convened
the Asia-Africa Forum for Asia-Africa Cooperation, in Bandung in
December 1994. This produced the Bandung Framework for Asia-Africa
Cooperation, an agreement to promote an exchange of views and experiences
relating to sustainable development, which is also expected to cover the
struggle against desertification.
3. Countries in transition from a centrally planned economy
to a market economy
62. The Russian Federation is in the process of preparing its national
report on desertification and drought. Several international conferences and
workshops have been held on the problems of environment protection and the
conservation of nature. Special attention was given to the symposium on
desertification problems in the affected region of Ubsu-Nur. An international
conference and educational courses on desertification for experts of the
Commonwealth of Independent States were organized in 1994 with the support of
UNEP.
63. Many newly independent republics of the former Soviet Union, both in
Asia and in Europe, have extensive areas of dryland subject to
desertification. Despite their other problems, many new States have
undertaken measures to combat desertification at both national and subregional
levels. A major subregional programme is that on the Aral Sea, which aims to
stabilize the environment and improve the management of the international
waters of the Aral Sea Basin, rehabilitate the disaster zone around the Sea
and build the capacity of regional institutions for planning and implementing
the programme. The Kalmyck Republic, within the Russian Federation, has
initiated action to develop a programme to stem desertification caused mainly
by overgrazing. The Desert Research Centre at Ashkhabad in Turkmenistan
continues to play an active role in regional and international cooperation by
working on the development of desertification mapping and assessment
methodologies, training and the provision of experts for other countries in
Asia. It also participated actively in the formulation of the Asian annex to
the Convention
B. Summary of the experiences of major groups and
non-governmental organizations
1. Major groups
(a) Subregional organizations
64. Subregional organizations were fully involved and made a substantial
contribution to the negotiation process for the Convention and have since
adopted timetables for the formulation and implementation of subregional
action programmes. CILSS and the Club du Sahel met in December 1993 to lay
down the guidelines for a regional strategy to implement the Convention,
bearing in mind the lessons learned from the implementation of the Nouakchott
strategy of 1985.
65. In October 1994, SADC discussed its subregional environment strategy for
implementing Agenda 21, which includes desertification. It was endorsed for
approval by its ministerial council in early 1995.
66. During September and October 1994, CILSS, IGADD and UMA held meetings to
discuss the implementation of the Convention in their respective subregions.
Action programmes have been formulated based on long-term strategies, building
on existing successful plans and subregional programmes and focusing on
aspects of the desertification issue that are best dealt with at the
subregional level, including the sustainable development of transboundary
natural resources. Increasing cooperation between subregional organizations
and with non-governmental organizations and others was a recurrent theme of
the meetings.
(b) Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
67. In response to chapter 12 of Agenda 21, various centres of the
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) working in
Africa, coordinated by the International Crops Research Institute for the
Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT), have developed a collaborative project to address
the problems of desert margin areas of sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative
aims to design sustainable natural resource management options to combat land
degradation using indigenous and modern scientific principles integrated into
improved production technologies. Initial design is under way and national
scientists in sub-Saharan countries have identified the major causes of
degradation in their countries. The project will involve CGIAR centres, the
national agricultural research systems in Botswana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali,
Namibia and the Niger, subregional organizations and non-governmental
organizations.
(c) Regional development banks
68. The African Development Bank (AfDB) played a significant part in the
negotiation process for the Convention in support of the African countries,
and also in the establishment of the Network for Environment and Sustainable
Development in Africa (NESDA). Environmental programmes have been
restructured in line with the provisions of the Convention.
69. At the Paris ceremony, AfDB committed itself to play an active part in
implementing the Convention, in line with the important role assigned to it
under the provisions of the Convention, particularly in terms of integrated
activities in key areas such as improving national economic environments, the
sustainable use of natural resources, efficient energy use, capacity-building
and sensitization. Studies of approaches to implement the Convention are
being supported and the possibilities of assisting African countries to
develop national and subregional action programmes to combat desertification
are being explored.
70. The Islamic Development Bank will work with its member States and other
intergovernmental organizations to finance specific projects under the
Convention.
2. Non-governmental organizations
71. A major result of the UNCED process was the increased influence of
non-governmental organizations, which came about largely through cooperative
organization. For instance, the Environment Liaison Centre International
(ELCI) is a network of more than 860 non-governmental organizations and
community-based organizations world wide. Following on the role given to
non-governmental organizations in the Convention, the levels of cooperation
and joint activities between non-governmental organizations, United Nations
organizations and others, and between international non-governmental
organizations and those in countries affected by desertification have grown
significantly.
72. In addition to their active participation in the Negotiating Committee
process and contributing to the Convention, non-governmental organizations
have increased support to dryland development, while continuing to implement
grass-roots programmes and further develop approaches for the more sustainable
and participatory management of dryland resources. Increased emphasis is
being given to empowering women and other marginalized groups, including their
involvement in planning and decision-making processes.
73. More than 100 non-governmental organizations participated actively in
the Negotiating Committee process and organized strategy meetings prior to the
Committee sessions. As a group, they made significant contributions to
inter-sessional workshops on the social aspects of desertification and
international trade and desertification and to the policy dialogue on the
financial means of implementing the Convention, which eventually led to the
proposal for national desertification trust funds.
74. As a follow-up to the Convention, in November 1994, non-governmental
organizations and community-based organizations formed the International NGO
Network on Desertification (RIOD) to share the information and experience of
local communities. ELCI is the secretariat and focal points are designated in
all affected continents. RIOD is preparing a Community Guide to the
Desertification Convention, which explains the role of non-governmental
organizations and community groups in implementing the Convention. ELCI is
continuing to lobby and follow up on national desertification trust funds and
to develop partnerships between Governments, non-governmental organizations
and community-based organizations.
75. Since UNCED, individual non-governmental organizations have shifted
programme emphasis from technical solutions to focus on people and sustainable
development. Programmes seek to empower local communities, especially women,
to move from passive participation in resource decisions to active control
over their natural resources. Pastoral development approaches are being re-
examined, based on a coherent understanding of the dynamics of dry grazing
lands. Attention is being given to the stability and security of rural,
marginalized households and their strategies for achieving food security.
Information is another focus, particularly at the community level; for
example, forums have been established for grass-roots information exchange and
programme development on women, environment and sustainable development, and
integrated information has been documented on adaptive strategies for
sustainable development, for non-governmental organizations, local communities
and policy makers.
III. MATTERS RELATED TO FINANCE AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
A. Finance
76. Much of the focus on financing and technology transfer for
desertification control has centred on the Convention negotiation, which was
expected to propose appropriate mechanisms for implementation. Existing
mechanisms have continued in use to initiate action and mobilize external
support for dryland development in developing countries.
77. United Nations bodies have reviewed their financing programmes in
relation to Agenda 21 and strengthened interventions to support the
development of national capacities. These include Capacity 21 for UNDP, the
UNEP/UNDP joint venture to support UNSO for the Sudano-Sahelian region, the
FAO Technical and Economic Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC/ECDC)
programme, the WMO/World Bank World Hydrological Cycle Observing System
(WHYCOS) programme, the IFAD special programme for sub-Saharan African
countries affected by drought and desertification (SPA) and the Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)/UNEP/UNDP Desertification
Control in the Asia Pacific Region (DESCONAP) initiative.
78. These programmes promote inter-country cooperation and emphasize the
sharing of technical knowledge, skills and experiences, and the transfer of
technology between countries, institutions and other organizations, through
such means as networking and expert groups. Resource mobilization remains a
central function.
79. One attempt to further this process was the proposal to the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) Council that desertification be made the fifth
focus eligible for GEF funding. Although not yet accepted, the Council agreed
that desertification/land degradation would be eligible for financing in so
far as it is related to the four existing criteria. In November 1994, the GEF
Council considered a preliminary issues paper on land degradation strategies.
It asked the GEF secretariat to prepare an operational strategy for
incorporating land degradation projects into the four focal areas, for
consideration at the January 1995 meeting of the Council. The request for a
separate operational strategy for land degradation was a major decision,
giving desertification more prominence in GEF.
80. The Conference of Parties is requested by the Convention to promote the
availability of financial mechanisms and encourage them to maximize funding
availability for affected developing countries. Provision of support for
national, subregional and regional activities is also encouraged through
various mechanisms of the United Nations system and multilateral financial
institutions. The Convention includes the establishment of a global mechanism
for promoting action leading to the mobilization of substantial financial
resources, as well as the transfer of technology, on a grant basis, and/or
concessional or other terms.
81. The regional implementation annexes to the Convention further emphasize
developing countries' need for assistance in providing and facilitating access
to financial and other resources and in promoting and facilitating the
financing of the transfer of and adaptation and access to appropriate
technologies and know-how. It is suggested that macroeconomic frameworks
conducive to mobilizing financial resources be developed and that the
allocation of significant resources through partnership agreements and
bilateral or multilateral arrangements be continued and enhanced.
82. An early response to these responsibilities was the pledging of
resources at the signing ceremony of the Convention in Paris in October. Many
developed countries and the European Union announced that substantial funds
would be available for action in Africa during the interim period and/or
described specific programme initiatives and plans. The European Union stated
that since 1992 a further US$ 434 million has been promised under the Lom‚
trade-and-aid agreements to fight desertification.
83. Among the developed countries, Australia announced a special
contribution of $A 250,000 over three years, together with programme
initiatives in support of urgent action for Africa. Denmark announced that
US$ 200 million for the next fiscal year has been allocated towards a new fund
for international environment and emergency assistance, targeting an extra one
half per cent of GNP by the year 2004. France pledged an additional 400
million francs of bilateral financing to projects related to desertification
and other areas under the scope of GEF, in addition to the 1 billion francs
devoted annually to desertification control. Germany pledged an additional 5
million deutsche marks in technical cooperation committed to desertification
for 1994, to start national action plans as soon as possible. Canada
announced a plan to direct US$ 100 million over the next five years from
existing development cooperation aid to fight desertification, especially in
West Africa. Japan announced an increase from US$ 7.0 billion to US$ 7.7
billion in ODA for environmental projects in developing countries for the
period 1992-1996. The United States of America will allocate US$ 500 million
for current or planned projects to support urgent action for Africa.
84. The Convention also suggests that countries consider establishing
national desertification funds, possibly involving the participation of
non-governmental organizations to channel funds rapidly and efficiently to the
local level.
B. Technology transfer
85. Since UNCED, there has been increased activity in the transfer and
sharing of knowledge on cultivation technologies for fragile dryland soils,
such as saline soils, and in the identification and introduction of adapted
crop species. For example, UNEP, in collaboration with Australia and with
participation from all regions, organized an international workshop in
November 1992 on halophytes for the reclamation of saline wastelands.
86. The positive policies and developments in the Middle East have resulted
in improved opportunities for the transfer of knowledge across formerly closed
political divides in that region. The International Programme for Arid Land
Crops (IPALAC) was initiated in 1994, which includes the collection,
development and introduction of plant species adapted to dryland desert
conditions and the transfer of suitable cultivation techniques. The
Government of Israel, with the support of UNESCO and others (FAO, UNEP, UNDP
and research institutions from Australia, Bahrain, Cameroon, Chile and China),
organized a workshop in November 1994 to launch the programme, which will
network research nodes in all continents.
87. There is also an active transfer of data handling technologies to
developing countries and among United Nations organizations, for example, of
the FAO interactive database systems and delivery applications; of
geographical information systems (GIS) technology by FAO, WHO and others; and
of WMO drought monitoring and early warning techniques.
88. Alternative energy utilization technologies (solar, wind, bio-gas) are
being transferred. There is also more activity in the sharing of water
desalinization knowledge in the Middle East, with plans for a regional
desalinization research centre in Oman.
IV. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND EXPERIENCES IN INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION
A. Intergovernmental processes
89. The preparations for UNCED and the intergovernmental process of
negotiating the Convention which has dominated the desertification agenda
since the Rio Conference, have resulted in the increasing willingness of
countries to join together in tackling regional natural resource management
problems, as the Aral Sea and Middle East initiatives show. There has also
been a growth in activities through and support of subregional organizations,
such as on the transfer of experiences and technologies and on information
systems. The World Bank reports increases in activities for intergovernmental
projects, particularly for projects funded by GEF, for example the West
African Pilot Community-based Conservation and Wildlife Utilization.
B. Organizations of the United Nations system
90. The major preoccupation within relevant organizations of the United
Nations system since UNCED has been the negotiation of the Convention to
Combat Desertification. Considerable resources, both human and financial,
have been devoted to the process over the past two years, in relation to
support to the ad hoc secretariat, to Governments in affected countries, to
the definition of the technical, scientific and political issues involved and
to the formulation of the texts of the Convention and the regional annexes.
91. The negotiation process itself has resulted in many changes in political
and even technical perceptions. New relationships and understandings have
developed, leading to a self-questioning of the role, responsibilities and
programmes of United Nations organizations.
92. In accordance with the general requirement of chapter 38 of Agenda 21
for "serious and continuous reviews of their policies, programmes, budgets and
activities", the organizations most concerned with desertification control
have undertaken in-depth reviews of their environment-related activities,
their stance on environment and sustainable development issues, their
institutional arrangements and future programmes in the light of the
objectives set out in chapter 38, its special requirements and the
responsibilities established by the Convention.
93. Most organizations report a reorientation of their programmes related to
desertification control to focus more closely on the requirements of Agenda 21
and to prepare for Convention implementation. Strategies have been prepared
and responsibilities assigned to coordinate the implementation of new action
plans. The latter are generally based on the six programme areas set out in
chapter 12 related to desertification control, or respond to the particular
specialized mandates of the organization concerned, bearing in mind the
desertification dimension.
94. In response to the demand for a strengthened knowledge base and further
development of information and monitoring systems, including on the
socio-economic aspects of desertification, many organizations report an
increase in activity in this area. Initiatives include increased research in
the understanding of processes involved in climate, its variability, drought
occurrence and desertification; a new interactive database for use by local
people and decision makers; a new experimental network data project on river
flow regimes in parts of Africa; and the development of national environmental
information systems.
95. Core activities in desertification control remain soil and water
conservation, land rehabilitation, afforestation and reforestation and
specialized activities such as sand dune fixation. The emphasis in these
projects, however, has changed over time and in response to past experience.
Various project evaluations and studies have pointed to the failure of the
sector approach and targeted technical solutions. It has become apparent that
an integrated approach is necessary to account for the socio-economic aspects
of the desertification problem and to fulfil the need for a participatory
approach to project design and implementation. The top-down direction was
shown not to work, since inputs from the beneficiaries were not included and
because the adaptation of projects to changing local conditions requires the
knowledge of the local participants themselves. Hence, the bottom-up approach
has been adopted and projects are being amended or designed accordingly. In
addition, the requirement for sustainability in development and livelihood has
become a key component in project activities.
96. Various approaches have been attempted in the search for alternative
livelihood systems in the drylands, for example a small grants programme
linking poverty alleviation and environmental priorities through promoting
livelihood alternatives. Another programme that previously focused on
small-scale, on-farm efforts in the use and conservation of water and soil
resources and on traditional dryland crops has recently expanded to also cover
off-farm common property resources and the development of viable alternative
livelihood systems in marginal rural areas. Again, these responses reflect
the increased human focus on project design.
97. The UNCED process highlighted the need to integrate anti-desertification
plans into national environmental planning. This is reflected in the
increased attention to national strategic planning processes and capacities
reported and, more importantly, in cooperative attempts to coordinate the
various existing initiatives in this area, through a series of
multi-organization harmonization meetings. New activities are increasingly
being undertaken in consultation and cooperation with the other organizations
active in this area. Capacity-building at all levels has been a focus of
activities in accordance with the bottom-up approach to development.
98. Several organizations report activities in drought preparedness and
drought relief. These include investigative projects in climate research and
early warning systems, activities to identify and prepare drought mitigation
projects and map vulnerability and to improve disaster and drought mitigation
skills through training; and an initiative to build capacity in drought
preparedness and mitigation, involving local people in the design and
implementation of their own drought response strategies.
99. The last programme area, the cross-cutting issue of encouraging and
promoting popular participation and environmental education, is a basic
component of most activities in the other areas, as described above.
100. With regard to cooperation and coordination within the United Nations
system, the Secretary-General's call for streamlining and for a more efficient
organization overall has led to reorganization and a close examination of the
relationships and cooperation among the various component bodies. The
demonstrated benefits of cooperation have become more apparent, especially in
the light of the tendency of organizations to opt for a concentration on
specific areas. Thus, UNDP has chosen to formulate activities around
capacity-building for sustainable human development, FAO places its major
emphasis on food security, the World Bank is now focusing on poverty, while
UNEP is concentrating increasingly on environmental assessment, dissemination
of information and emerging environmental issues.
101. The changing spirit towards cooperation and coordination is reflected in
the increase in joint activities among two or more organizations, and with
external organizations such as non-governmental organizations. These cover
such fields as strategic planning, assessment methodologies, scientific
aspects of desertification and environmental information systems, as well as
operational field activities.
102. As indicated elsewhere, there is growing cooperation with
non-governmental organizations, building on the role assigned to them in
Agenda 21 in relation to activities at the country level, and with centres of
excellence and academic institutions, in recognition of the cross-cutting
nature of desertification control, involving the social, cultural, economic
and physical management of a territory.
103. In this context, a further factor encouraging and ensuring coordination
involves the linkages between the different chapters of Agenda 21. Many
activities in response to one of the chapters are equally valid in relation to
one or more of the other chapters. As a result, organizations not primarily
dealing with desertification find themselves called upon for their specific
skills, particularly in the socio-economic aspects of programme activities.
V. CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS FOR ACTION
A. Conclusions
1. Major result of the United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development
104. The global importance of the desertification problem, which has its
origin, causes and solutions at a very local level, is now becoming more
widely accepted. There is also increasing recognition that desertification
and drought are closely interlinked with other global concerns such as
biodiversity, food security, population growth, climate change, international
waters, forestry, resource consumption patterns, trade, economics and, in
particular, social and cultural issues. The linkage between chapter 12 and
the other chapters of Agenda 21 is clear.
105. The adoption of the Convention was a major recommendation of Agenda 21.
Moreover, negotiators explicitly framed the provisions of the Convention to
take account of the objectives and activities of chapter 12. Article 2
explicitly recognizes this consistency between the two documents. It is
clear, therefore, that the Convention provides the primary framework for
carrying out the provisions of chapter 12. As indicated elsewhere in the
present report, there are also close linkages between the Convention and a
number of chapters of Agenda 21. The provisions of the Convention should,
therefore, be taken fully into account in implementing Agenda 21 as a whole.
106. The negotiation of the Convention within the specified time is a major,
tangible result of UNCED. It is evidence of strengthened political will; but
this still has to be translated into commitment in the national and
subnational operational context.
107. There are important issues that still have to be addressed more
effectively. These deal mainly with (a) inadequacies and deficiencies in the
knowledge base and information systems; (b) enabling environments for
effective action; (c) public participation; (d) development mechanisms; (e)
institutions and policies; (f) finances; and (g) division of labour and
coordination of efforts at the national and international levels.
108. Although considerable emphasis has been given to some of these issues,
much more attention is needed for the social and economic aspects of
desertification, including resource users' rights, their fair participation in
economic development, alternative economic opportunities, access to applicable
technologies and credit and sustainable resource use.
2. Popular participation
109. The principle of allowing more effective participation of local people
in the planning and development of their natural resources is being more
willingly accepted in many affected countries. Many organizations, especially
non-governmental organizations, have stepped up their participatory approaches
with the inclusion of marginalized and disadvantaged groups, especially women,
in the dryland development process. The importance of preserving local
peoples' knowledge of dryland management and survival strategies should be
recognized; their full involvement in the sustainable development of these
drylands - their homelands - needs to be ensured.
3. Economics and trade
110. The linkage between environment and economics is a subject of increasing
international discussion. Dryland degradation, as an issue in its own right,
is part of these discussions. The recent agreement at the conclusion of the
Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations should stimulate trade, but
it is possible that the sustainable management of dryland environments will be
more difficult to attain. While liberalization of trade would tend to give
impetus to agricultural production in dryland areas, there is a concomitant
danger of further land degradation owing to the expansion of agriculture in
fragile areas in the absence of suitable complementary land management
policies. Dryland farmers face severe competition from subsidized farmers in
the North. It is necessary that the next round of trade negotiations
recognize the needs of dryland populations (one fifth of the world's
population) in seeking fairer market conditions.
4. Strategic frameworks
111. By the mid-1980s, the Governing Council of UNEP was already urging the
inclusion of desertification control plans as integral parts of overall
national socio-economic development plans. Agenda 21 and the Convention both
reiterate the need for the integration of desertification control strategies
and action programmes into the national policy and institutional framework.
There is a need for further consolidation of various sectoral and donor-driven
strategic framework plans within the overall national planning and budgeting
frameworks.
5. Global awareness-raising
112. Despite the increased understanding of desertification and drought
issues, there is a continuing need to raise public awareness of the issues.
The global public needs to understand the importance of desertification and
the value of the world's drylands and their population.
6. Partnerships
113. United Nations organizations have already taken steps to align their
desertification activities in accordance with Agenda 21. Further agreements
on the system-wide division of labour and proposals on further partnership
arrangements between agencies (and corresponding targeted work plans) are
needed. In the implementation of the Convention, these organizations could
further define their roles, comparative advantages, cooperative mechanisms,
level of intervention and corresponding resource allocations.
7. Increasing the knowledge base
114. Fundamental to improving understanding of the significance of
desertification and drought is the need for a substantial improvement in the
level of scientific knowledge of the problem. Now that there is an agreed
definition of desertification, it is possible to assemble a consolidated
database of available knowledge covering all spectra of the issue. A
coordinated global effort is necessary to consolidate the data available in a
compatible form, and to obtain a greatly improved base of information, so that
a much more detailed and precise understanding of the desertification issue
can be obtained. This would involve concerted activity at the national level
in affected countries and the recognition by Governments of its importance.
It is a cross-sectoral effort, involving physical, social, humanitarian and
economic factors.
8. Further actions
115. The following additional actions are among those envisaged as necessary
steps towards achieving sustainable dryland development:
(a) Recognizing that combating desertification needs an integrated and
holistic, multisectoral approach;
(b) Elaborating and clarifying the linkages between desertification and
drought and other conventions, especially the Conventions on Climate Change
and on Biodiversity, as well as linkages with other issues, such as:
(i) Household food and energy security;
(ii) Integrated management, conservation and use of forests according to
the Forest Principles of UNCED;
(iii) Land-use policies, legislation, land tenure;
(iv) Socio-economic and development policies;
(v) Development and adoption of unzealous population policies;
(vi) Education and empowerment of women and youth;
(vii) Trade policies, local and external markets;
(viii) Development of economic tools, real costs and benefits, natural
resource accounting, incentives;
(c) Improving the coordination of efforts by the various partners at the
national and international levels;
(d) Increasing public awareness through greatly increased dissemination
of reliable information;
(e) Providing support to countries, regional organizations and
non-governmental organizations for institution building (data improvement and
networking, development of policies, strategies, legislation and human
resources), and for empowering and ensuring the involvement of people,
especially the marginalized groups;
(f) Providing of adequate funding for the interim secretariat of the
Convention;
(g) Significantly involving non-governmental organizations in the
implementation of the Convention and in national-level coordinating
committees;
(h) Calling for new and additional funds under GEF in support of the
Convention and its objectives;
(i) Establishing a well-functioning and fully supported global mechanism
for financing the implementation of the Convention.
B. Recommendations
116. Because of the seriousness of desertification and drought in the
drylands and of the special needs of Africa, it is recommended that the
Commission on Sustainable Development:
(a) Encourage States that have not yet done so to become parties to the
Convention;
(b) Urge all developed countries in the interim period to provide
support to affected countries in Africa as called for in the resolution on
urgent action for Africa;
(c) Urge countries and intergovernmental organizations fully to support
the work of the interim secretariat in preparing for the first session of the
Conference of the Parties, in view of the importance of the swift
implementation of the Convention;
(d) Consider the desertification issue in the light of the objectives
set out in article 2 of the Convention;
(e) Approach the subject of desertification as a multisectoral issue;
(f) Urge Governments to recognize the mutually supportive relationship
between combating desertification and sustainable development.
117. Since the definitions of desertification and land degradation contained
in article 1 of the Convention make it clear that combating desertification is
a cross-cutting issue, it is recommended that the Commission on Sustainable
Development:
(a) Indicate strongly the belief that consideration of the issues
contained in chapters 10 to 18 of Agenda 21 can only be productive if the
desertification dimension is taken fully into account;
(b) Emphasize that the Convention contains provisions for carrying out
many of the measures proposed in the related chapters of Agenda 21, in
particular chapter 18 on freshwater resources.
118. In view of the need for strengthening national capacities in relation to
combating desertification and drought and of the benefits of cooperation and
coordination, it is recommended that the Commission on Sustainable Development
urge affected countries and their subregional/regional organizations:
(a) To take effective action to set up institutional and policy
frameworks for developing, managing and implementing national strategies and
action programmes, incorporating the full participation of the public,
especially those most affected;
(b) To encourage Governments to improve coordination among departments
at the national level in order to implement measures for combating
desertification more effectively and for the sustainable use of natural
resources, given the cross-cutting nature of these issues;
(c) To establish, as a matter of highest priority, the coordinating
arrangements and to create partnerships with donors and national stakeholders,
as called for under the Convention.
119. In order to capitalize on the benefits of cooperation and coordination
and for the sake of a good division of labour, it is recommended that the
Commission on Sustainable Development urge developed countries to agree on
coherent policies and adequate resource allocations for fulfilling their
commitments towards the implementation of the Convention.
120. Since combating desertification and drought requires a participative,
multisectoral integrated approach, the Commission may wish to recommend that
United Nations organizations and Governments take steps to improve cooperation
and coordination, both internally and externally with other organizations and
Governments, by establishing more efficient and practical coordination and
harmonization mechanisms.
121. It is imperative to mobilize financial resources to assist countries to
implement the Convention to Combat Desertification and chapter 12 of Agenda
21. Since resources are more likely to be available for well-conceived
activities that meet both poverty alleviation and environmental objectives and
because of the desirability of utilizing existing financial mechanisms for
this purpose, the Commission may wish to recommend that United Nations
organizations with a comparative advantage in this sphere take steps to
facilitate the financing of programmes and projects in dry sub-humid,
semi-arid and arid areas.
Notes
1/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by
the Conference (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and
corrigendum), resolution 1, annex II.
2/ According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) statistics on the population economically dependent on agriculture.
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