What have we learned from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification?
The second United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was held from 2 to 14 September in New Delhi, India. Our colleague Nathalie has been working together with many civil society organisations for several years to show the UNCCD that large numbers of local communities around the world are working on sustainable land use and on combating desertification and land degradation, and that land-use security is essential.
If people have the certainty that they can use their land for a longer period, they can invest in it for the long term. That makes it easier for them to use sustainable methods, plant trees and improve soil health. Nathalie set off for the conference full of great expectations, including the hope that the conference would help better embed land-use security for farmers and cattle herders in national legislation. Now the dust has settled we asked her to what extent her expectations were fulfilled and what she learned from the conference.
Broad perspective on soil and land
“A number of good things happened at the conference. First of all, a decision was taken on ‘responsible land management’. That may sound a little vague, but it’s actually very important. The UNCCD has traditionally had a quite narrow 'biophysical' perspective on land and soil. We, the civil society organisations, want discussions within the context of the UNCCD also to look at the social and political aspects of land and soil. By seeking answers to questions like ‘what impact does it have on soil, land use and land recovery if farmers and herders have the security of long-term land rights?’ and ‘how can local governments support people in their activities aimed at healthy soil, sustainable land use and land recovery?’ You can only find sustainable solutions for desertification, land degradation and the effects of drought on land by taking account of all aspects of soil and land.”
Taking account of the SDGs
“The decision itself consists of a number of points. The UNCCD member states (all the countries of the world) now officially recognise the importance of responsible management of land (use) rights for sustainable land use and soil recovery. The UNCCD secretariat is therefore going to take active steps to raise awareness on this issue.
It was also agreed that the UNCCD reporting process will take account of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The two relevant goals are SDG 1 (End poverty in all its forms everywhere) and SDG 5 (Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) which in particular addresses land rights for women. When reporting on desertification, land degradation and drought, countries are therefore now also going to report on land rights.
In addition, the UNCCD is going to work with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to expand knowledge on the ‘Voluntary guidelines on the responsible governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests in the context of national food security’ (VGGTs) in policy processes that are relevant for UNCCD. All of these issues are irrevocably linked to land degradation and desertification, or offer solutions to these problems. It’s therefore very positive that, from now on, the UNCCD is going to look at the bigger picture.”
Gender awareness at the UNCCD
“Another success is that there was a lot of enthusiasm to devote greater attention to gender. A number of negotiators who had committed themselves to the issue of gender came together during the talks to look at the documents through ‘gender spectacles’. That gave the COP decisions a better gender focus. It is really good to see that the UNCCD is becoming aware of the fact that drought, for example, can affect women completely differently than men.”
Representative of civil society
“There were around a hundred representatives of all kinds of CSOs at the conference. As a group we made 34 interventions – statements and presentations – based on five priorities that we agreed on together and which we drew attention to as much as possible in each intervention. I think it helped a great deal that we, as civil society organisations, had a clear, recognisable and consistent message that really enabled us to spotlight the points we wanted to make.
My term as a UNCCD CSO panel member comes to a close at the end of December. That’s a pity because I’ve learned a lot and met fantastically motivated people who I’ve worked with very closely in the past two years. On the other hand, it’s good to have fresh blood every two years. Of course, I’ll help my replacement on the panel to learn the ropes. In addition, Both ENDS is a member of Drynet and we work with a lot of organisations in drought areas. That way, we’ll naturally stay involved in the UNCCD.”
For more information
Read more about this subject
-
Dossier /
Fair Green and Global Alliance (FGG)
Together with civil society organisations from all over the world, the Fair Green and Global (FGG) Alliance aims for socially just, inclusive and environmentally sustainable societies in the Netherlands and the Global South.
-
News / 30 August 2019
Dealing with drought: the UNCCD COP in India
Worldwide, hundreds of millions of people live in areas where the soil is depleted; often they are forced to, or the region they have been living in for generations has become increasingly arid over time. The desert is advancing and this is a global problem. Opinions about the causes of land degradation and desertification, but especially about the solutions, are very divided. To discuss this, the biennial global conference on desertification will take place from 2 to 14 September. This is where policymakers, scientists, NGOs, female and male farmers and pastoralist, herders and companies from all over the world come together. Our colleague Nathalie van Haren is present at the conference and explains why.
-
Event / 5 September 2017
UNCCD COP 2017 - CHINA
From 6-16 september, the 13th Conference of Parties' of the UNCCD (UN Convention to Combat Desertification) took place, this time in Ordos, China. The UNCCD is the global convention of the United Nations on combating desertification and drought. Every country in the world has signed this convention. Canada withdrew in 2012, but in 2016 - under the Trudeau administration - started a process to re-enter the convention. Both ENDS is a member of Drynet, a network of local organisations and communities in dry regions searching for ways to use land in a sustainable manner.
-
News / 28 September 2017
Both ENDS at UNCCD COP13: don’t forget about the people
This September, Both ENDS participated at the 13th Conference of the Parties of the UNCCD in Ordos, Inner Mongolia in China. We were part of the Drynet delegation, a network of CSOs, to bring local realities to the international UNCCD discussions.
-
Publication / 1 September 2017
-
Transformative Practice /
Inclusive Land Governance
Both ENDS works with partners around the world to ensure that land is governed fairly and inclusively and managed sustainably with priority for the rights and interests of local communities.
-
Blog / 25 September 2017
Bringing good practice to the UNCCD conference
Access to, ownership and control over land is inherently part of a successful implementation of land degradation neutrality (LDN) and sustainable land management. Sustainability often means investing for the long term, and insecurity withholds land users to do so. In particular women's land use rights are fundamental as they are the ones working on the land and thus putting LDN into practice.
-
Publication / 1 September 2017
-
External link / 2 January 2015
iSQAPER website
The website about the project iSQAPER: Interactive soil quality assessment in Europe
and China for agricultural productivity and environmental resilience. -
Event / 11 September 2019, 08:00 - 10:00
UNCCD COP14: From global frameworks to local actions
At the UNCCD COP14 in India, which is taking place from 2-13 September 2019, Both ENDS is co-organising a number of side events.
-
Event / 3 September 2019, 13:00 - 15:00
UNCCD COP14: Pathways for big money to reach local communities
At the UNCCD COP14 in India, which is taking place from 2-13 September 2019, Both ENDS is co-organising a number of side events.
-
External link / 1 January 2016
Fair, Green and Global Alliance website
The six members of the Fair, Green & Global (FGG) Alliance power voices of people and communities all over the world. We aim to expand civic space, stimulate movements and invest in mutual capacity development. Collaborating with over a thousand partner organisations in countries where people and nature are under constant pressure. Thanks to the strategic partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the six member organizations can make a difference for people across the world. Read more on the FGG website!
-
News / 17 June 2021
Celebrating community led initiatives on World Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought Day
Today is World Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought Day. Such a day is more than needed to get attention for desertification, land degradation and drought that are threatening and hitting hundreds of millions of people in many regions throughout the world. While the causes - such as large-scale agriculture, use of pesticides, water extraction and climate change - are clear and need to be stopped, it is just as important to focus on solutions like restoration and sustainable land use.– in line with World Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought Day's theme for this year: 'Restoration. Land. Recovery. We build back better with healthy land', we will therefore especially focus on inspiring solutions during the next few weeks.
-
Event / 5 September 2019, 13:00 - 15:00
UNCCD COP14: Communities regreen the Sahel
At the UNCCD COP14 in India, which is taking place from 2-13 September 2019, Both ENDS is co-organising a number of side events.
-
Publication / 14 January 2019
-
Dossier /
Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP)
Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP) is a rights-based approach ensuring inclusive and gender-responsive land governance, especially for those whose rights to land are not fully acknowledged.
-
News / 29 June 2021
Fighting desertification in the Brazilian Sertão
The farmers in the Sertão do Araripe region in Pernambuco state are smart. The small-scale family farmers know that securing a sustainable livelihood on the rich but vulnerable soils of the Sertão is only possible if they take good care of the environment. That means sound agriculture, making the best of every drop of available water, diligent use of natural fertilisers and pest-control and fighting for laws and policies that stimulate conservation rather than exploitation. The organisation CAATINGA helps the farmers to face the challenging conditions.
-
News / 3 June 2020
Green light for FGG and GAGGA!
Last Friday, 29 May, it was announced that both the Fair, Green and Global Alliance (FGG) and the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA) have been selected as two of the 20 potential strategic partnerships of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the 2021-2025 period. Both ENDS is pleased that the Dutch government is seriously considering extending its support to these networks, as they show that cooperation on the basis of equality between grassroots organisations and NGOs throughout the world can continue to bring about change in the position of women, in respect for human rights and in making trade chains and financing systems sustainable.
-
Event / 11 May 2019, 20:00 - 22:00
The European Election Debate: do we opt for the climate and a fair Europe? (in Dutch)
Europe's future. What does it look like and, more importantly, what kind of Europe do we want?
-
News / 20 June 2021
Organic wild rooibos in South Africa’s dryland
South Africa is the home of rooibos, an ancient, health giving herbal infusion, discovered thousands of years ago by the KhoiSan, indigenous peoples of the Southern part of Africa. During the last century, rooibos has been increasingly commercialised, mainly by white South African farmers who produce it on a very large scale, causing environmental damage, soil erosion and loss of biodiversity. Fortunately, small-scale, environmentally sound and community-led rooibos cultivation initiatives also exist. Our long-standing South African partner Environmental Monitoring Group (EMG) has, for more than two decades, been involved in this type of rooibos cultivation with the communities in the Suid Bokkeveld, in the western part of South Africa. Although it was not always easy, Noel Oettle, senior advisor at EMG, thinks this way of producing is the future.