Preserving our common ground: UNCCD 10 years on

Abstract

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) plays a key role in the world’s efforts to eradicate poverty, achieve sustainable development and reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is the only internationally recognized legally binding instrument that addresses the problem of land degradation in dryland rural areas. It enjoys a truly universal membership of 191 parties. And, through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) as its funding mechanism, it is able to channel much-needed resources to projects aimed at combating the problem, particularly in Africa. The risks of desertification are substantial and clear. Desertification undermines the fertility of the world’s land, with productivity losses reaching 50 percent in some areas. It contributes to food insecurity, famine and poverty, and can give rise to social, economic and political tensions that can cause conflicts, further poverty and land degradation. Current estimates are that the livelihoods of more than one billion people are at risk from desertification, and that, as a consequence, 135 million people may be in danger of being driven from their land. The rural poor, especially in the developing world, are especially vulnerable. Indeed, recognizing the urgent need to address the far-reaching implications of this problem, the UN General Assembly has declared 2006 the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.