Highlights and images for 13 May 2022

As the first week of UNCCD COP 15 draws to a close, the UN and Côte d'Ivoire flags fly outside the venue

The 15th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 15) convened in the morning, with a second meeting of the Committee of the Whole (COW). Delegates welcomed a report on the UNCCD 2018–2030 Strategic Framework, acknowledging the importance of a scientifically robust mid-term evaluation to implement “the backbone of the Convention.”

Delegates then heard reports on four policy frameworks and thematic issues: migration, gender, sand and dust storms (SDS), and land tenure.

On migration, parties offered practical suggestions to:

collect and use data to establish desertification-migration linkages;
assess effectiveness of funding mechanisms to tap into resources of diasporas; and
establish a special fund for internally displaced people.

To dive deeper, read the daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin report.

Pour aller plus en profondeur, lisez le rapport quotidien du Bulletin des Négociations de la Terre.

Francisco Jose Avila, COW Chair

On the topic of gender, parties underscored the importance of land tenure and access to natural resources, as well as the need to: improve gender-sensitive financing; produce sex-disaggregated data; and add gender experts to the Science-Policy Interface (SPI).

Parties commended the development of the SDS Toolbox and Compendium of technical information and guidance on risk assessment, and called for further research on SDS drivers and capacity building to alleviate environmental management weaknesses.

In discussions on land tenure, parties underscored the importance of tenure governance for sustainable land management (SLM) and land degradation neutrality (LDN), in particular concerning the rights of women, youth and Indigenous Peoples.

The Committee on Science and Technology (CST) contact group concluded its negotiations on draft text and forwarded six decisions to the COP, where the report of the session was adopted, including all decisions.

The day’s negotiations ended on a high note with a reception to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Changwon Initiative.

All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For UNCCD COP 15, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth.

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Committee of the Whole

Delegates gather for the Committee of the Whole (COW)

Valeria Cruz Blancas, Mexico

Francisco Jose Avila, COW Chair

Jigmet Takpa, India

Ramakgwale Mampholo, South Africa

Delegates during the session

Lutfor Rahman, Bangladesh

Tcharbuahbokengo Nfinn, African CSOs

Imad Almaree, Syria

Ahmed Mahroos-Alsaiari, Oman

Dunia Baroud El Khoury, CSOs

Reina Sotillo, Argentina

CST Contact Group

Delegates during the CST contact group

Stella Gama, Facilitator, CST contact group

Gender Caucus

Delegates gather for the Gender Caucus

Lorena Aguilar Revelo, Costa Rica

Jackie Siles, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Rockaya Aidara, UNCCD

Jamal Annagylyjova, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Participants during the session

Changwon Initiative 10th Anniversary Celebration

A reception was held to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Changwon Initiative, and to recognize the winner of the Land for Life Award, aimed at promoting sustainable development through sustainable land management.