Impact Indicators: Latest developments

At the recommendation of the Committee on Science and Technology (CST), the Conference of the Parties (COP) at its ninth session held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 21 September to 2 October 2009 decided to provisionally accept a set of eleven impact indicators for reporting on strategic objective 1, 2 and 3 of The Strategy.

In decision 17/COP9, the COP distinguished between:

• A sub-set of two impact indicators considered as the minimum required for reporting by affected countries beginning in 2012;
• The remaining nine impact indicators considered optional for inclusion in reports by affected countries.

Thus, starting in 2012, Parties to the Convention will, at a minimum, report on the following two impact indicators:

• Proportion of the population in affected areas living above the poverty line

• Land cover status

Further work of the CST is planned to refine the set of impact indicators and associated methodologies through pilot impact indicators tracking exercises at the national level and through an iterative process that will involve the scientific community, Parties and other relevant stakeholders.

Approach used to develop the set of impact indicators

At COP 8, Parties adopted a 10-year strategic plan and framework to enhance the implementation of the Convention (2008-2018) (The Strategy). The Strategy identifies long-term strategic objectives which will contribute to achieving the following vision: "The aim for the future is to forge a global partnership to reverse and prevent desertification/land degradation and to mitigate the effects of drought in affected areas in order to support poverty reduction and environmental sustainability." Three of these strategic objectives are science-related:

• Strategic objective 1: To improve the living conditions of affected populations
• Strategic objective 2: To improve the condition of affected ecosystems
• Strategic objective 3: To generate global benefits through effective implementation of the UNCCD

In decision 3/COP.8, the COP requested the CST to advise on how best to measure progress on the achievement of these three strategic objectives.

During the biennium 2008-2009, the CST worked to carry out this assignment. As a first step, a framework document (ICCD/CST(S-1)/4/Add.3) was presented and discussed at the first special session of the Committee on Science and Technology (CST S-1). In that occasion the CST recommended the concrete steps to be taken and activities to be carried out for the selection of the indicators (ICCD/CST(S-1)/5/Add.1). Thus, the CST Bureau developed and implemented a consultative process to identify the impact indicators. The process comprised: (a) an in-depth review of the literature and a global consultation of affected Parties on currently utilized impact indicators (see consultancy report 1); (b) a consultation of all the actors in the five regional annexes on methodologies, baselines and capacity-building needs (see consultancy report 2 ); and (c) a study on the availability of data at United Nations agencies and intergovernmental organizations (see consultancy report 3 ). The findings of this process are synthesized in a comprehensive document that was presented at COP 9 (ICCD/COP(9)/CST/4) and that led to the provisional acceptance of the impact indicators.

Recent official documents on strategic objectives 1, 2 and 3

CST S-1 - Elements for provision of advice on how best to measure progress on Strategic Objectives 1, 2 and 3 of The Strategy (ICCD/CST(S-1)/4/Add.3)

CST S-1 - Advice from the CST to the CRIC on how best to measure progress on Strategic Objectives 1,2 and 3 of The Strategy (ICCD/CST(S-1)/5/Add.1).

COP 9 - Advice on how best to measure progress on strategic objectives 1, 2 and 3 of The Strategy (ICCD/COP(9)/CST/4)

Previous official documents on benchmarks and indicators

INCCD 10 Report on ongoing work being done on benchmarks and indicators including a proposal for indicators to monitor CCD implementation processes.

COP 1 - Supplementary report on work on benchmarks and indicators. Further elaboration of implementation indicators and development of a methodology for determining impact indicators

COP 2 - Report of the ad hoc Panel on:
a - Further elaboration of implementation indicators
b - Development of a methodology for determining impact indicators

COP 5 - Report of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) and the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) on their initiative on the development of benchmarks and indicators.

COP 6 - Case studies submitted by OSS and 8 countries (Germany, Brazil, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Oman, Tunisia, Zambia)

COP 7 - Case studies submitted by Morocco and Brazil