Approaching to UNCCD COP16, the CST Bureau will hold their next meeting in UN campus, Bonn, Germany on 22  March 2024, back-to-back with the 19th SPI meeting and the Joint session of SPI-Bonn Water Network on land-water nexus.

The Bureau meeting will focus its agenda on two key items. One is the way of organization of the Plenary of 16th session of the Committee on Science and Technology as interactive dialogue between the Parties to the SPI and special events of science during COP16.
The other is to review and discuss those scientific issues that may benefit COP16 decisions, including:

• IWG mid-term evaluation on how science will be organized in the UNCCD in the future.
• Maximizing STCs participation in COP16.
• Improving communication with STCs.
• Future arrangements/pathways for the scientific contributions to the UNCCD Strategic Framework and provision of advice on methodological matters related to reporting.
• Exploring ways to help ensure the secretariat has the capacity and budget to support the UNCCD science agenda.

The provisional agenda is attached.