Soil degradation and desertification is severe in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). While the degree of land degradation in the CEE region varies from country to country, evidence shows that the problem is getting worse.

The CEE region experiences various forms of land degradation caused by:
  • Development of transitioning economies
  • Soil depletion caused by agricultural processes
  • Deforestation, due to pollution stress and frequent forest fires
  • Inappropriate irrigation and excessive exploitation of water resources, which contribute to:
    • Chemical pollution
    • Salinization
    • Exhaustion of aquifers
Central and Eastern Europe: Regional cooperation

The UNCCD’s regional Annex V entered into force in 2001 by the Decision of
Conference of the Parties (COP) 5, titled “The Regional implementation Annex of the Convention for the region of Eastern and Central Europe”.

Currently, 19 countries of the CEE are the Parties to the UNCCD. Fifteen of these Parties have declared their status of being affected country Parties.

At COP12 in 2015 the countries of CEE 12 endorsed the Regional Action Programme (RAP CEE) at its regional meeting. The RAP CEE identifies the following priority areas for regional cooperation:

Sub-regional activities aimed at managing drought in South Eastern Europe are underway. In 2006 the countries in this sub-region established a Drought Management Centre for South Eastern Europe (DMCSEE) to better forecast drought occurrences, frequency and impacts. The center is hosted by Slovenia and in cooperation with the UNCCD secretariat and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

With adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 the region of Central and Eastern Europe is set to translate the Goals into the national targets. Most of the countries of the region have prioritized the SDG 15.3. “By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world”.

The countries will build national capacity to set up the LDN target and monitor its achievement.

Contact Regional Liaison Office for Europe (Annex V)

(located in Bonn)

Ms. Nadezda Dementieva
Programme Officer (CEE and Central Asia)
T: 00 49 228 815 2824
E: ndementieva [at] unccd.int (ndementieva[at]unccd[dot]int)

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No longer a distant threat: Shared land crisis galvanizes collaboration 
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RESILAND CA: Flagship of Peace Forest Initiative tackles land degradation in Central Asia
CRIC21: Steering the course to global land restoration 

As the UNCCD high-level meeting in Central Asia draws near, we welcome you to this discussion on why global and regional gatherings are an essential part of the UNCCD process. The twenty-first session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 21) in Samarkand is set to serve as a vital marker in the Convention’s ongoing efforts to accelerate progress on land restoration and drought resilience.   By bringing together experts, leaders and delegates from 196 nations and the European Union, the meeting sets a major arena for the exchange of cutting-edge insights. This pooling of global expertise not only fosters productive solutions but also facilitates joint decision-making, ensuring a coordinated approach to pressing environmental challenges.   CRIC21 will focus on strategic objectives ranging from sustainable land management and drought resilience to  secure and equal land rights for women. The event will also provide a platform to discuss emergent crises exacerbated by climate change, such as sand and dust storms and wildfires.   Taking place at the halfway point between the biannual Confrences of the Parties (COP) to UNCCD, the insights coming out of CRIC21 will aid in defining the next steps for all stakeholders, providing a clear and focused roadmap to UNCCD COP16, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2024. 

CRIC21: Steering the course to global land restoration 
Healthy land the size of Central Asia lost since 2015

UN conference to tackle rapid land degradation and worsening droughts to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 13-17 November 2023 Bonn/Samarkand, 13 September 2023 – For the first time since its inception, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will convene one of its official meetings in Central Asia. The twenty-first session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 21) will reveal the latest global trends in land degradation and drought, and review how countries are progressing with land restoration. It comes at a vital moment, when the world is witnessing an uptick in extreme weather events, with historic heatwaves and wildfires across Europe and North America, several failed rainy seasons in the Horn of Africa, and devastating floods, monsoons and cyclones in Asia. Land degradation contributes to these climatic changes and events and is simultaneously made worse by them. 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CRIC21 will review progress in implementing the Convention’s strategic objectives on promoting sustainable land management, building drought resilience, supporting women's leadership in sustainable agriculture, and addressing forced migration due to land degradation and climate change. It will bring together representatives from 196 countries and the European Union which are signatories to the UNCCD, as well as civil society, academia and international organizations. Notes to editors  Accredited media representatives are invited to attend and report on CRIC21 and associated events. Field visits where journalists can see land restoration and drought resilience projects will take place immediately prior to CRIC21. Online registration for media representatives is available at the following link: www.unccd.int/cric-21-online-registration. To register, please provide the following documents: One recent passport-sized photograph A valid press card A copy (picture and signature pages) of your passport (for foreign journalists) or national identity card (for local applicants) A letter of introduction from the bureau chief or company sponsoring your travel to the session. For freelance journalists, a letter is required from the media organization assigning you to cover the conference A duly completed accreditation form Journalists who register online will be able to collect their accreditation at the Silk Road Samarkand Congress Center on presentation of a valid press card and an identity document. For more information on the regulations governing visa applications and the introduction of reporting material into Uzbekistan, please consult the following link: https://e-visa.gov.uz/main_ For inquiries about media accreditation or coverage of the event, please contact: press@unccd.int A dedicated press and media working space will be available at the conference venue.  Additional information and media updates on the Convention and CRIC 21 will be available on the host country CRIC 21 website and the UNCCD website. About UNCCD The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the global vision and voice for land. We unite governments, scientists, policymakers, private sector and communities around a shared vision and global action to restore and manage the world’s land for the sustainability of humanity and the planet. Much more than an international treaty signed by 197 Parties, UNCCD is a multilateral commitment to mitigating today’s impacts of land degradation and advancing tomorrow’s land stewardship in order to provide food, water, shelter and economic opportunity to all people in an equitable and inclusive manner. Image: (c) Asia Development Bank

Healthy land the size of Central Asia lost since 2015
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Конкурс на участие в работе русскоязычной пресс-службы первой конференции КБО ООН в Центральной Азии