UNCCD National reporting process
The process of national reporting is an indispensable tool to bring forward effective planning and implementation of the Convention and the achievement of the strategic objectives at global and national level. The information communicated by Parties through reporting is valuable also for other stakeholders that work on the implementation of the UNCCD at national and local levels.
Parties are required under the Convention to communicate reports, through the UNCCD secretariat, on measures undertaken to implement the Convention. This is in accordance with article 26 and the decisions of its Conference of the Parties (COP), particularly decision 11/COP.1.
National reporting of the Convention has drastically evolved over the past two decades. From 2018 on, the national reporting process monitors progress made in the implementation of the UNCCD 2018-2030 Strategic Framework for implementing the Convention adopted at the thirteenth session of the COP (decision 7/COP.13). In line with this strategic framework, national reporting now involves two main types of information: data on the progress towards the five strategic objectives related to the condition of ecosystems and populations, drought, global environmental benefits and the mobilization of financial and non-financial resources to support the implementation of the Convention, and an Implementation framework. The implementation framework defines the roles and responsibilities of Parties and Convention institutions in meeting the strategic objectives. For Parties, the implementation framework sets specific aims under three broad headings: a) Financial and non-financial resources; b) Policy and planning; and c) Actions on the ground. The 2018 reporting process which officially concluded on 31 August 2018 was the first reporting process under the UNCCD 2018-2030 Strategic Framework. Before the 2018 reporting process, the reporting cycle happened every two years. Following decision 15/COP.13, the reporting cycle is now every four years.
Since 2018, the UNCCD reporting process has also contributed to the follow-up of progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As the custodian agency for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Indicator 15.3.1 “proportion of land that is degraded over total land area”, the UNCCD secretariat is requested to use relevant information submitted in the national reports as a contribution to the overall follow-up and review by the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
