UNCCD Terminology

Sustainable production is production that is economically viable and does not degrade the environment over the long run.
See also: ‘Sustainable consumption’.
(Source: http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/)

A verbal, visual and/or mathematical representation of a system that describes the key elements and the linkages between them. A system model provides a basis for devising management strategies, planning monitoring, and interpreting the results of monitoring.

A quantitative value usually referring to international policy objectives. Often, the target has a time deadline that should be met. Targets express ‘desired situations’. Targets refer to various geographical levels: targets at country level (i.e. national targets) contribute to achieving the overall targets set at the global level.

A taxon with all its subordinate taxa and their individuals, for example the taxonomic group insect consists of all insects and their taxa.

Backstopping is used as a technical tool for project and programme consultancy, whereby it supports the development and transfer of new evidences and innovations. Based on research and practice it provides critical technical advisory support for process development, testing and implementation as well as their documentation and evaluation.

The precision of a measurement with respect to time. Often there is a trade-off between temporal resolution of a measurement and its spatial resolution.

Property rights. The right to specific uses of ecosystems and their services.
(Source: adapted from Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). Current State & Trends Assessment Report. http://www.maweb.org/en/Condition.aspx)

The Adaptation Fund was established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable and are Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. The Fund is to be financed with a share of proceeds from clean development mechanism (CDM) project activities and receive funds from other sources. It is operated by the Adaptation Fund Board.

Networks established at the regional level by affected country Parties to address specific themes of relevance in the framework of the UNCCD implementation. In particular, the Asian region is working on six TPNs (the following have been launched: TPN for desertification monitoring and assessment; on agro-forestry and soil conservation; on pasture management and sand dune fixation; on Water resources management for agriculture in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas; etc), the African region is also working on six TPNs (Networks for the integrated management of international river, lake and hydrogeological basins,; the promotion of agroforestry and soil conservation; the rational use of rangelands and promotion of fodder crops development; the ecological monitoring, natural resources mapping, remote sensing and early warning systems; the promotion of new and renewable energy sources and technologies; and the promotion of sustainable agricultural farming systems.).

Data which facilitates analysis at more than one time (e.g. Daily, monthly, seasonal or annual time scales). The advantage of time series analysis is the increased amount of information that is obtainable compared with single date data acquisition.

National action programmes (NAPs) are the key instruments to implement the Convention. They are often supported by action programmes at sub-regional (SRAP) and regional (RAP) levels. The NAPs are developed through a participatory approach involving various stakeholders, including relevant governmental offices, scientific institutions and local communities. They spell out the practical steps and measures to be taken to combat desertification in specific ecosystems.

The type of funding provided in support of a project, programme or initiative within the reporting period. Examples of funding types include grants, concessional loans, commercial loans, basket funding, sectoral support, debt swap, equity, etc.

A coordinated plan of action aimed at supporting the implementation of the Convention by according land/soils the attention and priority they deserve in political and economic decisions at the local, national and international levels, in order to support the optimal deployment of The Strategy. It identifies communication goals, target audiences and planned activities.
http://www.unccd.int/Lists/SiteDocumentLibrary/convention/css.pdf

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the Rio Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It promoted a new, integrated approach to the problem of desertification emphasizing action to promote sustainable development. It recommended that the United Nations General Assembly establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to prepare, by June 1994, a United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

A representation of the world using points, lines and polygons. Vector models are useful for storing data that has discrete boundaries, such as country borders, land parcels and streets.
(Source: https://support.esri.com/en/other-resources/gis-dictionary/term/vector%…)

A mathematical combination or transformation of spectral bands that accentuates the spectral properties of green plants so that they appear distinct from other image features. Such as NDVI, EVI or FAPAR.

A set of activities that includes collection, transport, treatment, and disposal of waste, prevention of waste production, and modification and reuse/ recycling of waste.

Vulnerability refers to conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or processes, which increase the susceptibility of an individual, a community, assets or systems to the impacts of hazards, such as drought. Hence, vulnerability is an inherent property of a system that exists independently of the external hazard, i.e. the same level of hazard may impose different consequences in different systems (communities, individuals, countries, regions) due to the distinct underlying vulnerabilities of the systems. In turn, vulnerability to the hazard and its impacts can be altered by the actions of society, such as land and water management practices, among others. For UNCCD reporting, three components of vulnerability are considered: social vulnerability, economic vulnerability and infrastructural vulnerability. See also ‘Drought Vulnerability Index (DVI)’

A set of activities that includes collection, transport, treatment, and disposal of waste, prevention of waste production, and modification and reuse/ recycling of waste.

For the purpose of UNCCD reporting, this land cover class includes any geographic area covered by inland water bodies with a water persistence of 12 months per year. In some cases the water can be frozen for part of the year (less than 10 months). This class refers to areas that are naturally or artificially covered by water, such as lakes and/or rivers. It includes areas that are covered by water due to the construction of artefacts such as reservoirs, canals, artificial lakes, etc. Without these, the area would not be covered by water. The class also includes coastal water bodies composed on the basis of geographical features in relation to the sea (lagoons and estuaries). Because the geographic extent of water bodies can change, boundaries must be set consistently with this class 7 according to the dominant situation during the year and/or across multiple years. It includes: i) Lakes, rivers and streams (natural/artificial, standing/flowing, inland/sea); ii) Artificial reservoirs; iii) Coastal lagoons; and iv) Estuaries.