UNCCD Terminology

An increase in land-based natural capital, expected to increase the value of one or more of the indicators of LDN, projected during land use planning for a specific area of land (e.g., land unit) and a specified timeframe, where improvement is anticipated due to LDN interventions. See also loss (anticipated).

In the context of LDN, an increase in land-based natural capital for a specific area of land (e.g., land unit), over a specified timeframe, measured as significant increase in soil organic carbon or net primary productivity, or a positive land cover change (as defined by a country, within agreed guidelines), where there is no significant negative change in any of these three indicators/metrics (Or decline in any supplementary metric chosen by the country to be applied in the One-Out All-Out approach for combining the indicators to evaluate LDN). See also loss (monitored).

One of the factors recommended to estimate the economic component of the Drought Vulnerability Index (DVI). GDP per capita is gross domestic product (GDP) divided by midyear population. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in constant 2010 U.S. dollars. This is a proxy for the average standard of living of residents in a country or area. See also ‘Drought Vulnerability Index (DVI)’

Also known as geo-referencing, is a procedure where the content of an image will be assigned a spatial coordinate system (e.g., geographical latitude and longitude). As a result, the imagery can be used in GIS and other image processing systems. In order, to process the imagery with other data or maps in a GIS, all the data requires the same reference system.
(http://www.seos-project.eu/modules/remotesensing/remotesensing-c05-p01…)

The use of statistics to analyse and predict the values associated with spatial or spatiotemporal phenomena. Exhaustive studies are expensive and time consuming, so the phenomena of interest is usually characterized by taking samples at different locations. Geostatistical modelling is then used to produce predictions (and related measures of uncertainty of the predictions) for the un-sampled locations.
(Source: http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/help/analysis/geostatistical-analyst/w…)

The Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and the hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. A Gini index of zero represents perfect equality and 100, perfect inequality.

The Global Environment Facility was established by the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) in 1990. It operates as the Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Biodiversity (UNCBD) Conventions’ financial mechanism. The GEF was created to provide grants and concessional funds to developing countries to finance incremental costs for programmes, projects, and activities to protect the world's environment. Anti-desertification projects relevant to the focal areas of climate change, biodiversity, ozone depletion, and international waters may be eligible for funding. The GEF is expected to become a financial mechanism of the UNCCD, once the operational modalities are approved by the GEF Council and these decisions by the COP in 2003.

The Global Mechanism (GM) was established under Article 21 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to assist countries in the mobilization of financial resources to implement the Convention and address desertification, land degradation and drought.  As an operational arm of the Convention, the GM provides advisory services and works together with developing countries, private sector and donors to mobilize substantial resources for the implementation of UNCCD.

Measures, methods or activities that match a specific objective or are suitable for a specific natural and human environment. See also ‘Practice’ and ‘Best practices’.

Financial transfers made in cash, goods or services where no repayment is required

For the purpose of UNCCD reporting, this land cover class includes any geographic areas dominated by a vegetative cover of 15% or more, it includes natural shrubs life forms, herbaceous plants (e.g. Forbs and Graminoids, grasslands, prairies, steppes and savannahs) or a combination of them, irrespective of different human and/or animal activities, such as: grazing, selective re-management etc; or consist of life forms of Lichens/Mosses. A separate cover condition exists for Lichens/Mosses that can be only applied if this life form contributes at least 25% to the total vegetative cover. Trees can be present in scattered form if their cover is less than 15%. This class also includes mosaic natural vegetation of herbaceous (>50%) and shrub or trees (15%); or ii) natural herbaceous plants cover open to closed (>15%); or iii) sparse natural vegetation (herbaceous, shrubs and trees) (< 15%).

At UNFCCC COP 16 in Cancun in 2010, Governments established a Green Climate Fund as an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the Convention under Article 11. The GCF will support projects, programmes, policies and other activities in developing country Parties. The Fund will be governed by the GCF Board.

The degree to which vegetation absorbs photosynthetically active radiation. It is usually quantified using the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) or the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)

Water in soil beneath the soil surface, usually under conditions where the pressure in the water is greater than the atmospheric pressure, and the soil voids are substantially filled with the water