Stories

3 May, 2018 – Bonn, Germany – The UNCCD has actively participated in the forty-eighth session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference to demonstrate the importance of land degradation neutrality (LDN) as a groundbreaking actionable concept for mitigating and adapting to climate change. During the tenth meeting of the Research Dialogue, UNCCD has successfully shown the relevance of land-based solutions to global environmental challenges by presenting an innovative poster on LDN – a framework for maintaining ecosystems and human well-being under a changing climate – to numerous interested SBSTA participants. Following the interactive poster session, the UNCCD further participated in effectively co-shaping the dialogue between science and policy representatives on supporting the implementation of the Paris Agreement. The UNCCD experts contributed to the discussion centred around science for understanding and science for action and impact. One of the key issues addressed by the participants of this fruitful climate change-focused dialogue was the required shift towards sustainable consumption and production patterns. The UNCCD played a key role in emphasizing the importance of an enabling governance environment at the global level for shaping sustainable land-based solutions to the challenges posed by the climate change. 

23–25 April, 2018 – Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – UNCCD discussed innovative ways to integrate science, practice and policy to effectively combat desertification as part of the three-day international workshop organized by the ministry of environment, water and agriculture (MEWA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Several experts, managers, scientists from public and private sectors, representatives of the government, international organizations and research institutes gathered to discuss innovative methods to combat desertification. The presentation "Leveraging Innovation through the Integration of Science, Practice and Policy to Combat Desertification," delivered by the secretariat, focused on achieving land degradation neutrality (LDN) as the essential element in reaching multiple Sustainable Development Goals. The UNCCD also presented its current projects as part of the exhibition that featured work of international and local civil society organizations. The workshop is the first step towards knowledge sharing and exchange of information and best practices to combat land degradation and desertification in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in the region.  To learn more, please visit: http://www.iwcd.info  

3 May, 2018 –  Chinsali, Zambia (IPS) –  As global climate experts meet in Bonn this week to discuss how to take climate action forward, Zambia counts itself amongst the leaders as President Edgar Lungu officially launches the Plant a Million (PAM) trees Initiative. In fact, the initiative is even more ambitious than its name implies, and aims at planting at least two billion trees by 2021. According to President Lungu, the initiative is in line with the country’s Seventh National Development Plan whose aim is to diversify the economy from copper dependency. President Lungu says the initiative, which targets young people through schools, colleges and universities, will be used as a vehicle for mindset change among Zambians to begin to value the importance of planting trees as a tool for economic diversification. “This initiative marks the beginning of growing money through trees and government stands ready to support it and ensure that it succeeds,” he said during the launch at Kapasa Makasa University in Muchinga Province, Northern Zambia. In line with the country’s commitments to international treaties, especially the landmark Paris Agreement on Climate Change, President Lungu said government envisages not only creating a tree-based economy, but also mitigating climate change through the initiative. He is particularly concerned with the country’s alarming deforestation rate of 276,021 hectares per year, making Zambia one of the most deforested countries in Africa. “The Plant A Million initiative will significantly contribute to reducing deforestation which has earned Zambia a bad name of being one of the most deforested countries in Africa as a result of uncontrolled harvesting of trees,” he said. The Zambian president added that he was impressed with the youth involvement model through schools, colleges and universities, saying it will help push the agenda of mindset change because “when our learners appreciate the importance of trees, it will in turn create a positive impact in families and the communities at large.” Speaking earlier, Higher Education Minister Nkandu Luo said her Ministry would use the initiative to redefine the education system from exam-based to real-world practices. “Over the years, the thinking in our school system has been that education is passing exams but we are redefining this thinking, so that people know that education is total transformation of a human being, and this programme is one of the ways to do it,” she said. As one of the brains behind the initiative, Professor Luo said that Zambia was aiming to break the world record of planting the most trees, which is currently held by India. Last year, Volunteers in India planted more than 66 million trees in just 12 hours in a record-breaking environmental drive. About 1.5 million people were involved in the huge campaign, in which saplings were placed along the Narmada river in the state of Madhya Pradesh throughout Sunday. India committed under the Paris Agreement to increasing its forests by five million hectares before 2030 to combat climate change. “We are aiming to beat the world record, to go above 66 million trees done by India. We aim to plant at least a billion trees by 2019, and another billion plus by 2021; and I am positive that with universities’ involvement, it is doable,” she said. Meanwhile, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Jean Kapata is optimistic that the initiative will not only add value to people’s livelihoods through income from the sale of fruit and other forest products, but also contribute to the country’s ambitious mitigation targets as set in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). “As you may be aware, tree planting plays an important role in addressing impacts of climate change, and mitigating effects of climate change. In this regard, the Zambia Plant A Million initiative is also responding to national efforts of reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” she said. Zambia has undertaken, and is still implementing, several tree planting and preservation projects across the country. Central to such initiatives has been the goodwill of the country’s first president, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, who was a pioneer of tree planting during his time in office. And according to Emmanuel Chibesakunda, PAM initiator and project manager, the initiative wants to build on this foresight and activism of the 94-year-old freedom fighter and founding father of the nation. “I am pleased to announce this morning that Dr. Kenneth Kaunda has kindly agreed to be the goodwill ambassador for this initiative,” announced Chibesakunda amid thunderous applause from those who gathered to witness the ceremony in a district which is also home to Dr. Kaunda. “Dr. Kaunda did not only lead our country into independence, but also pioneered tree planting in Zambia.” Chibesakunda shared his inspiration for the initiative, which he said was from his father who taught him that talent was like a seed which needed to be planted in the right soil to germinate into beautiful fruit. This led to his passion for trees, and especially the involvement of children and young people. “My father told me that we all have talents, but what matters is where we plant them,” he told the gathering. “And my desire for this project is that we plant the knowledge in the young generation, let us put the future into their hands.” So far, tree nurseries have been set up at 12 schools in Lusaka, and the project expects to reach 720 schools in the next two years in 60 districts across the country. Read the article in French and Spanish on the IPS site. Photo: President Edgar Lungu just before planting a tree during the launch of Plant a Million Trees Initiative in Chinsali District. Credit: Munich Advisors Group

A successful fundraising campaign, organized by the Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats (TEMA), brought together celebrities on national television to raise funds for environmental education.  TEMA is one of biggest environmental NGOs in Türkiye, supported by thousands of volunteers. It has been the the first NGO to identify and publicize soil erosion as a serious threat to the country’s environment as well as to its economic and social life. The foundation has achieved significant national impact with the help of volunteers who planted millions of saplings and tree seeds across the country. The foundation also implements livelihood projects along with advocacy and education programs that include training for farmers in soil science and technical issues. For over twenty years, TEMA has carried out environmental education programs with the help of volunteer teachers who work with school children to build their understanding of nature and the role they can play as the caretakers and nurturers of the Earth. In 2012, the foundation received the UNCCD Land for Life Award for its continuous efforts in promoting the sustainable land management.  Read more: Sustainable land management  

19-22 March, 2018 – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The workshop for Annex I country Parties on the reporting requirements under the new UNCCD 2018-2030 Strategic Framework took place at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Conference Center. The workshop, organized by the UNCCD secretariat and the Global Mechanism in collaboration with UN Environment /GEF, was attended by the delegates from forty four Sub-Saharan African countries. The participants addressed linkages between the UNCCD and the SDG reporting processes, the complementarity between the GSP II and the UN Environment /GEF umbrella projects, data requirements, functionality of the reporting templates and the details of reporting on land-based indicators. The workshop in Addis Ababa was the second in the series of five regional workshops for the UNCCD Annexes. Read more: 2017-2018 reporting process Online reporting tutorials

27 April, 2018 – New Delhi, India – The four-day UNCCD Asia Pacific regional workshop that focused on building regional capacity and enabling country Parties to participate effectively and efficiently in the UNCCD reporting process, concluded today. The workshop provided a diverse and multi-disciplinary knowledge-sharing platform for addressing desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) issues and for reporting on the Target 15.3 on Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). It also provided an opportunity for all key stakeholders from the region to discuss the crucial aspects of reporting, sustainable development goals (SDGs) and LDN.   In his remarks, Deputy Executive Secretary UNCCD Dr. Pradeep Monga highlighted the importance of addressing DLDD for developing countries and commended India for supporting the convention and putting land agenda at the core of the SDG process. Read more: Statement from the Public Information Bureau of India