UN Summer Academy 2018: 2030 Agenda underscores the importance of the UNCCD mandate

29 August 2018
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Bonn, Germany – The UNCCD Lead Scientist Dr. Barron Joseph Orr presented the work of the convention at the UN Summer Academy 2018, emphasizing that the 2030 Agenda has underscored the importance of the UNCCD mandate and enriched the substance behind it. More than ever, the effort to address land degradation requires collaboration, and it is clear the common vision of the SDGs can help motivate action in a coordinated manner.  

Dr. Orr has reminded the attendees that achieving the SDGs targets is essential for the future, but can also place additional demands on land, often with multiple claims on the same resources. Doing the right thing in the right place at the right scale and working together to optimize mutual outcomes for present and future generations is crucial. Land Degradation Neutrality (SDG target 15.3) provides the framework for policy and appropriate interventions to make this happen.

The UN Summer Academy is an engaging five-day programme for UN staff, government representatives, civil society representatives, academics, business representatives and a select number of Master and post-graduate students. It leverages the presence of nineteen UN entities and numerous international development entities in Bonn to foster rich interaction on issues relevant to the work of the UN and its partners in implementing the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. The academy features panel discussions, solution-oriented workshops, field trips to sustainable development projects and a story fair.