The Conference of the Parties,
Recalling article 19 of the Convention, Also recalling decisions 3/COP.8, 1/COP.9, 1/COP.10, 1/COP.11, 3/COP.12, 13/COP.12, 7/COP.13, 8/COP.13 and 2/COP.14,
Restating the importance of capacity-building for the efficacious implementation of the Convention and for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,
Having considered the conclusions and recommendations contained in document ICCD/CRIC(20)/6,
Acknowledging the work done by the secretariat and the Global Mechanism to facilitate targeted capacity-building to further the implementation of the Convention and in support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,
Welcoming the efforts of Parties, international organizations and institutions, civil society organizations and other Convention stakeholders in support of capacity-building for the implementation of the Convention,
1. Requests the secretariat to continue enhancing, within available resources and in keeping with its mandate, all measures to support the facilitation of capacity development for the effective implementation of the Convention, including:
(a) The wider involvement of the public at large, including the participation of Indigenous peoples, local communities, women, civil society organizations and private sector entities, and the education of students in the capacity-building process for a more effective and participatory approach;
(b) Development, as necessary, of more and improved strategies, modules and other relevant materials to support the gender-responsive and transformative implementation of the Convention through the use of the most recent and applicable data sources available;
(c) Expansion of the Capacity Building Marketplace and the exclusive e-learning platform by increasing the number of opportunities offered in other United Nations languages and through the continuous widening of their clientele;
(d) Organization of on-demand media training activities for journalists through a more structured approach to media training, focused on popularizing key United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification concepts and priorities and covering, inter alia, issues pertaining to the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030);
(e) Continuation of the provision of training and further strengthening of capacitybuilding on drought, notably through the promotion of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Drought Toolbox and organization of training sessions on its use, as well as the development of additional tools in this field; (f) Continuation of the provision of training and further strengthening of capacitybuilding activities to better address desertification and land degradation;
(g) Development of additional tools that concerned country Parties may use in furthering national capacity-building efforts to address sand and dust storms;
2. Also requests the secretariat, the Global Mechanism and the Science–Policy Interface, within available resources and in accordance with their respective mandates, to:
(a) Continue the pursuit of partnerships, both formal and informal, by redoubling their efforts to encourage Parties, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to participate fully in the capacity-building process by being active partners, especially in the areas of training, awareness-raising, drought mitigation, the achievement of land degradation neutrality, and the gender-responsive and transformative implementation of the Convention’s objectives wherever possible, contributing to a better understanding of synergies and coherence among the Rio conventions and other multilateral environmental agreements, bearing in mind their respective mandates and goals;
(b) Broaden their scope of cooperation with all relevant public and private sector entities in the development of partnerships to support the capacity-development process, including relevant regional and subregional entities;
(c) Expand and deepen the innovative approaches being taken to facilitate capacity-building and development, making innovation a central element in their efforts to realize their capacity-building mandates;
3. Urges Parties to make full use of the opportunities for capacity development being offered through various means by the secretariat and the Global Mechanism, including the opportunities to post their own offerings on the Capacity Building Marketplace and the exclusive e-learning platform;
4. Supports the efforts of the secretariat and the Global Mechanism aimed at developing partnerships, including at the subregional and regional levels, to better facilitate capacity development and further advance a more participatory approach to the same, especially in the areas of:
(a) Drought preparedness and mitigation;
(b) Measures to achieve land degradation neutrality;
(c) Gender-responsive and transformative implementation;
(d) Measures to address sand and dust storms;
(e) Development of on-the-ground training activities for journalists;
5. Invites Parties to continue to support and fully participate in the efforts being made by the secretariat and the Global Mechanism to develop and implement, as appropriate, specific capacity-building programmes concerning:
(a) Gender-sensitive and transformative approaches to the implementation of the Convention;
(b) Resilience to sand and dust storms;
(c) Drought preparedness and mitigation;
(d) Land degradation and desertification;
6. Invites accredited civil society organizations involved in capacity-building to make full use of the opportunities being offered through various means by the secretariat and Global Mechanism, including the opportunities to post their own offerings on the Capacity Building Marketplace and the exclusive e-learning platform;
7. Also invites developed country Parties and those in a position to do so, as well as technical and financial institutions, to continue to provide technical and financial support for targeted capacity development in support of the implementation of the Convention;
8. Requests the secretariat to report on the implementation of this decision to future sessions of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention held in conjunction with the Conference of the Parties.
