The Conference of the Parties,
Recalling decision 9/COP.13, Acknowledging that the implementation of the Convention benefits from strong and effective collaborations to leverage synergies with relevant organizations and international instruments,
Reaffirming the usefulness of the three land-based progress indicators as set out in decision 9/COP.12 for reporting under the Rio conventions and the Sustainable Development Goals, which are coherent with the progress indicators/metrics adopted in decision 22/COP.11, namely: (i) trends in land cover; (ii) trends in land productivity or functioning of the land; and (iii) trends in carbon stock above and below ground,
Acknowledging the important role of the members and participating organizations of the Group on Earth Observations and other partners in assisting the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification secretariat in finalizing the methodology and data management protocols and facilitating capacity-building for the 2018 national reports and reporting on Sustainable Development Goal indicator 15.3.1,
Welcoming the establishment of the Group on Earth Observations Land Degradation Neutrality Initiative and its efforts to (a) facilitate data access and the development of quality standards; and (b) create interactive analytical tools/platforms and innovative capacitybuilding mechanisms that will reduce the reporting burden and increase national capacities to utilize Earth observation datasets to achieve land degradation neutrality and other sustainable development priorities,
1. Requests the secretariat and appropriate Convention bodies and institutions, within their respective mandates and existing resources, to:
(a) Seek new partnerships to further enhance the implementation of the Convention and the UNCCD 2018–2030 Strategic Framework in the context of the Paris Agreement and emerging issues such as the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030;
(b) Continue working with the Group on Earth Observations Land Degradation Neutrality Initiative to address gaps related to the land-based progress indicators and increase the policy relevance of Earth observation data, tools and interfaces for the next United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification reporting cycle 2021–2022 and Sustainable Development Goals reporting in accordance with the data requirements and protocols established by the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators;
(c) Build on the collaboration initiated with relevant United Nations entities, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Rio conventions secretariats, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, as well as development partners and relevant international organizations, to support gender mainstreaming at all levels, but especially at the national and subnational levels;
(d) Continue to strengthen collaboration with the Rio conventions secretariats and relevant United Nations entities, as well as with development partners and relevant international and regional organizations, to support activities on sand and dust storms, drought monitoring, preparedness and early warning systems, drought vulnerability assessments and drought risk mitigation measures;
2. Also requests both the secretariat and the Global Mechanism to continue to fulfil their respective roles in the established partnerships; seek new partnerships according to their respective mandates to further enhance the implementation of the Convention and the UNCCD 2018–2030 Strategic Framework; and, if appropriate, bring them to the attention of the Conference of the Parties for any necessary action;
3. Invites developed country Parties, other Parties in a position to do so, international financial organizations, civil society organizations and private sector institutions to consider contributing, financially or in-kind, to initiatives related to desertification/land degradation and drought, particularly the Group on Earth Observations Land Degradation Neutrality Initiative;
4. Requests the secretariat to present its report on the implementation of this decision at the fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties.
