Previous Year Question
What is/are the importance/importances of the “United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification”?
It aims to promote effective action through innovative national programmes and supportive international partnerships.
It has a special/particular focus on South Asia and North Africa regions, and its Secretariat facilitates the allocation of major portion of financial resources to these regions.
It is committed to bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating desertification.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
1 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
UNCCD stands for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
It is a legally binding international convention created to address desertification, land degradation and the effects of drought.
It was adopted in 1994 and entered into force in 1996.
Along with the UNFCCC on climate change and the CBD on biodiversity, the UNCCD is one of the three principal Rio Conventions associated with the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
Statement 1 is correct: The UNCCD encourages affected countries to prepare and implement National Action Programmes.
These programmes may include sustainable land management, soil and water conservation, drought early warning, ecological restoration and improvement of local livelihoods.
The Convention links national programmes with support from developed countries, international institutions, research organisations and other partners.
Innovative national programmes and supportive international partnerships assist action according to the local causes of land degradation and regional conditions.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The scope of the UNCCD is not restricted to South Asia and North Africa.
The Convention has a global scope and addresses all regions affected by desertification, land degradation and drought.
The Convention gives special priority to the severe conditions in Africa, but it does not contain the described special provision for jointly allocating a major portion of financial resources to South Asia and North Africa.
The UNCCD Secretariat is not itself a financial institution that allocates the majority of financial resources to particular regions.
Its Global Mechanism assists in mobilising financial resources, identifying available sources and linking investment with the land-management priorities of affected countries.
Statement 3 is correct: The UNCCD emphasises a bottom-up and participatory approach.
Participation of farmers, pastoralists, women, indigenous groups and local communities directly affected by land degradation is considered essential for effective action.
Local participation allows traditional knowledge, local water management and region-specific land-use practices to be incorporated into plans.
The UNCCD also promotes Land Degradation Neutrality, drought resilience, ecosystem restoration and sustainable land management.
Land Degradation Neutrality is associated with Target 15.3 of Sustainable Development Goal 15.