Event Details:
Name: UNCCD COP 14
Date: 2 – 13 September, 2019
Place: New Delhi,
Open Call closes on: 5th August, 2019

IFSA is happy to announce that the application period for UNCCD COP14 is now open! The open call will close on 5th August 2019.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), established in 1994, acts as the sole legally binding international agreement which links environment and development to sustainable land management. Committed to ‘bottom-top’ approach, encouraging local peoples’ active participation, 197 parties of the Convention work together to maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and to mitigate the effects of drought and improve the living conditions for people in drylands. (https://www.unccd.int/convention/about-convention)

As the United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight Against Desertification (2010-2020) makes way for the UN Decade for Restoration (2020-2030), the event will be one of the stepping stone in addressing the target SDG 15, “Life on land”, by inking sustainable land management, climate change and biodiversity conservation with the theme “Restore Land, Sustain Future”. The fourteenth session of the Conference of the Parties is scheduled to take place from 2 to 13 September 2019 at the India Expo Center and Mart, in New Delhi, India.

Sustainable management of forests and combating desertification go hand in hand to halt biodiversity loss, and halt and reverse land degradation. In the upcoming Decade of restoration, Forestry is expected to emerge out as one of the most potential solution for sustainable land management, address food security and address Sustainable Development Goals.
The convention’s action approach Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), established in COP 13, in China, 2017, is investing in bankable projects on land rehabilitation and sustainable land management worldwide mentioning Agro-forestry, sustainable forestry, renewable energy, infrastructure development, and eco-tourism, as important source of socio-economic benefits from environment to strike a balance between three processes: degradation, rehabilitation/ restoration and sustainable management, to fulfill the target SDG 15 (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=30022&nr=1237&menu=3170).

Over 5,000 representatives from over 196 countries drawn from national, regional and local governments, science and research communities, the private sector, international and non-governmental organizations and all forms media will address issues on land degradation and desertification during the two-week event.

IFSA, as a registered NGO, has observer status and will send a delegation of lucky individuals who will get great learning opportunity in the event. We are looking for dynamic people to engage, participate and report on this world class event. We are looking for a diverse group of individuals (level of education, field of study, gender, region, etc.) that can contribute in their own way to the delegation. When filling out the application form, let us know what you think you can bring to the team (for example: leadership, good written skills, understanding of international negotiations, social media presence, experience, etc.). In other words, tell us how unique you are 🙂

To know more on:
The event: https://www.unccd.int/conventionconference-parties-cop/unccd-cop14-new-delhi-india
The Convention: https://www.unccd.int/convention/about-convention
LDN Approach: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=30022&nr=1237&menu=3170

If you have any questions, feel free to contact
Oindrila Basu: oindrila.basu@ifsa.net, and
Zuhaib Ahmed Shah: zuhaib.shah@ifsa.net

Sign up on the open call for the conference