Connecting GEOSS and its Stakeholders in Science and Technology

1

Earth Information Needs of UNCCD
Connecting GEOSS and its Stakeholders in Science
and Technology
2
United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification Drought Mitigation

• UNCCD is a Rio Convention UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD

• General Objective
• ltlt To combat desertification and mitigate the
  effects of drought in countries experiencing
  serious drought and/or desertification,
  particularly in Africa gtgt
• ltlt Through effective action at all levels,
  supported by international
• cooperation and partnership arrangements in the
  framework of an
• integrated approach consistent with Agenda 21
  with a view
• achieving sustainable developmentgtgt

• "desertification" means land degradation in arid,
  semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from
  various factors, including climatic variations
  and human activities

• drought means means the naturally occurring
  phenomenon that exists when precipitation has
  been significantly below normal recorded levels

3
Vulnerability of Drylands

• 41.3 of the global terrestrial area
• 34.7 of the global population (mostly poor
• people)
• 25 of the African drylands have been degraded

3
4
The 10-years Strategy
5
Decision 17/COP.9 Provisionally accepted setof
Impact Indicators
Source Decision 17/COP9 (Annex) (UNCCD 2009)
6
COP Decision

• By its decision 17/COP.9, the COP requested the
  CST
• using an iterative process to develop proposals
  to refine the set of impact indicators and
  associated methodologies, taking account of
• Application and review of the impact indicators
  by affected countries
• Scientific peer review of the relevance, accuracy
  and cost-effectiveness of the impact indicators
• Possible synergy with relevant programmes,
  projects and institutions, including those
  associated with the other Rio conventions
• Relevant contributions from UNCCD scientific
  conferences.

7
White paper (version 1)

• The scientific review produced
• a refined conceptual framework,
• a refinement of the indicator set hierarchy,
• metrics/proxies proposed to measure them, and
• a set of general proposals designed to guide
  refinement and next steps.

http//www.unccd.int/science/menu.php?newchl41
8
Proposed Framework Amended DPSIR framework
integrated with ecosystem services provisions
Adapted from GEF KMLand2010 LADA 2010
9
Indicator set hierarchy
Decision 17/COP.9 I. Strategic Objectives a.
Core indicators i. Provisional Indicators
Proposed refinement I. Strategic Objectives
a. Core indicators ii. General indicators 1.
Metrics/proxies
10
Refine the Metrics/proxies level
11
Data requirements scale issues
Global
Regional
National
Local
Filling gaps / desaggregation
Aggregation/Compilation
11
12
Further steps data requirements
SOCIETAL BENEFIT AREAS Information and data provided
CLIMATE Basic hydroclimatological data Global carbon observation
WATER Drought forecast and impact Basic data for water management
ECOSYSTEMS Land Cover/Land Use Mapping (changes) EcosytemS Function and Services (Productivity)
AGRICULTURE Land management practices Agricultural productivity
BIODIVERSITY Agro-ecosystem biodiversity (pant, animal and soil)
Soil capacity and level of degradation Socio-economic data
12
13
Next steps ? Capacity building and data management

• Cooperation and synergies with organization and
  networks of data providers.
• Facilitation to access to global and regional
  data sets
• Need for developing regional and national
  capacity building
• Advocacy for Global Drylands Observing System
• The only Rio Convention not having an observing
  system
• Recommended by the UNCCD 1st Scientific
  Conference

14
Next steps ? Pilot testing

• Pilot tests are being launched with the technical
  support of the UNEP-WCMC
• They will inform the process of impact indicators
  refinement and will allow to gain experience with
  their successful use in preparation for the
  reporting in 2012
• The results of the tests will be presented to the
  COP 10

• Specific objectives
• assessing the availability of data
• assessing existing and proposed methodologies for
  the collection and analysis of data
• considering how different methodologies can be
  reconciled and aggregated to move from the
  national to the global level
• ascertaining the capacity gaps that need to be
  addressed
• identifying what institutional arrangements
  already exist and/or would be necessary at
  national level for successful compilation,
  validation and reporting of indicators
• contribute to the refinement of the set of impact
  indicators.

15
Summing up

• The ten year Strategy ask for tracking the
  progress made in the achievements of the
  strategic objectives.In 2012 affected country
  Parties will report for the first time against
  impact indicators
• 2 mandatory indicators
• Proportion of the population in affected areas
  living above the poverty line
• Land cover status
• The remaining impact indicators optional for
  inclusion in reports
• An iterative process for refinement
• Needs for support, cooperation in providing and
  sharing data and capacity building
• Reporting on impact indicators is part of the new
  performance review and assessment of
  implementation system (PRAIS)

15
16
Thank you!