http://www.unccd.int/

AGENDA 21 CHAPTERS AND PROGRAMME AREAS OF PARTICULAR FOCUS OR INTEREST:
See check list in annex.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF AND LINKS TO INFORMATION ACTIVITIES: 

Data Collection, Observation, Monitoring

For the regional information networks, annual regional meetings, sub-regional meetings, telephone/direct correspondence provides the opportunity to gather data. As for the National Action Programme which is designed to identify the factors contributing to desertification and mitigate the effects of drought, data come from the focal points in each country which will differ from country to country. The data come directly from the respective national focal points. 

Vis-a-vis Agenda 21 chapters, data fall mostly into Chapter 12-Desertification but also Chapter 10-Land Resources, Chapter 11-Deforestation, Chapter 14-Agriculture and Rural Development, Chapter 15-Biological Diversity and Chapter 9-Atmosphere. National Action Programmes started to be submitted by developing country Parties as of 1999. 

Methodologies, Quality Control, Harmonization

Assessment and Analysis
National Action Programmes identify the factors contributing to desertification and practical measures necessary to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought. They specify the roles of government, local communities and land users in addressing desertification and drought. 

The regional information network, in addition to providing the electronic forum for discussion, also collects meta-information on projects and activities, and from participants in combatting desertification in the region. 

The Committee on Science and Technology is the scientific advisory body established under the convention (see background profile).

Cooperation with FAO, IFAD, UNEP, UNDP, UN DESA, WMO, World Bank, OECD. 

Indicators
Article 10 of the Convention requires Parties to submit their National Action Programmes. 

Modelling

Expert Systems/Decision-support systems

Early Warning Mechanisms

Reports/Information dissemination
Dissemination methods are mainly the most appropriate and the least costly, considering that most of its constituents are in least-developed and developing countries. These range from e-mail and the internet web systems to printed documents. 
Users are national focal points (mainly government agencies), partners in other UN agencies, IGOs and NGOs. 
Information dissemination coordinated wiith UNEP/IUC and UN DESA. 

UNEP/IUC has been tasked to maintain the secretariat's web site and a number of public information materials; IISD (ENB) covers the daily news coverage during our meetings. These will act as the information brokers.

Information use promoted by Information Proposal distributed during annual regional meetings and sub-regionally. 

Network Development and Support
Regional list services managed for Asia & the Pacific, Africa and Latin America & the Caribbean. The networks are coordinated through the UNCCD secretariat. 

There is interaction with APC networks, SDN, RIOD (NGO network) 

Capacity-Building
Presently, in close collaboration with UNITAR, to establish a CD-SUPPORT programme which will include support, training programme and capacity building to facilitate the implementation of the Convention. 

Internet Access
 http://www.unccd.int/

Responsible Office/Person (for inquiries or follow-up):
Mr Michael Ramos 
Information System Officer 
Secretariat of the Convention to Combat Desertification 
Haus Carstanjen  
Martin-Luther-King-Strasse 8  
53175 Bonn, Germany 
E-mail: secretariat @ unccd.de  
Tel: +49 228 815 2802  
Fax: +49 228 815 2898/99  

Date of preparation: April 1997, updated February 2001 

ORGANIZATION: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) - Interim Secretariat