COP14 inaugurated at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

The 12-day 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) to UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) inaugurated at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

During the meet, Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Prakash Javadekar expressed that mass awareness and public participation is the need of the hour as be it climate change or desertification, human actions have a role in disturbing balance of nature.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the high-level segment meeting on 9 September 2019.

Key Highlights

Participants: An estimated 7,200 participants including ministers and representatives of governments, intergovernmental and non-government organizations, scientists, women and youth from 197 Parties are expected.

COP will take around 30 decisions with actions that aim to strengthen land-use policies worldwide and address emerging threats which includes forced migration, sand and dust storms, and droughts.

122 countries which includes Russia, China, Brazil, India, South Africa and Nigeria which are among the largest and most populous nations on Earth have agreed to make Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of achieving land degradation neutrality a national target.

Significance: Such large scale conferences holds importance as many countries come together at a world platform like this to share good stories and experiences that will help the world.

 UNCCD is very important as it is expected that some good outcomes which will be notified in Delhi Declaration, which will form the future course of action.

About UN Convention to Combat Desertification
UNCCD is an international agreement on good land stewardship (carefully and responsibly conducting, supervising or managing).

It helps countries, people and communities to create wealth, grow economies and secure sufficient food, water and energy. It ensures that land users have an enabling environment for sustainable land management.

The 197 Parties to Convention, through partnerships set up robust systems to manage drought promptly and effectively.

Good land stewardship based on a sound policy and science helps integrate and accelerate achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), builds resilience to climate change and prevents biodiversity loss.

NOTE:

In 2019, India being the global host for COP 14 will take over COP Presidency from China for next 2 years i.e. till 2021.

India among selected few countries to have hosted COP of all 3 Rio conventions on climate change, biodiversity and land. 

Now by hosting COP 14, India will highlight its leadership in navigating land management agenda at global level and will also provide a stage to mainstream sustainable land management in country’s national development policies.