Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India

As the Convention enters its second decade, the Parties unanimously adopted the 10-year strategic plan and framework to enhance the implementation of the Convention for 2008-2018 (The Strategy) at COP8, held in Madrid in September 2007. The Strategy provides a unique opportunity to address some of the Convention’s key challenges, to capitalize on its strengths, to seize opportunities provided by the new policy and financing environment, and to create a new, revitalized common ground for all UNCCD stakeholders. The Strategy contains the “strategic objectives” to be achieved over the 10 years, and the “operational objectives” that guide the actions of short and medium-term effects. The strategy can be downloaded here.

As an integral part of its obligations, India submits a National Report to the UNCCD Secretariat every 4 years and attends the Conference of the Parties (COP) every two years. Till date 4 National Reports have been submitted.

The 4th National Report has a revised reporting format vis-à-vis the previous years. To support this new result oriented management structure UNCCD has Parties at the Ninth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9), decided on a new Performance Review and Assessment of Implementation System (PRAIS). This will allow the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC) to effectively review the implementation of the Strategy and the Convention, based on a new methodological approach, which envisages reporting on performance and impact indicators, best practices and financial flows. The reporting template is available here.

Through the fourth reporting and review process Parties and the other reporting entities will be providing information on:

Performance indicators for the five operational objectives of the Strategy;

Financial flows (through the Standardized Financial Annex (SFA) and Programme and Project Sheet (PPS);

Best practices on sustainable land management (SLM) technologies, including adaptation;

Feedback on indicators and methodologies applied in this reporting and review process, as well as other pertinent information that reporting entities may wish to provide to the COP.

The process of preparation of the report will include data collection and synthesis of important programmes undertaken by the various Government of India ministries, research institutes, and civil society organisations. A national consultation is also planned to enable sharing of the draft document and invite inputs to fill additional information.

India’s obligation is to fulfil reporting requirements as per PRAIS to improve implementation of the convention in the country and also to assess national progress on combating desertification. The process will also helps in streamlining programmes, projects and financial flows among various government and non-government agencies towards a common goal of combating desertification within the country. It is envisaged the assessment would contribute towards effective planning and policy initiatives.