GTOS in Support of UNCCD for Systematic Observations

1. GTOS in Support of UNCCD for Systematic Observations GTOS Steering Committee Meeting, Paris, 30 November – 2 December

2. Need for observation system • The ten year Strategy and Framework asks for monitoring and assessment tools, methods and guidelines • UNCCD is the only Rio Convention not having an observing system • There is a need to establish such as system

3. A first step The two indicators agreed on at COP 9 • Land cover status • Poverty line • The indicators should be seen in the context of strategic objectives • SO1. To improve the living conditions of affected populations • SO2. To improve the condition of affected ecosystems • SO3. To generate global benefits through effective implementation of the UNCCD

4. Land Cover Status In both cultivated and non-cultivated lands Proposed to be based on NPP and RUE trends as obtained through long term series NDVI data at global, regional and national levels The analysis should be done centrally and made available to the countries so that ground truthing and assessment can be carried out There is a comittment among Country Parties to report but the capacity and available data is not always there

5. Land Cover Status • There is an need for support to Countries to access data and for capacity building • Support is also needed for reporting at regional and global level • Significance of the indicator

6. Land cover Status Limitations such as: • No direct link between land cover status as measured by NPP and land degradation • Land use change and climatic fluctuation may result in lower NPP without beeing accompanied by land degradation • An increasing trend of NPP may reflect, for instance, bush encroachment in rangeland or cropland - which is not land improvement as commonly understood.

7. Further development • An iterative process including • Scientific peer review including: • Relevance • Accuracy • Cost-effectiveness • Application and review by countries

8. Further development Some indicators are proposed as starting point in this iterative process such as: • change in land use • level of carbon stocks • land under SLM However, the process will not be limited to these indicators and the set can be extended/changed during the work

9. Further development In the iterative process UNCCD will look for support and cooperation with organisations and networks as well as synergies with other conventions This is also in line with a recommendation from the UNCCD 1st scientific conference: A comprehensive, regularized DLDD/SLM monitoring and assessment system should be established and harmonized with related systems ...

10. UNCCD 1st Scientific Conference ”Simple indicators reveal only a small part of the complex DLDD picture, and do notreflect the dynamic nature of human-environment systems...” ”Ratherthan using fixed indicator sets alone, the UNCCD community should make progressively greateruse of the full range of analytical methods that are available, within the framework of acarefully-planned, holistic, multi-scalar monitoring and assessment regime.” ”“Integrated assessment models” serve thispurpose, particularly linking the human and biophysical dimensions of DLDD in ways thatgenerate useful knowledge for decision makers.”

11. Summing up • The ten year Strategy and Framework asks for monitoring and assessment tools, methods and guidelines • Two indicatorswere agreed on at COP 9 • An iterative process • UNCCD first scientific conference • Support and cooperation with organisations and networks are necessary