For more than 20 years, the UN Environment Programme has played a leading role in developing and advancing the international agenda on land degradation and desertification, and has collaborated with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) on biodiversity projects since its establishment in 1991.
Our objectives
Our objectives are focused on supporting global policy frameworks, providing technical expertise and resources in support of sustainable land management, and implementing successful projects on the ground.
Objective 1: Support global policy frameworks
- Negotiate and inform policy for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
- Provide linkages between the science and the policy for decision makers
- Support member states with their reporting and monitoring
Objective 2: Support sustainable land management with technical expertise and resources
- Develop tools and methodologies for sustainable land management
- Help UNCCD member states monitor the extent, severity and impacts of land degradation
- Share best practice locally, regionally and internationally
Objective 3: implement successful, scalable, impactful projects on the ground
- Deliver projects that help countries meet the goals set by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Provide incentives to communities and governments in priority areas for sustainable land management practices and restoration
- Support innovative and impactful integrated programmes bringing together the public and private sectors with communities to find solutions for land degradation challenges
Some numbers at a glance
Together with the Global Environment Facility we have:
- Implemented more than 160 UNEP-led initiatives in Land Degradation
- Invested over $130 million in land degradation initiatives
- Are actively currently supporting over 50 projects in 127 countries around the globe
- $53 million currently being invested in live projects
