Governance & Policy
UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Definition
The UNCCD is the international convention adopted in 1994 — the third of the Rio Earth Summit's treaty family — addressing desertification, land degradation and drought, particularly in drylands that cover over 40% of Earth's land and are home to billions. Its operational centrepiece is land degradation neutrality (LDN, SDG target 15.3): countries set targets to balance anticipated degradation with equivalent restoration. Its scientific conferences and SPI (Science-Policy Interface) link land science to policy; its 197 parties make it near-universal.
References
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This reference provides supporting context for how “UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)” is defined and used.
Overview
How it is used
The convention structures national LDN target setting, the Great Green Wall initiative, drought policy frameworks and land restoration finance.
Why it matters
Land is where climate, food and water crises meet; the UNCCD is the treaty whose quiet job is holding the ground itself together.