The members and observers of the UNCCD Science-Policy Interface (SPI) gathered on 10-12 October in Bonn for its eighth meeting. Marioldy Sanchez from the Peruvian NGO AIDER also attended the meeting as the elected observer to the SPI representing the civil society organizations accredited to the UNCCD.
The objective of the meeting was to define milestones for the deliverables of the SPI 2018-2019 work programme which aim to provide guidance for the implementation of land degradation neutrality (LDN) and for drought management and mitigation. During the meeting, the SPI also advanced coordination activities with various global panels engaged in the science-policy nexus, such as the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services (IPBES) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Issues related to land governance, land tenure and institutional arrangements for LDN were discussed by the SPI scientists during the meeting and will be addressed in the technical report that the SPI will deliver about LDN interventions for improving the well-being and livelihoods and enhancing the environment. As these topics are relevant for the civil society agenda, the SPI envisage the participation of CSOs in providing information for the assessment process. The CSO observer will communicate the next steps through the CSO panel.
