Benefits and Responsibilities of the Parites
All Parties to the UNCCD Convention, even those countries that are not affected by degradation, have certain obligations as explained in Articles 3, 4, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of the Convention. They relate to international cooperation in the implementing the UNCCD at all levels and include:
- the collection, analysis and exchange of information
- research and technology transfer
- capacity building and awareness raising
- the promotion of an integrated approach in developing national strategies to combat desertification
- assistance in ensuring that adequate financial resources are available for programmes to combat land degradation and mitigate the effects of drought
Affected country Parties in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Northern Mediterranean and Central and Eastern Europe prepare national action programmes (NAPs) and cooperate at the regional and sub-regional levels. Other affected country Parties have the option of preparing NAPs following the provisions of the Convention, or of formulating their own strategies and priorities for combating degradation. Developed country Parties have, according article 6, article 20 and other articles, obligations to support affected countries (especially developing countries) by providing financial resources and by facilitating access to appropriate technology, knowledge and know-how. All Parties are obliged (article 26) to report on measures they have taken to implement the Convention. Parties which have prepared NAPs are obliged under article 10 to provide regular progress reports on their implementation.
Benefits of country Parties to the UNCCD
The country Parties to the Convention has full right to negotiate at the meetings of the Conference of the Parties (COP). This allows members to:
- Participate in an intergovernmental normative and political process that deals with desertification, land degradation and drought
- Adopt and promote Sustainable Land Management (SLM)
- Participate in scientific cooperation that focuses on various aspects of land degradation.